πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„

Mx Claus

miks klawz
People & Body Unicode 13.0 common (seasonal)

Meanings

1
Holiday Β· Celebration Common

A gender-neutral representation of Santa Claus or Christmas helper, designed to be inclusive of all gender identities during holiday celebrations.

Used to represent holiday cheer in a gender-inclusive way, particularly in contexts emphasizing diversity and inclusion.

Our office πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„ is organizing the holiday gift exchange this year! πŸ“‹ Work chat
Happy holidays from your friendly neighborhood πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„! πŸ“‹ Social media post
The kids were so excited to meet πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„ at the inclusive winter festival! πŸ“‹ Family message

Introduced in 2020 as part of Unicode's effort to provide gender-inclusive alternatives to traditionally gendered emoji characters.

2
Identity Β· Representation Emerging

Used to represent gender diversity in holiday contexts, often employed specifically to signal inclusivity and non-binary representation.

Increasingly used in professional and educational settings promoting inclusive holiday celebrations.

Our school is hosting a πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„ story hour to showcase diverse holiday traditions! πŸ“‹ School announcement
As a non-binary person, I love seeing πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„ included in holiday emoji options! πŸ“‹ Social media comment

Part of the broader movement toward gender-inclusive emoji options across the Unicode standard.

Combos with πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„

πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„πŸŽ
Gift-giving during inclusive holiday celebrations
Represents the traditional gift-giving aspect of Christmas in a gender-inclusive way
πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„β„οΈ
Winter holiday season with inclusive representation
Connects winter weather with inclusive holiday celebrations
πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„πŸ³οΈβ€πŸŒˆ
LGBTQ+-inclusive holiday celebrations
Specifically highlights queer-friendly or queer-organized holiday events
πŸ§‘β€πŸŽ„βœ¨
Magical or special inclusive holiday moment
Adds a sense of wonder to gender-inclusive holiday representations

Culture

Represents the evolution of holiday traditions to be more inclusive of diverse gender identities, challenging the traditionally male-coded Santa Claus figure.

The 'Mx' honorific (pronounced 'mix' or 'mux') emerged in the 1970s as a gender-neutral alternative to Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms, gaining mainstream recognition in the 2010s.

Part of Unicode's broader effort to provide gender-inclusive options across the emoji keyboard, using ZWJ (zero-width joiner) sequences to create new representations.

Adoption shows clear generational patterns, with significantly higher usage among Gen Z and younger Millennials compared to older generations.

United Kingdom Used in similar contexts to the US, though sometimes referred to as 'Father Christmas' regardless of the gender-neutral depiction.
United States Widely adopted in progressive contexts and corporate communications emphasizing DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) initiatives during holiday seasons.
Gen_X: Variable adoption, with higher usage among those with younger children or in progressive workplaces with DEI initiatives.
Gen_Z: Widely embraced and used naturally in holiday contexts. Often specifically chosen to signal inclusive values and gender awareness.
Older: Limited adoption, generally used only when specifically encouraged in organizational contexts or when communicating with younger relatives.
Millennials: Commonly used by younger millennials, especially in professional contexts and parent communications emphasizing inclusive language.

History

2020

Introduction of Mx Claus emoji as part of Unicode 13.0, alongside other gender-inclusive emoji options.

Growing recognition of non-binary identities and push for inclusive representation in digital communication.

2021

Increased adoption in corporate holiday communications as companies emphasized inclusive seasonal messaging.

Corporate focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives extended to holiday celebrations.

2022

Became more mainstream in educational settings and family-oriented holiday programming.

Growing acceptance of gender diversity in child-focused contexts and family communications.