D&I strategy between | From comrades to menstruation, can multiple emoji reduce discrimination?

Do you know how the mobile phone emoticons (emoji) we use every day reflect/influence people's way of thinking?

February 5, 2019, the non-profit organization Global Unified Code Alliance (Unicode Consortium), which reviews emoji, launched 59 new emoji that caused the biggest discussion in these patterns, the "drop of blood" used to represent menstruation.

Photo |Plan International UK

In many countries, such as India, Nepal and even Taiwan, which continues to promote gender affirmative action, there is still a tendency to equate "menstruation" with filth and impurity, and in order to break the menstrual stigma (menstruation stigma), the global women's Rights charity UK International Program International UK) has launched a proposal to design menstrual emoji. (Recommended reading:"Gender watch" Nepalese woman, one-month exile )

According to the group's survey, 47% of women aged 18-34 said that having a menstrual emoji would make it easier for them to talk to their friends about menstruation, a plan that was supported by 55,000 people.

However, the final audit version of the Global Unicode Alliance is different from what was previously provided by the British International Planning Organization. Originally they provided emoji more reminiscent of menstruation, but also with women's menstrual scene has a direct relationship, but the Global Unified Code Alliance did not pass the proposal, coordination before the launch of the final "drop of Blood"

Photo |Plan International UK

So what are the reasons for rejecting the original proposal? Although the global Unicode Alliance does not say, according to the emoji audit standard , a applicable emoji should take into account the frequency of use and whether there are multiple uses, presumably perhaps the original emoji refers to too specific, so it is changed to " A drop of blood "to represent menstruation, but also blood donation (blood donation), Drugs (medicine) and other meanings.

The historical change of emoji

Although this menstrual emoji design is not as good as originally expected, it also symbolizes a great leap in women's feminism. Looking back at the beginning of the 2010, every time the Global Unified Code Alliance launched the emoji, can be said to reflect the social diversity of the history of Communion:

2015, vocal for race and LGBT

In 2015, the Global Unicode Alliance published an Atlas of five skin tones, in addition to not representing the "yellow" of any skin color, and added five new images from light complexion to dark complexion, calling for respect for all ethnic groups. In the same year, the emoji of same-sex families and same-sex couples was added to expand the public's imagination of the composition of the family.

Picture |Apple

Picture |Apple

2016, the professional role of diversity

By 2016, emoji joined the symbols of single-parent families, as well as more gender professional roles, such as astronauts, firefighters, farmers, police, detectives, cooks, etc., all of which have male and female versions in an attempt to dispel the public perception of gender stereotypes in the profession.

Picture |Apple

Picture |Apple

Picture |Apple

2017, female experience reappears

In the 2017, the Global Unicode Alliance launched the emoji "breastfeeding for mothers". Before that, mother breastfeeding did not put on her mother's head, only breastfeeding action, and 2017 new emoji, can clearly see the mother's expression when breastfeeding, so that emoji more meaningful. The emoji, a newborn nurse at University College London Hospital, said: "emoji will normalize breastfeeding and let the community know that it should not be hidden in the matter. (Recommended reading:"Men's Gender Watch" breastfeeding by the catwalk!) Mara Martin:"Breastfeeding is just my daily")

Picture |Apple

2019, focusing on social issues

In 2019, in addition to menstrual emoji, the global Unicode Alliance began to focus on the rights and interests of people with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, those wearing prostheses and hearing impairments, as well as guide dogs, and red vests that warn of epilepsy.

Photo |Unicode Consortium

Pluralistic communion begins on a daily basis

The Guardian article talks About Kate Miltner, a researcher at the London School of Politics and ECONOMICS (LSE, London Schools of Economics And Political Science), who spent two years studying the development of emoji Why it highlights people's narrow worldview. Technology, she says, does not clearly and deliberately crowd out people, but it is easy to unconsciously marginalize certain ethnic groups when creating emoji.

So, to create a diversified emoji, can you solve the problems you are experiencing?

Perhaps we can respond with the words Of Lucy Russell, head of the British International Planning organization : "The graph will not solve the problem, but it can help change the dialogue and start by talking about it when it comes to ending the situation." 」

So, as we look at these emoji changes, we can think further, and who else hasn't been seen? What other issues and voices have been ignored by us? Emoji is not only a daily communication of information, it also reflects the way we use, the angle of view of different ethnic groups.

The next time you use emoji to chat, you might want to think about what kind of conversation restrictions you want to break with emoji.