π
Women Holding Hands
WIH-men HOHL-ding hands
Definitions
1
People Β· Relationships
Very Common
Two women holding hands, representing female friendship, sisterhood, or a romantic relationship between women. Used to express closeness, solidarity, or affection between women.
Commonly used to represent female friendships or lesbian relationships, depending on context and accompanying emojis.
Can't wait for our girls' trip next weekend! πβοΈ
Text message between friends
So happy to celebrate 2 years with my amazing girlfriend πβ€οΈ
Instagram caption
Women supporting women π #solidarity
Twitter post
Initially designed to represent friendship, but has evolved to become a symbol of lesbian relationships and LGBTQ+ pride in many contexts.
2
Identity Β· LGBTQ+
Common
A symbol of lesbian relationships or queer female identity. Used to express pride in same-sex female relationships or to identify oneself as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Often paired with hearts or pride symbols to emphasize romantic connection between women.
Happy Pride Month to all my π followers!
Social media post
Finally found someone who makes me happy ππ
Dating app profile
Has become a digital shorthand for lesbian identity and relationships, especially among younger users and in LGBTQ+ online spaces.
Evolution Timeline
2014
Introduction as part of Unicode 6.0, initially designed to represent female friendship.
Growing demand for gender diversity in emoji representations.
2015
Began to be adopted as a symbol of lesbian relationships following same-sex marriage legalization in US.
LGBTQ+ community seeking representation in digital communication.
2018
Usage expanded significantly on social media platforms as symbol of female solidarity movements.
#MeToo movement and women's marches increased focus on female solidarity.
2021
Skin tone modifiers added, allowing for more personalized representation of diverse relationships.
Growing demand for racial diversity in emoji representations.
Cultural Context
Represents the dual interpretation of female closeness in many societies - both platonic friendship and romantic relationships, with context determining meaning.
One of the first emojis to gain widespread adoption as an LGBTQ+ symbol, helping establish digital visual shorthand for queer identities.
Younger users more readily interpret this emoji as potentially representing romantic relationships, while older users more often default to friendship interpretation.
Part of a visual language shift where emojis of people holding hands became coded representations of relationship types and sexual orientations.
In more conservative regions, users may avoid this emoji to prevent misinterpretation as a romantic symbol, even when referring to friendship.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Similar dual meaning as in the US, but with slightly more emphasis on platonic friendship in general usage.
India
Predominantly represents female friendship rather than romantic relationships due to cultural context.
United States
Commonly used to represent both close female friendships and lesbian relationships, with context determining meaning.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: More likely to use exclusively for female friendship. Less frequently used overall compared to younger generations.
Gen_Z: Commonly used to represent lesbian relationships and queer female identity. Often paired with pride symbols on TikTok and Instagram.
Older: Rarely used. When employed, almost exclusively represents platonic relationships between women or mother-daughter relationships.
Millennials: Used for both friendship and romantic relationships, with context and accompanying emojis clarifying meaning. Common on Instagram and Twitter.
Common Combinations
πβ€οΈ
Lesbian couple or women in love. Explicitly romantic rather than platonic.
Common in LGBTQ+ communities to express same-sex female relationships.
ππ©βπ§
Lesbian family with child or co-parenting women.
Represents modern family structures and same-sex parenting.
ππ
Lesbian pride or LGBTQ+ female relationship.
Often used during Pride Month or in coming out posts.
πβ¨
Celebrating female friendship or relationship.
Used for anniversaries, special occasions between women.
ππ·
Girls' night out or women socializing together.
Represents female bonding activities and social gatherings.
Related Emojis
π«
Woman and man holding hands - heterosexual counterpart
π¬
Men holding hands - male counterpart for same-sex relationships
π³οΈβπ
Often paired together to represent lesbian relationships and LGBTQ+ pride
β€οΈ
Frequently combined to emphasize romantic nature of relationship
π―ββοΈ
Alternative representation of female friendship with playful connotation