🦼

Motorized Wheelchair

MOH-tuh-rized WHEEL-chair
Travel & Places Unicode 12.0 common

Meanings

1
Transportation · Accessibility Common

A self-propelled wheelchair with electric motor, used to represent accessibility, mobility aids, and disability inclusion in digital communication.

Used in contexts related to accessibility, disability representation, and discussions about mobility aids.

The new museum has 🦼 access throughout all exhibits. 📋 Social media post about accessibility
My grandpa just got his new 🦼 and he's zooming around the neighborhood! 📋 Family chat

Represents disability visibility and inclusion efforts in digital spaces, often used in advocacy contexts.

2
Advocacy · Representation Common

Symbol used in disability advocacy contexts to represent inclusion, accessibility rights, and disability pride.

Often included in content about disability rights, accessible spaces, and inclusive design.

Disability visibility matters 🦼 #DisabilityPrideMonth 📋 Social media advocacy post

Part of broader efforts to increase disability representation in emoji and digital communication.

Combos with 🦼

🦼♿
Wheelchair accessibility and disability access in physical spaces.
Used to indicate accessible facilities or to advocate for better accessibility.
🦼➡️🚪
Accessible entrance or pathway for motorized wheelchair users.
Used in practical communications about accessible routes and entrances.
🦼💨
Moving quickly in a motorized wheelchair, often humorous.
Playful representation of speed, sometimes used by wheelchair users themselves.

Culture

Represents ongoing efforts to increase disability visibility and representation in digital spaces, part of broader disability rights movements.

Added to emoji sets relatively recently (2019) after advocacy from disability organizations for better representation of mobility aids.

Terminology around motorized wheelchairs varies (power chair, electric wheelchair) reflecting broader discussions about disability language.

United Kingdom More commonly called an 'electric wheelchair' or 'powered wheelchair' in British English.
United States Often referred to as a 'power chair' or 'electric wheelchair' in American English.
Gen_X: Used practically in communications about accessibility needs and family mobility discussions.
Gen_Z: Used matter-of-factly in discussions about accessibility and inclusion. Often included in social justice advocacy content.
Older: Less frequently used, but adopted for practical communications about mobility needs and accessibility requirements.
Millennials: Commonly used in workplace communications about accessibility and in social media advocacy for disability rights.

History

2019

Added to Unicode 12.0 as part of increased representation of disability and accessibility in emoji.

Advocacy from disability rights organizations for better representation in digital communication.

2020

Gained prominence during COVID-19 pandemic in discussions about vulnerable populations and accessibility.

Increased awareness of disability issues during global health crisis.