Breaking Emoticon Barriers: The New Face of Beauty Emoji

Aiming for digital inclusivity, a London-based team introduces emojis representing Black and mixed-race hairstyles. This initiative, developed by RISE.365 and Good Relations, challenges texturism by submitting new emojis to Unicode. The project seeks to empower individuals by fostering representation and tackling eurocentric beauty norms in digital media.

In a groundbreaking move towards digital inclusivity, a contingent of young Londoners has pioneered the creation of emojis depicting Black and mixed-race hairstyles. This was a collaborative effort by the youth-led organization RISE.365 alongside PR agency Good Relations, which jointly aimed to dismantle prevailing beauty stereotypes.

The team conceived this project in response to 'texturism,' a pervasive bias where Afro hair is unjustly deemed 'unprofessional' or 'unattractive'. With nearly 4,000 emojis currently in use, none reflect the diversity of Black or mixed-race hairstyles—a disparity this initiative hopes to rectify.

RISE.365 designed four new emojis representing afros, braids, cornrows, and locs. These designs will be submitted in April 2025 to Unicode, the authority on emoji approval. The project's leaders hope these emojis will foster empowerment and visibility while challenging eurocentric beauty standards embedded in digital communication tools.

(With inputs from agencies.)