Instagram adds new gender options to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride month

12 June 2019, 17:07

By Sam Prance

Instagram is taking some steps to become more LGBTQ+ inclusive...

Instagram is expanding its gender options in honour of LGBTQ+ Pride month.

June marks LGBTQ+ Pride month and this year Instagram are making some important changes to celebrate it. Over the past few years, the social media platform has featured very limited gender options. Until this week, it's only been possible to pick from three categories: male, female and not specified. However, this is now finally changing and Instagram have even made a new LGBTQ+ youth safety guide for its users all around the world.

How are Instagram changing their gender options?

Now Instagram has replaced its "not specified" option with a "prefer not to say" classification and a "custom" category. This is so important because it means that users are free to specify exactly how they identify and aren't limited with terms, which don't accurately describe them. In particular, it means that Instagram is finally editing its platform to be inclusive of people who are non-binary, gender nonconforming and/or otherwise.

Instagram's parent company, Facebook, launched the feature in 2014, so it's great to see Instagram finally catch up. Better yet, the social media platform has teamed up with The Trevor Project to create its LGBTQ+ youth safety guide. The Trevor Project is a beloved, LGBTQ+ youth organisation which provides crisis and suicide prevention services to queer people under the age of 25.

The new guide seeks to promote positivity and LGBTQ+ acceptance in the Instagram community. It aims to do so by with well-known LGBTQ+ hashtags like #YouAreNotAlone, #TransIsBeautiful, #LoveWins and #YouMatter. By encouraging its users to use these hashtags, Instagram hopes that people will be able to connect with people just like them and thrive without negativity.

What do you think of Instagram's new options?