Facebook Expands Gender Options for Trans and Gender-Nonconforming Users
Today, Facebook unveiled a slew of new pronoun and gender options for its profile, a frequently requested feature among transgender users.
In addition to being able to select from “male,” “female,” or “gender-neutral” pronouns, users can now enter their gender as they see fit. “Androgyne,” “Pangender,” “Bi-gender,” “Agender,” “Trans Woman,” “Transsexual,” “Trans* Man,” “Cis woman,” and dozens of other gender-identifying options are now available to users by selecting the “custom” option in the profile’s “Basic Information” section. The new gender identity listing also has a built-in privacy setting, allowing users to determine who is able to view their gender identity when looking at their profile.
Facebooks Statement Below:
When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self. An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just “male” or female.” So today, we’re proud to offer a new custom gender option to help you better express your own identity on Facebook.
We collaborated with our Network of Support, a group of leading LGBT advocacy organizations, to offer an extensive list of gender identities that many people use to describe themselves. Moreover, people who select a custom gender will now have the ability to choose the pronoun they’d like to be referred to publicly — male (he/his), female (she/her) or neutral (they/their).
We also have added the ability for people to control the audience with whom they want to share their custom gender. We recognize that some people face challenges sharing their true gender identity with others, and this setting gives people the ability to express themselves in an authentic way.
The new custom gender option is available to everyone who uses Facebook in U.S. English.
