๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง
Family: Woman, Woman, Girl, Girl
FAM-uh-lee: WOO-muhn, WOO-muhn, GURL, GURL
Definitions
1
Family ยท Relationships
Common
Represents a family unit with two women/mothers and two girls/daughters, typically depicting a same-sex female couple with their children.
Used to represent lesbian or same-sex female-headed families, particularly in conversations about family diversity and inclusivity.
So happy to celebrate 10 years together as a family ๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง #LoveIsLove
Social media post about family anniversary
Our ๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง is going on vacation next week! The girls are so excited.
Family chat message
Diverse families (๐จโ๐ฉโ๐ง ๐จโ๐จโ๐ฆ ๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง) deserve equal representation in children's books.
Educational discussion
Part of Unicode's effort to represent diverse family structures. Symbolizes growing recognition and normalization of LGBTQ+ families in digital communication.
2
Identity ยท Representation
Common
Used as a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and visibility, particularly representing lesbian families or female same-sex parents with daughters.
Often used in advocacy contexts, Pride celebrations, or discussions about family diversity and representation.
Proud to see ๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง families represented in the new children's show! #Representation
Social media comment on media representation
Happy Pride Month to all families! ๐จโ๐จโ๐ฆ ๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง ๐ฉโ๐จโ๐งโ๐ฆ โค๏ธ๐งก๐๐๐๐
Pride Month celebration post
Serves as a visual affirmation of family diversity and a statement of identity for many users from LGBTQ+ communities.
Evolution Timeline
2016
Introduction of diverse family emoji combinations including same-sex parents in Unicode 9.0.
Growing advocacy for digital representation of diverse family structures.
2017
Widespread adoption across major platforms following improved ZWJ sequence support.
Technical improvements allowing complex emoji sequences on mobile devices.
2019
Usage spike during Pride Month celebrations globally, establishing the emoji as a symbol of LGBTQ+ families.
Increasing mainstream visibility of Pride celebrations on social media.
2022
Became prominent in discussions about LGBTQ+ representation in children's media and education.
Cultural debates about LGBTQ+ content in educational settings and children's entertainment.
Cultural Context
Represents the growing normalization of diverse family structures in digital communication, reflecting broader social acceptance of LGBTQ+ families.
Created using Zero Width Joiner (ZWJ) sequences, allowing multiple emoji to appear as a single unit, representing a technical milestone in emoji diversity.
Part of Unicode's expansion of family representations beyond the traditional nuclear family model, following advocacy for more inclusive digital representation.
Acceptance and usage frequency often correlate with regional LGBTQ+ rights recognition, with higher visibility in countries with legal same-sex marriage and adoption.
Often used as a visual shorthand in discussions about family diversity, allowing users to reference specific family structures without lengthy descriptions.
Regional Variations
Australia
Widely embraced following marriage equality legislation, with strong presence during Sydney Mardi Gras.
United Kingdom
Generally normalized across mainstream culture, with strong presence in media and public discourse.
United States
Widely used and accepted in progressive urban areas, with some regional resistance in conservative states.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Moderate usage, particularly among LGBTQ+ community members and allies. Often used in family discussions and support groups.
Gen_Z: Commonly used matter-of-factly without political emphasis. Frequent on TikTok and Instagram to represent family diversity as normalized.
Older: Limited usage, with adoption primarily among those with close LGBTQ+ family connections or strong allyship.
Millennials: Often used in advocacy contexts and personal family sharing. Common on Instagram and Facebook to document family milestones.
Common Combinations
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐งโค๏ธ
Expressing love for lesbian-parented families or pride in one's own family structure.
Commonly used during Pride Month or in LGBTQ+ advocacy contexts to express family pride.
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง๐
A lesbian couple with daughters at home or discussing housing/family life.
Often used when discussing family life, moving, or creating a home together.
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง๐
LGBTQ+ family pride, specifically representing lesbian mothers with daughters.
Strong association with Pride events and LGBTQ+ visibility campaigns.
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐งโ๏ธ
A family with two mothers and two daughters traveling or on vacation.
Used in travel contexts to share family vacation experiences.
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง๐
Education or schooling for families with same-sex female parents.
Often used in discussions about inclusive education or family-school interactions.
Related Emojis
๐ฉโ๐ฉโ๐ฆ
Same-sex female parents with a son instead of daughters
๐จโ๐จโ๐งโ๐ง
Same-sex male parents with daughters, parallel structure for gay fathers
๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ง
Single mother with two daughters, similar composition without second female parent
๐
Pride flag, often used in combination to represent LGBTQ+ families
โค๏ธ
Often combined to express family love and pride