Gay, lesbian icons planned for iPhone, iPad

For the first time, the next version of the operating system for the iPhone and iPad will have messaging icons that reflect relationships among gay and lesbian users.

The emojis, emoticon-like pictures often used in texting and emails, will have both gay and lesbian couples holding hands when iOS 6 is out later this year, gizmodo.com reported.

According to Gizmodo:

The icons are placed next to the previous relationship-related emojis showing a heterosexual couple holding hands and a heterosexual couple with a son. One shows two men holding hands. The other shows two women in the same position.

Emojis were first made popular in Japan, where Apple introduced an emoji keyboard when it introducd the iPhone.

35 comments Add your comment

d'ep

June 16th, 2012
4:16 pm

Okay, I’m gay and I think this is ludicrous. Gays just want to be treated equally, not pandered to by businesses who are just jumping on the bandwagon. I can understand this sort of stuff turning people off.

LeVander Von Lichtenstine

June 16th, 2012
4:23 pm

This news is FABULOUS!!!! I am literally clicking my heels together in glee upon reading it!!! I must go tell Jervais and Rondrelle this wonderful news!!!

THIS IS STUPID

June 16th, 2012
4:44 pm

This is so stupid. Why does gay folks want so much attention for being weird. This is why folks act the way that they do. Just crazy”…..

Grace

June 16th, 2012
5:02 pm

Calm down, folks. All is well. Great idea and will be widely used.

ABBYSENIA

June 16th, 2012
7:44 pm

Funny… Now to get in a relationship so I can use one.
@”THIS IS STUPID

June 16th, 2012
4:44 pm
This is so stupid. Why does gay folks want so much attention for being weird. This is why folks act the way that they do. Just crazy”…

You just answered your own question with posting this.

really?

June 16th, 2012
7:50 pm

Why?!? This seems like a huge ploy to get people to buy more crap! People who need this are probably still in school and not sure what the heck they are!

Bocephus

June 16th, 2012
8:53 pm

Still, no icons with a farmer and his favorite goat. It’s not fair being excluded just because some people consider it unusual behavior. Some day it will be mainstream and accepted, but until then, I will be sad about it. Now, to figure out a way to get my goat marriage considered legal so those vet visits will be dumped on the other insurance company customers. There is hope yet!

truthbtold

June 16th, 2012
8:56 pm

Are there heterosexual icons? Are there icons for virgins or people that are abstinent? Why is there such a strong need to promote a homosexual agenda? There are individuals riding around with rainbow flags, decals, bumper stickers, and icons hanging on their rear view mirrors to announce their homosexuality….why? Why does one’s sexual preference need to be announced?

Batterycap

June 16th, 2012
9:25 pm

Noted there was a gay classic car club. Wondered why? Can’t your sexual preference be seperated from your interest in a classic car for a couple of hours? If you want to be identified as normal, why the constant attention called to highlighting the difference?

theguy

June 16th, 2012
9:27 pm

I bet it’s FABULOUS!

obamaisaloser

June 16th, 2012
9:40 pm

Why are they highlighting sin? What is next, a icon for adultery?

FinanceBuzz

June 16th, 2012
9:59 pm

If someone wants to download an icon on their own phone that is up to them, but it is inappropriate to shove it down our throats by making us see this icon every time I might go into that screen. Hopefully, there will hack to delete these from my phone.

FinanceBuzz

June 16th, 2012
9:59 pm

If someone wants to download an icon on their own phone that is up to them, but it is inappropriate to shove it down our throats by making us see this icon every time I might go into that screen. Hopefully, there will hack to delete these from my phone.

Itsmeagain

June 16th, 2012
10:17 pm

This is shoving it down your throat? I bet you don’t even know how to get the emoticon keyboard on your phone…
People hating because it’s cool to hate. This isn’t going to change any of your worlds one bit.

Wake up, America

June 16th, 2012
11:31 pm

Still don’t get it? Gays don’t have the same civil rights as every other American citizen. Housing, employment, etc. Try not having basic civil rights and I bet you organize, too.

euginia

June 17th, 2012
12:11 am

I think it is a shame that we live in todays society that anyone and anything can have rights this country was founded on the Bible and God created Adam and Eve not Adam and Steve go ahead give everyone rights to do whatever whenever they want to there is no more standards you don’t care I would like to move to where these kind shown that this is wrong not patted on the back and say it is ok it is not ok for you to hold hands in front of my children go away find your own place to live we were here first

david

June 17th, 2012
12:22 am

Euginia, Are you really that ignorant?

Stewart

June 17th, 2012
12:24 am

Yes, this truly is FABULOUS. You haters can keep on hating. Equality for all!

euginia

June 17th, 2012
12:24 am

not ignorant honest read your bible or do you know what that is stupid

Shannon, M.Div.

