The 2020 list includes the transgender flag and symbol.

Unicode Consortium announced the rollout of 117 new characters and images to the emoji library. The 2020 list also includes a man in a veil, a woman in a tuxedo, and a gender-neutral alternative to Santa Claus.

While gendered emojis have been around since the first ones came to iPhones and Android, in 2008 and 2012, the pride flag wasn’t released until 2016, and more inclusive gender-neutral emoji weren’t created until a few years ago.

Above: Emojipedia announced 117 new emojis

Back in 2019, both Apple and Google added gender-neutral option for nearly every human emoji and a number of same-sex couple and gender-neutral emoji were added to the library to improve representation, but there was criticism over the non-inclusion of the transgender flag – which has now been added alongside the transgender symbol.

Above: Emoji evolution from 2014 to 2020

Finally ceding to LGBTI+ advocates who have long asked for additional representation, the Unicode Consortium, the group that sets the industry standard for text and emoji across various platforms included a trans flag that represents transgender individuals, made up of stripes in light blue, pink, and white.

Emojipedia, which is part of the Unicode Consortium and details icons found in updates, said:

“Announced today by the Unicode Consortium, the 117 new emojis form part of Emoji 13.0 and will come to most platforms in the second half of 2020.

Variations of existing emojis now approved for 2020 include a woman or gender-inclusive person in a tuxedo, as well as a gender-neutral person or a man in a veil. These, along with other approved emojis, will be coming to phones later this year.

The addition of LGBTI+-inclusive emoji has become an increasingly important issue for smartphone users.

Above: Emojipedia Presents All 117 New Emojis for 2020

“Among those in the always-online Generation Z,  only two-thirds identify as heterosexual, and 35% know someone who uses gender-neutral “they/them” pronouns. When gender-neutral emoji started rolling out, LGBTI+ community members quickly praised them for giving them options for emoji that look more like them and shirk traditionally gendered characteristics.”

You can find the full list of new emoji coming to smartphones in 2020 on the Unicode Consortium’s website.

Credits: Emojipedia