First came the and
. Then the
,
, and
were added. In March, a new batch of 230 emojis hit smartphones around the world. Mixed in with sillier options like
and
were 17 inclusive emojis. They feature wheelchairs
and wheelchair users of many skin tones
, guide dogs
, prosthetic limbs
, and more.
Emojis are a way to represent experiences and people in a fun, easy way. According to physician and social scientist Omar Sultan Haque, having disabilities represented in emojis “can be not only empowering, but a way in which people can communicate their experiences.