--- title: Lobster Emoji Being Used For Trans Advocacy, Trans Emoji description: Maine's lobster emoji has become an unlikely symbol to advocate for transgender representation, thanks to an activism group. canonical: https://time.com/5365725/lobster-emoji-trans-representation/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-08-13T17:38:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-13T07:45:33.787Z og:title: Why the Lobster Emoji Is Being Used For Trans Representation og:description: What you need to know about the campaign og:url: https://time.com/5365725/lobster-emoji-trans-representation/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5e5bbe2fc720369c/6989379f929fadc1abbf14c9/lobster-emoji-trans-representation.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: USA, Massachusetts, Plymouth, Raw lobster og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why the Lobster Emoji Is Being Used For Trans Representation twitter:description: What you need to know about the campaign twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5e5bbe2fc720369c/6989379f929fadc1abbf14c9/lobster-emoji-trans-representation.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Here's Why People Are Using the Lobster Emoji to Rally for Transgender Representation > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=f571eed4-c609-41a3-9fbf-3bcd0cf15275&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Here's Why People Are Using the Lobster Emoji to Rally for Transgender Representation [Watch (HLS stream): Here's Why People Are Using the Lobster Emoji to Rally for Transgender Representation](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/tW47aN2u.m3u8) (0:42)  _Published 2018-08-14. A trans activism group is encouraging people to use the lobster emoji as a trans symbol._  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Aug 13, 2018 5:38 PM UTC A trans activism group is encouraging people to use the lobster emoji as a trans symbol.  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Aug 13, 2018 5:38 PM UTC [Maine’s lobster emoji](http://time.com/4956993/maine-lobster-emoji/) has emerged as an unlikely symbol for transgender representation, thanks to the trans activism group [Lobsters Against Transphobia.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz-Rfn6JOLg) According to the [_Portland Press Herald_](https://www.pressherald.com/2018/08/13/trans-advocates-adopt-lobster-emoji-as-their-own/), the adoption of the lobster emoji as a trans symbol began after the group created an [online petition](https://www.change.org/p/unicode-unicode-google-and-facebook-why-is-there-still-no-trans-flag-emoji) last month asking Unicode to make a pink-and-blue flag, a universally acknowledged symbol in the transgender community, in emoji form. Until a pink-and-blue flag emoji is created, users are encouraged to use the lobster emoji, which was one of [157 emojis approved by Unicode this year.](http://time.com/5139480/redhead-emoji-2018/) (Lobsters can display both male and female characteristics.) In the petition, the group wrote about their reason for advocating for representation. “Emojis are a way for the world to connect, and trans people shouldn’t be left out of the conversation,” they wrote. “Unicode granted the Lobster emoji proposal, which argued that people suffered ‘frustration and confusion’ at having to use a shrimp or crab emoji in instead of a lobster. Imagine if that was your gender. 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