Facebook users in the UK will be able to choose from more than 70 new gender options as the company seeks to better reflect the country’s diversity.
The new gender options (around 50 of which were first introduced in the US in February) include androgynous, trans person, polygender, and cisgender – with users also able to suggest their own additions. The custom genders can even select which pronoun they would like to be referred to with, choosing from male (he/his), female (she/her), or neutral (they/their). Users selecting a custom gender can also control which of their friends see the changes.
The company says that the new gender options will not “change the way marketers can reach people” and that there is “currently no way for marketers to target ‘transgender/custom’ [individuals] on Facebook.”
In order to change their Facebook gender, users must click on the ‘About’ tab form their timeline, then navigate to ‘Contact and Basic Information’ and select ‘Edit’ next to the ‘Gender’ option. The new gender options are suggested to users if they select ‘custom’ form the drop down box.
Custom options added specifically for the UK market include intersex man, asexual and hermaphrodite.
– By Anand Thakkar
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