Google lets you spread your diverse love on a world map
Google is letting you share your love with the world.
The Internet giant released a custom map called Places of Pride, which allows people attending a Pride event this Sunday to add rainbow Pride Pins to mark places that mean something special to them.
The company invites members and supporters of the LGBT community at Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Fair Day this weekend to share love stories, memories and moments on the world map. It will paint a clear picture that diversity is everywhere.
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"A Place of Pride can be anywhere you've experienced or felt pride. Whether it's where you came out to your friends or colleagues, met your partner, or supported provide and diversity in your community," Google said in a statement.
After the map went live on Friday, sweet messages pre-populated by Google employees litter the map. The first entries on Australia include "first kiss", "the place where I decided that I was going to ask my girlfriend to marry me," and "first romantic moment in Sydney."
In a blog post for Google Australia, Patrick Hofmann from the Google Maps Sydney team who is behind the initiative, wrote about why such a resource is important to the LGBT community. Hoffmann said during the years he struggled with his sexuality in rural Canada and thought he was isolated from support, a map showing the reach of diversity would have helped him personally.
"I would have loved to have seen a map that showed this reach of community. A map of 'pride' would have given me more confidence, reassuring me that there were heaps of people truly like me, or truly in support of me -- not just a distant global chorus from around the world, but potentially in my own rural community," he wrote.
"Everyday people around the world fall in love, share a kiss, or come out of the closet, and the places where these significant moments occur become cherished for the memories that they hold."
The map will launch officially at Victoria Park, Camperdown on Fair Day on Sunday, which is a mainstay of the Sydney Mardi Gras festival in Australia. Unfortunately, those not attending Fair Day can not yet add a Pride Pin.
Get lovin', Australia. The power is with you.
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Jenni Ryall is Mashable's VP of Content Strategy. She spends her time launching cool, new things such as Mashable Deals and Mashable Reels. On the other days, she is developing strong partnerships with companies including Apple News, Flipboard, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit.
