Apple iOS adds pregnant man emoji: Netizen controversy deprives women of their humanity

Apple released iOS 15.4 as a public beta today, but one of the emojis in the update has caused controversy.

Apple has introduced a "pregnant man" emoji in iOS 15.4. Actually, pregnant emojis are not new to some people, as they are part of an update to Emojipedia, the "emoji encyclopedia," coming in September 2021. But the difference is that Apple's "pregnancy" emojis are being introduced as part of iOS 15.4.

Apple's move has sparked controversy. Some cultural commentators have argued that Apple's "pregnant man" emoji removes the elements that set women apart from men and even dehumanizes women.

Healthline.com says people who were born female but later identified as male are "transgender men" who can give birth. It's unclear how many men in the U.S. are pregnant, but data shows that at least 22 men gave birth in Australia in 2018.

Apple has not yet responded to a request for comment on the introduction of the "pregnant man" emoji.