Facebook has added new icons to
identify gay and lesbian users who are married.
The social networking site added the
new married icons to timeline, Facebook's alternative profile which
allows users to highlight photos, posts and life events
chronologically.
One icon includes two brides, the other
two grooms.
Last year, Facebook gave users the
option of choosing “In a Civil Union” and “In a Domestic
Partnership.” Together the options represent the relationship
status of a majority of committed gay couples in America.
The site has also incorporated features
aimed at preventing anti-LGBT bullying.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation (GLAAD) honored Facebook last month at its annual GLAAD
Media Awards for its support.
The move comes just weeks after Apple
included new gay and lesbian icons in its newest iteration of its
popular iPhone. The phone's new iOS 6 operating system sports an
expanded emojis keyboard which supports graphic emoticons for
text messaging and e-mails. Two of these pictograms
represent gay and lesbian couples for the first time.
(Related: Facebook's
Chris Hughes, Sean Eldridge marry in New York.)