Facebook added a fill-in-the-blank option for gender on Thursday that lets users describe their gender identity freely.
“Now, if you do not identify with the pre-populated list of gender identities, you are able to add your own,” Facebook said in a statement.
The update is a step forward in Facebook’s efforts to expand gender identity, which previously included creating 58 options for gender from “cis woman” to “two-spirit” in Feb. 2014.
Google+ similarly unveiled an “infinite” gender category in Dec. 2014, allowing users to describe their gender identity using words of their choice.
This Is What Your Facebook Profile Looked Like Over the Last 11 Years
The Original Facebook Group Page, 2004. Before people realized how awesome pictures are.Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2005. Back when Facebook looked a little bit like MySpace. Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page Facelift, 2005. The "the" is finally dropped.Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2006. You no longer need to be reminded "this is you" at the top of your profile page.Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2007. Every profile update still had to begin with "is," forcing you to talk about yourself in the third person.
Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2008. The wall.
Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2009. It only took five years for Facebook to create easy-to-find privacy settings.
Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2010. Facebook starts to get pretty.
Courtesy of FacebookFacebook Profile Page, 2011. Zuckerberg realizes that people love pictures, usually of animals.Courtesy of Facebook Facebook Profile Page, 2012. The timeline allows you (or your parents) to trace your life from birth to death.Courtesy of Facebook Facebook Profile Page, 2013-2014. Facebook introduced a new app, Paper, on Monday.Courtesy of Facebook Facebook Profile Page, 2014-2015. Facebook updated both the newsfeed algorithm and the privacy settings.Courtesy of Alex Fitzpatrick/Facebook
