Facebook logo (Photo : Reuters)
The Facebook now allows users to declare their gender preference.
According to ABC News, the social networking site on Thursday Feb. 26 disclosed its new feature, the Fill-in-the-blank gender option.
Ari Chivukula a software engineer at Facebook, who is as transgender said that the new feature allows the users to create acceptance of people who does not identify themselves as a woman or a man.
"We're hoping this will open up the dialogue," said Chivukula on ABC.
The said custom gender feature of Facebook has been added last year with the help of advocacy organizations, LGBT groups to have a list of gender identities that many people use to describe themselves, including Intersex, Androgyne, gender Fluid, Transgender and Neither. The said gender preference will still be available.
This year, the company has decided to expand the feature by adding a free-form field.
"Now, if you do not identify with the pre-populated list of gender identities, you are able to add your own," said a Facebook announcement published by Facebook Diversity. "We recognize that some people face challenges, sharing their true gender identity with others, and this setting gives people the ability to express themselves in an authentic way."
As of Thursday the Facebook feature about gender options has started being rolled out for the United States users.
However, in Australia, Argentina, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Canada, Spain and United Kingdom the only available is the custom gender identity option with a list of words.
To change a user's gender option, click the Update Info button located at the bottom right of the user's cover photo and click Basic Info and Contact then locate the Gender field.
