Facebook opens up about gender identity.

In an article entitled: I Exist, and Gender Identity Is Also a Civil Rights Issue (2012), 17-Year-Old CJ Kellman wrote about Facebook, ‘…who thought I would have pressure from Facebook to decide whether I am male or female.’

This echoed the frustrations of many Facebook users the world throughout. CJ continued, ‘If Facebook offered the option of ‘other’ for gender… it would be an easy solution for questioning or transgender people who currently wonder whether the social network thinks we exist.’

Earlier this year the social media giant introduced dozens of options for users to identify their own gender. Users can now insert a custom gender (if the 50+ options are not appropriate), and choose between three pronouns: ‘him’, ‘her’ or, ‘they’.

‘A person’s Facebook profile truly has become their online identity, and now Facebook has taken a milestone step to allow countless people to more honestly and accurately represent themselves,’ Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin said. ‘Facebook’s action is one that I hope others heed in supporting individuals’ multifaceted identities.’

Ari Chivukula (a Facebook software engineer) thinks the change will lead to more widespread acceptance of gender diverse people. ‘We're hoping this will open up the dialogue,’Chivukula said. Transgender activist Nori Herras-Castaneda said she did expect some anger, ‘Any time the transgender community makes advances, there is backlash, and this is a very big advance…’

Some of this backlash has come from the religious communities. Ben Johnson of Life Site News said, ‘Many warn the notion of gender in perpetual flux is fraught with danger and potential harm, because, unlike virtual reality identities, human bodies come in only two genders.’

Even Fox News hosts had their own opinions to share. Tucker Carlson referred to intersex identification as, ‘whatever that is’, while Todd Starnes added, ‘What if you identify as a pine cone or a chicken or a weed whacker?’

Facebook software engineer Brielle Harrison summed up the change best; ‘There's going to be a lot of people for whom this is going to mean nothing, but for the few it does impact, it means the world.’