Twitter launches hashtags-activated special emoji

To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, Twitter has launched a special emoji that is activated with the hashtag #EveryWoman and has profiled five women who have used the service to contribute to the conversation around feminism and women empowerment.

Quoting Maya Hari, Vice-President (Asia Pacific) of Twitter, a press statement from the company said: “At Twitter, we see incredibly vibrant and diverse voices on our platform, from those engaging in joyful everyday conversations, to strong women who raise awareness about issues that matter. Through #EveryWoman, we want to highlight every shade and every kind of Indian woman, and honour those who are transforming how we are perceived in the workplace and beyond.”

Twitter India profiled Tamil playback singer Chinmayi Sripaada; former External Affairs Minister late Sushma Swaraj; Dutee Chand, the fastest woman of the country; Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, a first-generation entrepreneur; and Shereen Bhan, a journalist, as #EveryWoman champions.

Profiling Chinmayi Sripaada as a ‘Voice Of Change’ on Twitter, it said she uses this voice to talk about harassment in the entertainment industry, while bringing to the fore stories of women from across India.

Highlighting late Sushma Swaraj as ‘Twitter diplomat’, the company said she was committed to public service, and used Twitter to promptly help those who directly reached out to her.

It profiled athlete Dutee Chand, who clocked 100 metres in 11:24 minutes, as a ‘record breaker’. As the first Indian sportsperson to be open about being part of the LGBTQ+ community, she isn’t afraid of uncharted waters and used her Twitter handle to address the gender bias in sports, it said.

Terming Kiran Mazumdar Shaw as the ‘catalyst’, Twitter India said this first-generation entrepreneur and scientist shattered gender stereotypes in the workplace by becoming a successful entrepreneur.

Shereen Bhan uses Twitter to break a range of news, and many of these stories have redefined the Indian economic landscape in recent times, Twitter India said in a statement.