'Diversity drive': Twitter unveils 'Arabic (feminine)' language option

"We want our service to reflect the voices that shape the conversations that take place on our service," said Rasha Fawakhiri, Twitter's communications head for the Middle East and North Africa.

In Arabic, verbs agree with the gender of their subject. Masculine forms are used to address mixed or unknown audiences and are the default in most texts.

Twitter did not introduce a non-binary gender language option in Arabic, but Fawakhiri said the company has other gender neutral projects in the works for the site. It has plans to add a designated gender pronoun field to Twitter profiles so people can display how they prefer to be addressed.

Twitter says it is the first social media site to introduce an "Arabic (feminine)" language option. Dubai-based global logistics company Aramex  in April added a similar language option to its corporate website.

"We want to provide people with the option of how they prefer to be addressed," Fawakhiri said.

Twitter started with Arabic and the initiative could be expanded to other languages, Fawakhiri said.

SOURCE: REUTERS