Facebook has been there for the gay community.  In 2011, they added the options of “In a Civil Union” and “In a Domestic Partnership” for users’ profiles,and in 2010, created the Network of Support with Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)and other LGBT organizations, which prevents anti-LGBT bullying. Now for the first time the social networking giant is allowing gay and lesbian couples who are married to display it loud and proud with new marriage icons that depict same-sex couples.

One depicts two brides and the other two grooms, with MARRIED below it in bold capital letters.  The Huffington Post reports that Facebook’s move follows on the steps of the unveiling of new-gay inclusive “emojis,” or emotion cons, which can be found on the new version of the Apple iPhone operating system this fall.  Last month, the site nabbed a GLAAD Special Recognition Award for “a fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives in the media.”  Facebook’s co-founder, Chris Hughes, was one of the first people to use the new icon when he married his longtime partner, Sean Eldridge, on Saturday.

But not everyone is feeling Facebook’s love and support.

Some LGBT rights  advocates are criticizing the exclusion of options for transgender people or individuals struggling with gender identity issues.  17-year-0ld Huff Post Blogger CJ Kellman echoed the sentiments of several last May:

“People like me who don’t feel comfortable in the bodies in which we were born aren’t sure we want to be pegged as female or male.  I am just trying to decide for myself, but Facebook forces me to follow the social norm of being a male or female…There are a lot of people like me who are still deciding, so why should Facebook force this issue?”

The first openly gay member of the Nepalese parliament, Sunil Babu Pant, announced in March he would start a petition for Facebook creator and founder Mark Zuckerberg to create options for users who do not identify themselves as male or female.

What do you think?  Let us know by leaving your comments below.

About Christopher Dellea

Christopher Dellea is currently the Associate Editor for Gaysocialites.com. You can usually find him creeping around Facebook or near some sort of stage. Don’t hesitate to ask him anything at christopher@gaysocialites.com. He is here for you!

Tags: Apple, Chris Hughes, CJ Kellman, Facebook, gay marriage, gaysocialites, GLAAD, Huffington Post, icons, LGBT, Mark Zuckerberg, Sean Eldridge, timeline, transgender rights

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