Female cyclists and smartphone users rejoice! Tech giant Apple has announced it's going to release female versions of its cycling emojis in the next operating system update.
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You know the scenario. You want to convey the epic ride you had over the weekend as concisely as possible, but the only cycling emojis available are of guys on bikes so you settle for that. Well, those days are gone with the news that there are now both road cycling and mountain biking emojis with female riders.
Not only are there now female bike riders, but also surfers, runners, swimmers, rowers and weight lifters
The new symbols are some of more than 100 new emojis that will be installed with the iOS 10 Apple update. This update is out now, and is for iPhone 5 or later generation phones, plus other newer iPads, iPad Minis, iPad Pros and some iPod Touch devices. Expect to see the new emoji appear on your smartphone once you've updated your software.
Emojis of women cycling may seem like a small thing, but it actually indicates a greater awareness of how sports have historically been pushed more to (and represented more by) men than women, and seeks to address this — and it doesn't just stop at cycling.
Not only are there now female bike riders, but also surfers, runners, swimmers, rowers and weight lifters, as well as more of the descriptive little images showing women in a wide range of careers including: a detective, a doctor, a construction worker and more.
This push for the popular images, beloved of smartphone users and Instagrammers, to be more inclusive and diverse is ongoing and other recent new releases include emojis with different skin tones and ethnic backgrounds. There have been updates for men too, with new male versions of previously female-only emoji representing haircuts and head massages.
