Disability-Themed Emoji Proposed by Apple
There was once a time when we looked only toward pop culture to see ourselves represented on the big screen. But as emojis increasingly become our universal language, it's about time Apple provided us with the tools to see ourselves on our phone screens, too. Today, the tech giant told Teen Vogue in an statement they've proposed to include 13 new disability-themed emojis for the next version of the Unicode Consortium's animated expressions, which allows people to use a computer in any language.
To ensure each emoji is fair and accurate, Apple consulted with various organizations like the American Council of the Blind, Cerebral Palsy Foundation, and National Association for the Deaf. Their disclaimer is that while this proposal is unable to reflect the full scope of existing disabilities, it's a "starting point for greater diversity within emoji." If accepted, the hope is that emojis like prosthetic limbs, hearing aids, service dogs, and wheelchairs will join the existing roster of 2,666 emojis.
Thankfully, this isn't the first time Apple has taken steps toward inclusion. A batch of 77 emojis, and 157 if you include a range of skin tones, is coming to iOS in June 2018. It'll depict, among others, underrepresented hair colors and styles like natural, white, red and bald. But before that, Apple went beyond aesthetics by releasing a range of career-oriented women like a mechanic, welder and doctor, as well as non-binary characters. Small changes make a huge impact, and we can't wait to see what else Apple will drum up.
Related: 6 Things Can You Do to Protect Disability Rights Today
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