February 07, 2019
Emojipedia/YouTube
Among the 59 new emojis for 2019 are varieties of same-sex, interracial couples.
No fewer than 59 new emojis – 230 total, if you count variations of each – will join keyboards in 2019, including symbols depicting interracial couples and people with disabilities, a sari, a blood drop, and – strangely missing all this time – butter.
The new batch of emojis, announced this week by the Unicode Consortium, brings increased inclusivity in smartphones everywhere. As such, the most notable additions include a variety of options for couples holding hands – including two men, two women, and a man and a woman – with different skin tones.
Though the most recent emoji update already included same-sex couples holding hands, this is the first time the figures have graduated beyond the Simpsons-yellow skin tone.
✨Unicode Emoji 12.0 — Final for 2019✨
— The Unicode Consortium (@unicode) February 5, 2019
What do mechanical arms, people holding hands, otters, and waffles have in common? They’re all part of Unicode 12.0!https://t.co/L1kohHSZfZ#Unicode #Emoji pic.twitter.com/UVwC45fhGe
In addition to the new options for people-holding-hands, several 2019 emojis will represent some common disabilities heretofore not included in the keyboard, including people in wheelchairs, people with walking probes, a deaf person, an ear with a hearing piece, a mechanical arm, and a service dog.
Another new emoji, proposed by Plan International, will depict a drop of blood. Though the blood doesn't appear inherently female, Plan International envisions it as a way for people to get over the stigma of acknowledging menstruation.
A flamingo, sloth, and skunk will join the animal set, among others, while garlic, an onion, a waffle, butter, and a juice box are a some that will join the emoji food/drink collection. You'll also see a new "ringed planet," awfully similar to Saturn, as well as an ax, chair, diya lamp, and briefs.
Check out the video below for a peek of all the emojis coming in 2019.
You'll still have to wait a while before you can get all the new emojis, as they're expected to launch in keyboards sometime in the second half of 2019, likely in the early fall.
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