Facebook Rolls Out Rainbow 'Pride' Emoji After DOMA Decision

 By 
Anita Li
 on 
Facebook Rolls Out Rainbow 'Pride' Emoji After DOMA Decision

Facebook rolled out a new rainbow emoji Wednesday to mark the historic Supreme Court decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.

When users click on the smiley-face image below their status-update box, they now have the option to select a rainbow icon -- indicating "pride" -- under the "feeling" drop-down menu. A Facebook representative confirmed to Mashable that the new icon launched in light of the DOMA decision.

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The rainbow and the words "feeling pride" appear next to a user's name, and in some cases, next to his or her status-update message.

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However, it's unclear whether all Facebook users have the new DOMA-inspired icon. As Mashable's Canada-based reporter, I'm not presented with the option.

Facebook began testing emojis in status updates on user profiles in April.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Supreme Court overturned DOMA in a 5-4 vote. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy found the act violated the Fifth Amendment's due process clause.

Passed in 1996, DOMA defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman for the purposes of federal law.

Have you shared the rainbow icon in your status update? Do you have the option? Tell us in the comments, below.

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