Inclusivity on social media platforms doesn’t just start and end with rainbow-themed posts. It’s also important to give users the option to choose what they identify as.
This is what Instagram is about to roll out this Pride Month. Instead of the default Male, Female, or Not Specified, the app will add a “Custom” option where you can add your preferred gender identity and sexual orientation.
In line with this, Instagram also partnered with The Trevor Project to create an LGBTQ+ Youth Safety Guide for people under 25 years old. It contains tips on how to block or mute negativity and homophobic remarks on the platform. It also provided hashtags like #LoveWins, #YouAreNotAlone, and #TransIsBeautiful where you can find safe communities.
Instagram isn’t the first platform to adopt this feature. Its parent company, Facebook, already incorporated this in 2014. Dating app Tinder also recently added a “Sexual Orientation” feature.
The new gender options will be slowly added to everyone’s Instagram sometime this month. Watch out for that!
[Refinery29]
Photo courtesy of Pexels
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