The prevalence of gendered language often leads to girls and women questioning their own self-worth, so the humanitarian organization, Plan International, created a feminist keyboard entitled Sheboard, which swaps out dated phrases in an effort to empower women and girls.
With this keyboard, anytime a user types something related to women or girls an empowering word suggestions will appear. For example, the word woman will prompt suggestions like strong, rule, smart or athletic. Meanwhile, phrases like "my little princess" would be swapped out for "my awesome adventurer."
Plan Organization hopes the Sheboard helps individuals reflect on how their use of gendered language can impact the women and girls in their lives.
Empowering Feminist Keyboards
The Sheboard is Helping Individuals Re-Think Their Language
Trend Themes
1. Gender-inclusive Language - The Sheboard keyboard highlights the demand for gender-inclusive language in digital communication.
2. Empowerment Technology - The Sheboard keyboard demonstrates the potential for technology to empower marginalized groups.
3. Conscious Language Use - The Sheboard keyboard encourages users to be more conscious of how their language choices affect others.
Industry Implications
1. Technology - The Sheboard keyboard represents an opportunity for the technology industry to develop more inclusive and empowering tools.
2. Education - The Sheboard keyboard underscores the need for educational institutions to promote awareness of gendered language and its effects.
3. Advertising - The Sheboard keyboard opens up possibilities for the advertising industry to adopt more inclusive and empowering messaging strategies.