Rainbow Flag Emoji
Symbolic language
The rainbow flag emoji did not exist in 2016, and I thought that was strange. So I set out to find out what it would take to make it happen. My submission to the Unicode Consortium was accepted, and now everyone carries this symbol of the LGBTQI+ community 🏳️🌈 in their pocket or bag!
The rainbow flag has been the international symbol of the LGBTQI+ community since the 1970s. In the summer of 2016, I realized there was still no rainbow flag emoji available.
Official Unicode proposal
After some research, I learned that you had to submit an official emoji character proposal to the Unicode Consortium. On June 25, 2016, I sent my proposal to Unicode.
👉 My official proposal for the rainbow flag emoji (pdf)
I received an acknowledgement from Unicode by email. According to the process and timeline of the UTC, all I had to do now was: wait.
Approval
The proposal I submitted resulted in approval by Unicode! This was announced on July 19, 2016, by Unicode President Mark Davis.
Added
The official emoji update was scheduled for June 2017, but the rainbow flag emoji was added earlier: in the autumn of 2016! 🏳️🌈
Press and media
After my official proposal
📌 June 26, 2016 Bright Dutchman submits application for rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 26, 2016 AT5 Amsterdam resident campaigns for rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 26, 2016 RTV Noord-Holland Amsterdam resident campaigns for rainbow flag emoji (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 June 26, 2016 Omroep Zeeland Amsterdam resident campaigns for rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 26, 2016 RTL Nieuws Maurice creates rainbow flag emoji: ‘I’m gay and I miss that little flag on the internet’
📌 June 27, 2016 NU.nl Dutchman submits request for rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 27, 2016 Vance Dutchman wants the rainbow flag to become the newest official emoji
📌 June 27, 2016 Winq A rainbow flag emoji coming soon?
📌 June 27, 2016 W/ (Always With) Will there be a rainbow flag emoji? Yes please!
📌 June 27, 2016 Haarlems Dagblad Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 June 27, 2016 Live interview on FunX Radio (Dutch) Listen on NPO (Dutch)
📌 June 27, 2016 AD (Algemeen Dagblad, Amsterdam Ed.) Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 27, 2016 Het Parool Amsterdam resident takes a stand for rainbow flag emoji And in the print edition of Het Parool, on June 28, 2016
📌 June 27, 2016 Gijs 2.0 (NPO Radio)
📌 June 27, 2016 Daily television shows (RTL Boulevard, EditieNL)
📌 June 27, 2016 De Stentor & De Gelderlander Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 27, 2016 Eindhovens Dagblad Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 27, 2016 BN De Stem & Brabants Dagblad Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 27, 2016 Noord-Hollands Dagblad Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 June 28, 2016 Gay.nl Dutchman submits request for rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 28, 2016 NLTimes Amsterdam man behind initiative for LGBT rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 28, 2016 De Telegraaf Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji
📌 June 28, 2016 PZC & Tubantia Amsterdam resident wants rainbow flag emoji
After approval
📌 July 19, 2016 NU.nl The rainbow flag emoji is officially coming
📌 July 19, 2016 Het Parool The rainbow flag emoji is officially coming
📌 July 19, 2016 Fok.nl Rainbow flag emoji available soon
📌 July 19, 2016 Gooi & Eemlander Rainbow flag emoji available soon (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 July 19, 2016 Bright Rainbow flag emoji coming sooner than expected
📌 July 20, 2016 Radio interview on NOS op 3 Article about this broadcast Mission accomplished: a rainbow flag emoji is coming
📌 July 20, 2016 Winq The rainbow flag emoji is already here for EuroPride (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 July 20, 2016 ZIZO Rainbow flag emoji available before the end of 2016
📌 July 20, 2016 De Telegraaf Rainbow flag emoji available soon (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 July 20, 2016 EditieNL
📌 July 20, 2016 AT5, Amsterdam TV Network The rainbow flag emoji is officially coming
📌 July 20, 2016 W/ (Always With) Yes! A rainbow flag emoji is coming
📌 July 20, 2016 NOS op 3 Mission accomplished: a rainbow flag emoji is coming
📌 July 20, 2016 LINDA. WhatsApp gets a rainbow flag emoji — thanks to a Dutchman
📌 July 20, 2016 Gay.nl It’s really coming: the rainbow flag emoji
📌 July 21, 2016 PowNed Unicode fast-tracks rainbow emoji (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 July 21, 2016 NOS op 3 Tech Podcast (Radio interview)
After the release of Twitter's special EuroPride emoji
👉 Press release (pdf)
📌 July 22, 2016 Interview on Radio 538’s Dennis Doet ‘t
📌 July 22, 2016 De Telegraaf Gay Pride gets its own emoji
📌 July 22, 2016 Metronieuws Maurice asked Twitter for a rainbow emoji and got it
📌 July 22, 2016 Winq The rainbow flag emoji is already here for EuroPride (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 July 22, 2016 RTL Nieuws Finally, a rainbow flag emoji — but only on Twitter for now
📌 July 22, 2016 RTL-Z Finally, a rainbow flag emoji — but only on Twitter for now
📌 July 22, 2016 Het Parool Looking back: This was EuroPride 2016 — EuroPride gets its own Twitter emoji (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
📌 July 22, 2016 Bright Twitter now has its own rainbow flag emoji
📌 July 22, 2016 Interview for AT5 News Twitter creates a special Amsterdam EuroPride symbol
📌 July 27, 2016 ELLE This is what you need to know about EuroPride 2016 — #EUROPRIDE
📌 July 27, 2016 Radio interview on 3FM: Anoûl
More
📌 August 2, 2016 Het Laatste Nieuws Weapon emoji replaced by ‘harmless’ water pistol, women in charge and other new emoji (Belgium)
📌 August 2, 2016 iCulture More than 100 new emoji in iOS 10, with more female variations — Rainbow flag emoji thanks to a Dutchman
📌 August 2, 2016 NOS op 3 Gun emoji bites the dust — Rainbow flag
📌 September 17, 2016 Volkskrant’s Vonk Emoji are all grown up — A picture says as much as words
📌 January 28, 2017 Algemeen Dagblad Say it with emoji
👔 May 14, 2018 Pakhuis De Zwijger Let’s Talk Digital — Creative Industry (guest speaker) (archived copy via the Internet Archive)
Related
🌎 How is it decided which emoji are added? (NOS op 3)
🌎 Video: The Story of the Rainbow Flag (TIME)