On World Emoji Day recently tech giant Apple unveiled some of the new emojis it will be adding to its devices.
The company's CEO Tim Cook also took to Twitter to give the world a preview of the new additions. Among them are a bearded person and a woman who is breastfeeding.
😀🌎ðŸŒðŸŒðŸ"† Happy #WorldEmojiDay! 🎉 We’ve got some 😎 new ones to show you, coming later this year! 👀👇 https://t.co/xBR9ZJ7l4g pic.twitter.com/fhDrr4J5KG
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) July 17, 2017
It also included the most-requested pictogram - a woman with headscarf. In 2016, a 15-year-old girl from Saudi Arabia named Rayouf Alhumedhi had petitioned to have a hijab emoji as she argued 550 million Muslim women proudly wear it around the world and should be represented in this digital way.
Thousands were ecstatic with the inclusion.
THERES GONNA BE A HIJAB EMOJI YAYYY pic.twitter.com/L6fmBqwDSI
— RAEESA (@raenb0w) July 17, 2017
However, some cruelly posted harsh comments on social media. One Twitter user called the hijab "a symbol of oppression". Another called for it to be banned.
Take a look at some of the tweets about the emoji:
Headscaffs? Lol now that's funny. I guess we shall be seeing explosive vests as back packs next!
— Richard (@1RTFULDODGER) July 17, 2017
Any beheading Emoji?
— José Roberto (@jrwwagner) July 17, 2017
these emojis should be banned!
— Dr. Moe ðŸ'‰ (@mohammad_karima) July 18, 2017
I'm sick of diversity for its own sake. Hijabs are an element of female oppression. Stop treating it like it's something sacred coz it's not
— Jeffrey (@boredjeffrey) July 17, 2017
@Apple REALLY apple?? A hijab emoji?? Japan is disgusted with you. America is disgusted too. Take this sexist garbage off my phone!!!
— MadamAsuka (@MadamAsuka) July 18, 2017
There should be an emoji to show what happens when the Muslim woman takes off the hijab. #WorldEmojiiDay
— Richard Elder (@rickthe_elder) July 17, 2017
the hijab is a symbol of oppression. by including it as an emoji you are showing your support for the oppression of women.
— Joeymp (@joeymp123) July 17, 2017
So Apple is launching a hijabi emoji? Great! When can we expect one glorifying #FGM? Or marital rape? Maybe a suicide bomber one? pic.twitter.com/bQNTdqZqhD
— Raheem 🇬🇧 (@RaheemKassam) July 18, 2017
