The Problem With Diverse Emoji Update

By Mark Love ‘16

Every iPhone owner should know about the newest update that has the nation talking: diverse emojis. 

In an effort to make texting more inclusive, Apple has incorporated human emojis with various skin tones to represent people of color. Based on social media, minorities across the globe rejoiced as they can use an emoji that can - at least somewhat - resemble them. 

When I first received the update, I browsed through my emojis and replaced all of the changeable ones with the black version of it. Needless to say, I too liked the idea of inclusion, even for something as minuscule as emojis. If anything, children of color can see darker-toned icons and feel like they are not invisible. You’ll be surprised how lack of diversity in the media and technology can affect the little ones. 

With that said, I applaud Apple for their efforts, but I have noticed some inconsistencies with the update that does not sit well with me.

I’m sure many iPhone users have overlooked the fact that the family emojis remained uni-racial after the update. The diversity reaches an abrupt halt with nuclear families as no option is in sight to change the race. How can Apple just completely disregard the inclusion of black families? 

Normally, I would turn the other cheek, but based on the other family emojis, it looks as if Apple deliberately did not want to include a family of color in the mix. With gay and lesbian families with children as emojis, Apple clearly acknowledges various family types. Is Apple trying to express a disbelief of African-American families in society? 

Or maybe they just innocently never thought about the subject and merely focused on singular emojis?

Either way, this issue left a bittersweet feeling towards the diverse emojis within me.