June 17th, 2012
12:45 am

@truthbtold: Yes, there are heterosexual icons, and have been. Did you read the story?

I’m of two minds about this. On the one hand, yes, absolutely, there should be icons reflecting the diversity of users. On the other hand, it shouldn’t be a frickin’ news story; it should just be SOP.

Who Cares?

June 17th, 2012
12:55 am

Just another check mark on the side of how stupid and collapsed our society has become. Oh well, I’ll be 55 this year, so maybe I can outlive this toilet society we have become. It’ll be a challenge though. All I really want to know is if there will be any way do delete the nauseating crap? Yeah, I know, flame on.

Rondrelle

June 17th, 2012
1:04 am

OOO WEE girlfriend LeVandra just told me these news and us “girls” about to have an orgy to celebrate cuz we be so happy. I hope jervais bring the bernaise dip, cause it gonna get saucy we so happy about these fabulous newses. Aint nothing stoppin us now after this news!!!!

Kjohn

June 17th, 2012
1:33 am

BREAKING NEWS Jesus was gay Never married never dated women hung out with 12 guys

Kqatie murpy -ex cath family

June 17th, 2012
2:04 am

truth be told said

……………… Why does one’s sexual preference need to be announced?

Answer – so people will know that people they love and respect are gay.

It will lead to “truthbetold: and his kind being understood as stinkng bigots,and break the back of the hatred of his kind…

BTW truthbetold (acually “lies and misiniformation” ) – the gay agenda (charged word) is to be treated like equals in our society

Not treated the way you treat them and most likely your forebears treated blacks and Jews and orientals etc

It used to amaze me why some religions need someone to hate . Could it be to distract from the fact that their MYTHology is just that?

Kqatie murpy -ex cath family

June 17th, 2012
2:07 am

Eugenia said ” blah blah blah -I think it is a shame that we live in todays society that anyone and anything can have rights this country was founded on the Bible and God ”

No it wasnt it was founded on getting away from the xtian kings who raped and pillaged the people, keot them in virutal bondage etc while kissing the anus of the conservative churches

If you really want to go to a country founded on bible and god, go to saudi land – home of the 9-11 people who thought they were the hand of God.

Kqatie murpy -ex cath family

June 17th, 2012
2:12 am

Another negative commentator said “Just another check mark on the side of how stupid and collapsed our society has become.”

Just about what the south said when the civil rights bill passed to end segregation in 1964 – by a southerner who came to his senses re what the south in particular was stilla bout a 100 years after the civil war

If you odnt like your Iphone or whatever, toss it in the toilet and toss your head in also – its prob small enough to flush away anyway.

A mind is a terrible thing to wast, but that commentator needs a mind to understand what he’s saying.

Peace

June 17th, 2012
6:29 am

When will the Jerry Sandusky emoticon be available? You know … The one showing the outline of the adult with the young boy pinned to the shower wall. Or will all that ‘hate’ prevent the ‘Jerry’s’ in the world from expressing who/what they really are when they send a message to your kid? The GLBT icons are just the beginning of a new marketing bonanza. How about the ‘pro choice’ emoticon (a butchered fetus)? Jeffery Dahlmer (a knife and fork next to a plate with a body part on it)? John Wayne Gacy (a clown face)? True equality….here we come!!

Dean Wormer

June 17th, 2012
6:29 am

Sigh, The Downward Spiral of Our Culture Continues, the iPad and iPhone are both on double secret probation at my house

Cherokee Nation

June 17th, 2012
7:20 am

No, eugenia, WE were here first. Hypocrite.

Mark

June 17th, 2012
7:23 am

As a gay myself, I don’t run around letting everyone know it’s not their business. 90% of us are hard working Americans that live our lives in private. It’s that 10% of them mess it up for the rest of us. Look at your own family for proof, 10% make y’all look like you played in the movie Deliverance.

The smartest statement all day!!! See Below…

d’ep

Okay, I’m gay and I think this is ludicrous. Gays just want to be treated equally, not pandered to by businesses who are just jumping on the bandwagon. I can understand this sort of stuff turning people off.

pieces of eight

June 17th, 2012
8:23 am

Let it be, speaking words of wisdom, let it be

eugenia

June 17th, 2012
3:01 pm

Who Cares?

June 17th, 2012
8:27 pm

@ Kqatie murpy -ex cath family, the truth always hurts, doesn’t it. I and other posters must have hit a nerve, huh. Oh, and do yourself a favor and slow down while typing your comments. Your misspelling and poor punctuation only highlight your incompetence, and we all know that liberals and those on the left are the intelligent ones, right? And as I said earlier, flame on.

GetOverIt

June 18th, 2012
7:34 am

If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t marry a gay individual. If you don’t like gay emoticons, don’t use them. Get over it…

manaii

June 18th, 2012
2:48 pm

if you press the icons, will they play show tunes???