The Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/02/facebook-gay-marriage-timeline-icons-couples_n_1643183.html?ir=Technology) has just revealed that “Facebook is adding to its ever-growing list of gay accolades with the introduction of new marriage icons that depict same-sex couples.” The Huffington Post website also goes on to say, “The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) notes (http://www.glaad.org/blog/facebook-adds-new-timeline-icons-married-same-sex-couples) that the new icons follow a number of notable lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusion efforts put forth by the social media site. In 2011, Facebook added “In a Civil Union” and “In a Domestic Partnership” options to user profiles. In addition, the site has also taken significant steps towards preventing anti-LGBT bullying, creating the Network of Support with GLAAD and other LGBT organizations in 2010.
The LA Times website (http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-facebook-timeline-icons-for-same-sex-weddings-20120702,0,2929799.story) stated that “Previously, anybody who got married and announced it on Facebook would find the declaration noted under the icon of a little bride and little groom “cake topper” – regardless of whether the wedding was between a man and a woman or two women or two men.”
The same article goes on to say that a spokesperson for Facebook (http://www.facebook.com) said “The social media company has been working on rolling out the new same-sex cake toppers for a few weeks now, but the new icons had a major debut over the weekend, after a pair of small grooms appeared over the wedding announcement of Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes to his longtime boyfriend Sean Eldridge.”
