59 New Emojis Are Coming, Including a Drop of Blood, Interracial Couples and a 'Pinching Hand'

Get ready to update your smartphones once again, because nearly five dozen new emojis will be making their way to your screens later this year.

TheUnicode Consortium, a non-profit organization that oversees emoji standards across devices, on Tuesday revealed 59 new emojis spanning a variety of themes and variants. The additions include icons representing a deaf person, a bionic arm, a waffle and a person in a wheelchair. There will also be a “people holding hands” emoji that will provide171 combinationswith different skin tones, making it possible for couples from across the globe to find a symbol that represents their relationship.

Unicode Consortium

“Not only would a blood drop emoji be relevant for hundreds of millions of women and people who menstruate all around the world, it would also show that periods aren’t taboo and they are something we should be able to talk about openly and honestly,” Plan International wrote in theirproposalfor the emoji.

Other emojis includes a “pinching hand” sign, a sloth, falafel, a cane and a one-piece bathing suit — which, as theNew York Timespoints out, is being included as a “less sexualized” version of the two-piece polka dot bikini that is available now.

But don’t start looking for the fresh designs just yet — you won’t be able to use the emojis for at least a few more months.

“The new emoji typically start showing up on mobile phones in September/October — some platforms may release them earlier,” theUnicode Consortiumwrote in the announcement on their website.

The emojis will also look different from how they appear on the Consortium website, since Apple, Google and other companies usually tweak the designs to match their own style.

source: people.com