Where’s the Rainbow Flag Emoji?

When a unicorn won't do.
From: NewNowNext

 There are emoji flags for different countries from the around the world, but there is one flag that represents an entire community that is missing from the emoji library: the rainbow flag.

Apple introduced LGBT emojis back in 2012 allowing users to choose if couples are male and female, two men or two women. There is also a rainbow and a unicorn which are often used when texting and tweeting, but where is the flag for the LGBT community?

Since the Orlando shooting a Care2 petition asking Unicode-who control emoji standards-to create a rainbow flag has received almost 40,000 signatures.

“The tragic events in Orlando underscore why recognition of the LGBTQ community is much needed across a popular and influential platform: the emoji keyboard,” Colton Price-Fiore, the creator of the Care2 petition told The Vital Voice. “I started my Care2 petition for a rainbow flag emoji a year ago, and since then the Unicode Consortium has approved a slew of new emojis, but the LGBTQ flag continues to be lacking. It’s past time for this change to be implemented to honor a community that is so often and so tragically the target of threats and violence.”

Where's the rainbow flag emoji!? Someone needs to make that happen like...now.

— Nicole and Natalie (@NinaSky) June 16, 2016

A new set of emojis are set to be released soon including everything from an avocado to a bat and Mrs. Claus. A rifle was originally to be one of the new emojis, but after the Orlando massacre Apple pressured Unicode to remove the weapon.

“According to sources in the room, Apple started the discussion to remove the rifle emoji, which had already passed into the encoding process for the Unicode 9.0 release this June,” reported CBC News. “Apple told the consortium it would not support a rifle on its platforms and asked for it not to be made into an emoji.”

Dear @twitter, wouldn’t it be great to have a rainbow flag emoji, in the flags section? 👍 (Pls RT)

— Maurice Beljaars (@moriesbel) June 20, 2016

According to Bustle LGBT emojis are popular in the U.S., comprising “0.13 percent of all emojis sent,” so hopefully the rainbow flag will happen soon. Until then you can use a rainbow heart this LGBT Pride Month:

Keep your pride celebration moving with this GIF:#LoveIsLove#LoveWins #Pride2016 pic.twitter.com/LE6oNCpSua

— TwitterOpen (@TwitterOpen) June 23, 2016