5/27/16 · Institutional

We need more emojis with men hugging each other

There is now an emoji for the female computer engineer, doctor, teacher and car mechanic. These are among the 13 new images Google has created to promote the representation of working women. Is this a step forward that allows women to be treated in the same way as men?    Two UOC experts on gender and ICT, Begonya Enguix and Ana María González, both say that it is not, since what is really needed is a “cultural transformation”. However, they do acknowledge that it is a step in right direction, since “it highlights the demand of a population group who considers such a transformation to be necessary”, González points out.
Emojis continue to adopt gender stereotypes.<br />Photo: La Vanguardia

Emojis continue to adopt gender stereotypes.
Photo: La Vanguardia

These new emojis are “a tool that gives visibility to different professional possibilities”, says Enguix, although she acknowledges that “it does not aspire to be anything more”. She adds that it implies a “major bias”, since it is aimed solely at women who use digital media.

The proposal of the researcher Ana María González is to create emojis of men hugging each other in order to “promote their empathy and emotional intelligence”.

Enguix warns that creating emojis of men in locations and professions culturally considered not to be very masculine will be of little use either, since “they are bound to be interpreted as gay men”, thus reinforcing the stereotypes even further.


What needs to be done to combat gender inequality?

According to the experts, we need to offer diversity that reflects a complex society made up of a variety of ethnic groups, ages, sexual orientations, genders... Advertising is now moving in this direction. González provides an example of this with the advertisement for Príncipe biscuits, in which the protagonist “has certain traits we associate with femininity”.

Currently, emojis are available in six colours to reflect ethnic origin… “Why not create emojis with diverse identities?”, asks the researcher. González claims that neutral emojis “ignore reality”.


Women use emojis more

Both experts say that the main reason women use emojis more is because they consider themselves “more emotional and more expressive” than men, whereas men consider themselves “more practical and rational”. “This has produced depictions of roles that have been very damaging and which do nothing for equality”, Enguix concludes.

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