
Apparently July 17 is “World Emoji Day” and, as an early present, we’ve been given a look at the new batch of proposed additions that, frankly, has us at a loss for words. Perhaps this will suffice: 😱😲🥰😭😵
As has become tradition, Emojipedia—the official emoji reference website—has provided a first glimpse at the 31 new digital icons set to be introduced to iOS and Android within the next year. While there’s nothing especially shocking among this typically eclectic group of faces, foods, critters, and symbols, it’s still got the internet abuzz as we mentally prepare ourselves for the way we text to change forever.
Are we being hyperbolic? Yes, definitely. But take a look at the new offerings for yourself and you be the judge:
Emoji 15.0 is to be released in September 2022. Here’s every emoji in the final draft, including a plain Pink Heart #WorldEmojiDay https://t.co/WfC0WuyJ81 pic.twitter.com/P0mvWs2JPj
— Emojipedia ?? (@Emojipedia) July 13, 2022
Okay, so it really is a pretty staid bunch. But upon closer inspection, a handful of these emoji are giving us some major queer vibes, and that’s something worth celebrating. Don’t believe us? Well then join us as we gleefully over-analyze and willingly misinterpret this batch of future icons to bring you our ranking of the eight gayest new emoji.
8. The Shaking Face

Dubbed the “Shaking Face,” we imagine this emoji is intended to capture the feeling of someone furiously shaking their head “no” in disagreement, which, okay sure, we guess there’s a time and a place for such an emphatic negative. But what it’s actually giving is someone deep under the influence—of alcohol, perhaps something else—and we can’t imagine it won’t be employed by texters who are feeling some type of way. If you’ve been to a late-night queer warehouse party, you’ve seen someone who looks just like this.
7. The Wing

This one’s a bit harder to put into words, but we’re definitely getting Big Queer Energy from this wing emoji. After all, it’s clearly not the appendage of just any bird—we’re side-eyeing you, pigeons—but something majestic, something grand, something gay. It’s not a stretch to imagine a pair of these attached to some fabulous, flying Pegasus, or perhaps even a strapping, muscled, mythical angel. No? Just us?
6. The Goose

Speaking of winged creatures, get a load of this gorgeous girl—she’s serving goose feather down!
5. The Wireless

Okay, at first this one was triggering because it looks a bit like the seating chart at a concert venue, which reminded us of the time we sat on Ticketmaster for hours trying to get Lady Gaga tickets. But! It’s actually meant to represent wireless network connection—at full bars, no less—and there’s nothing more empowering than having crystal-clear, high-speed access to the internet.
4. The Hyacinth

Plant gays, rejoice! It’s such a pretty flower—you can’t tell us that’s not queer! Bonus points because it’s the namesake of Keeping Up Appearances‘ Hyacinth Bucket, the catty, hilarious British TV character (played by Patricia Routledge) who can read like no other and deserves to be deified as an eternal gay icon.
3. The Folding Hand Fan

The folding hand fan—colloquially called the “clack fan” in modern parlance—has a long, complicated, and ultimately nebulous history in queer culture, and though it’s been appropriated and commodified thousands of times over, it’s still an important prop to the art of ballroom and drag. We’re excited to see it here, and we imagine there are plenty of queens who will get a lot of mileage out of this one any time they want to *clack* make a point.
2. The Hearts

According to Emojipedia, the plain “Pink Heart” has been highly requested and long-awaited, for whatever reason. (Seriously, what was wrong with her? 💖) And, on its own, we don’t know—it’s kind of boring, right? But notably, they’ve also introduced a thrilling newcomer known as the Light Blue Heart, which, when combined with Pink Heart and that old standby the White Heart, gives us the three colors of Trans Pride. We love to see it.
1. The Ginger

Oh, honey, Miss Ginger? The gag of the season. Just look at the way that gnarled root owns her curves, showing us all how its done. Who knew one simple emoji could make us feel this way? She’s got a point, she’s an icon, she is a legend, and she is the moment. Now, come on, now.
bachy
Remember when we had to use our big boy words?
Charlie in Charge
Just wanted to add that the hyacinth has very gay origins as it was supposed to have been formed by the god Apollo in memory of his slain lover Hyacinthus. Big dramatic gay vibes here.
abfab
Hyacinth Bucket for sure…….”RICHARD! I WILL NOT HAVE YOU GARDENING IN SUCH DIRTY CLOTHING”!
RickHeathen
And he must wear a tie!
bachy
I hope you’re not going to spoil things with lower middle-class humour!
jcool
rose, step away from the vicar
abfab
I hope that’s a first-class stamp. I object to having second-class stamps thrust through my letterbox.
CityguyUSA
Not even worth the time it took to write the article.
SFMike
I’ll second that.