For all the time we spend talking about periods, it's kinda shocking that not a single emoji can adequately represent that time of the month. A syringe, a germ, and poo have all made the cut, but there's no emoji that can adequately speak to our monthly menstruation? That's about to change. A period emoji is being released this moth.
The emoji, a rather cute little droplet of blood, comes as a result of a campaign by Plan International UK, a charity fighting for girls' rights around the globe, to help put an end to period stigma. Literally everyone on the planet either has a period or knows someone who does, but still period stigma remains a very real thing. A 2017 survey by Plan found that nearly half of girls between 14 and 21 in the U.K. were embarrassed by their period. But it's not just about embarrassment over menstruation that matters—around the globe, period stigma keeps women and girls from work and school. In some cultures, period stigma even threatens women's lives.
The shame needs to stop. "With emoji becoming one of the fastest growing global languages, we realized having a period emoji could help change things," Plan International UK said. Think about it: If the poop emoji has made it easier to talk about that bodily function, a period emoji can help normalize menstruation. At least it's a start.
We are thrilled to announce that we are actually getting a #PeriodEmoji!
It is through your support that we can now celebrate that the @unicode have announced that we will get our first ever #PeriodEmoji in March 2019 🎊
Find out more here ▶ https://t.co/dKd4WwEShX pic.twitter.com/CdyG5fapAx
— PlanInternational UK (@PlanUK) February 6, 2019
The droplet of blood is admittedly kind of generic (Plan International UK's first choice for a period emoji, a pair of period panties, was rejected by the global governing body of emoji), so feel free to make your own combo of emoji (🍷, 🍫 and 😖 by chance?) to get your point across.
The period emoji will be added to your keyboard sometime this year, according to Emojipedia. And it's not the only stigma-reducing emoji on the way—seems the new emoji for 2019 will be all-around more inclusive, with people in wheelchairs and people with disabilities. There will also be an emoji of men's underwear, but looks like we still have to wait for one for women's underthings.
Original article on GLAMOUR US. Read the full article here.
