👨🦯
Man with White Cane
man with white kayn
Definitions
1
People · Disability
Common
Represents a blind or visually impaired man using a white cane (mobility aid) to navigate his surroundings. Used to indicate visual impairment, blindness, or discussions about accessibility.
Used in conversations about disability, accessibility, or to represent blind men. Often employed in advocacy contexts or to promote inclusion.
My uncle 👨🦯 is coming to visit next week. I need to make sure our house is easy to navigate.
Family message
Today's #AccessibilityAwareness workshop was led by a 👨🦯 who shared his experiences navigating public spaces.
Social media post
Part of the disability representation emoji set, introduced to increase visibility and representation of people with disabilities in digital communication.
2
Advocacy · Awareness
Common
Used symbolically in disability advocacy contexts to represent visual impairment awareness, accessibility issues, or inclusive design discussions.
Commonly used by organizations, advocates, and in awareness campaigns about visual impairments and accessibility.
Our city needs to do better with accessible sidewalks and audible crosswalk signals for 👨🦯 residents.
Community forum
Represents efforts to normalize disability representation in digital communication and promote inclusive design principles.
Evolution Timeline
2019
Introduced as part of Unicode 12.0 with other disability representation emojis after advocacy from Apple.
Growing demand for more inclusive emoji representation of people with disabilities.
2020
Gained wider usage during COVID-19 pandemic as discussions about accessibility needs increased.
Pandemic highlighted accessibility challenges for disabled communities.
Cultural Context
The white cane is an internationally recognized symbol of blindness and visual impairment, serving both as a mobility tool and as a signal to others.
The term 'white cane' (US) or 'white stick' (UK) refers to the mobility aid used by visually impaired people to detect objects in their path.
Part of a 2019 push for more inclusive emoji representation, following advocacy from disability organizations and Apple's proposal to Unicode.
Represents growing digital inclusion efforts to ensure people with disabilities are represented in communication platforms.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Often called 'man with white stick' in British English. Used in discussions about the Equality Act and accessibility standards.
United States
Often referred to as 'man with white cane' or 'blind man' emoji. Used in disability advocacy contexts and discussions about ADA compliance.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Used primarily in practical contexts related to accessibility needs and family discussions about disability.
Gen_Z: Used matter-of-factly in discussions about inclusivity and representation. Often included in social justice and accessibility conversations.
Older: Less frequently used, but adopted in specific contexts related to aging and vision loss discussions.
Millennials: Commonly used in professional contexts discussing workplace accessibility and inclusive design principles.
Common Combinations
👨🦯🏙️
A blind man navigating an urban environment or city.
Often used to discuss urban accessibility challenges or barriers in city environments.
👨🦯🐕🦺
Blind man with service dog or guide dog.
Represents the common partnership between visually impaired people and trained guide dogs.
👨🦯⚠️
Warning about obstacles or hazards for visually impaired people.
Used in advocacy contexts to highlight dangerous situations for blind pedestrians.