Instagram latest feature will now allow users to add their pronouns to their profiles, in the spirit of showing a more complete acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.
This certainly is not the biggest step a major corporation has taken towards inclusivity and LGBTQ+ acceptance, but it speaks volumes for how far the movement has come. In the past decade or so, the general populace has come a long way in becoming more accepting of non-binary and trans individuals. And while this certainly isn't the end of the road, it signifies that larger platforms are now comfortable with having non-binary individuals on their turf. Even if the ultimate reason for such acceptance might simply be a marketing tactic. Between large level industries releasing "rainbow" color products, but doing nothing significant in terms of producing jobs for LGBTQ+ individuals or supporting them, it's hard to tell.
At any rate, we'll leave Instagram's marketing personnel to their own devices and focus on the update. When setting up an account, or editing your personal bio, you as an individual can add the relevant pronouns in the form of tags. Currently, Instagram's allowing the addition of 4 pronouns. These will feature next to your name on Instagram's account interface. They'll also, no doubt, provide mild comfort to many of those who have had to rely on Instagram's bio feature in order to accomplish the task of simply identifying themselves. Well, as non-binary individuals have been telling themselves for whole decades now, baby steps.
The feature also has individuals mark whether or not they'd like to make the pronouns public, i.e. visible to users who aren't necessarily followers. It should be noted that for users under the age of 18, non-followers are automatically and irreversibly blinded to this information. Which, ultimately, makes sense. Sad as it may be, online hatred and bullying of non-binary and trans individuals is at an alarming state right now. While acceptance is slowly rising, online public platforms such an Instagram almost inherently mean that hate gets a stage as well. We can definitely look towards the likes of Instagram's dev team to moderate online discourse better, but until then, allowing for simply blocking out users might not be in bad spirit.
At any rate, this is in and of itself, a small victory for the LGBTQ+ community. Countless years of protests, petitioning, and hard work have led the world to a plane of more acceptance. As always, there is still work to do, but appreciating the small victories is nice.
This certainly is not the biggest step a major corporation has taken towards inclusivity and LGBTQ+ acceptance, but it speaks volumes for how far the movement has come. In the past decade or so, the general populace has come a long way in becoming more accepting of non-binary and trans individuals. And while this certainly isn't the end of the road, it signifies that larger platforms are now comfortable with having non-binary individuals on their turf. Even if the ultimate reason for such acceptance might simply be a marketing tactic. Between large level industries releasing "rainbow" color products, but doing nothing significant in terms of producing jobs for LGBTQ+ individuals or supporting them, it's hard to tell.
At any rate, we'll leave Instagram's marketing personnel to their own devices and focus on the update. When setting up an account, or editing your personal bio, you as an individual can add the relevant pronouns in the form of tags. Currently, Instagram's allowing the addition of 4 pronouns. These will feature next to your name on Instagram's account interface. They'll also, no doubt, provide mild comfort to many of those who have had to rely on Instagram's bio feature in order to accomplish the task of simply identifying themselves. Well, as non-binary individuals have been telling themselves for whole decades now, baby steps.
The feature also has individuals mark whether or not they'd like to make the pronouns public, i.e. visible to users who aren't necessarily followers. It should be noted that for users under the age of 18, non-followers are automatically and irreversibly blinded to this information. Which, ultimately, makes sense. Sad as it may be, online hatred and bullying of non-binary and trans individuals is at an alarming state right now. While acceptance is slowly rising, online public platforms such an Instagram almost inherently mean that hate gets a stage as well. We can definitely look towards the likes of Instagram's dev team to moderate online discourse better, but until then, allowing for simply blocking out users might not be in bad spirit.
At any rate, this is in and of itself, a small victory for the LGBTQ+ community. Countless years of protests, petitioning, and hard work have led the world to a plane of more acceptance. As always, there is still work to do, but appreciating the small victories is nice.
