Facebook always pushes users to reveal their true identities, and on Thursday, they took that commitment to a next level.
The social network now allows facebook users to select a “custom gender” for their profiles, meaning users who do not identify as male or female can select a neutral gender identity.
Until Thursday, facebook users could only select their gender as female (“she” and “her”), or male (“he” and “his”). Now, users only in the United States can choose gender neutral (“they” or “their”), but it will be launched worldwide soon.
“While to many this change may not mean much, for those it affects it means a great deal,” a Facebook spokesperson wrote in an email. “We see this as one more way we can make Facebook a place where people can express their authentic identity.”
When a male facebook user celebrates a birthday, friends may be alerted with a message that reads, “Write on Bobby’s wall for HIS birthday.” If a facebook user selects to identify as gender neutral, the Facebook message would change to, “Write on Bobby’s wall for THEIR birthday.”