Following a pitch by Google in May, the Unicode Consortium announced that it will add 11 new emoji to the world's smart phone keyboards. Google wrote about the decision today, noting that new emoji are part of an effort to promote gender equality.

Including a scientist, farmer, welder, doctor and more — all available as both women and men in varying skin tones — the new emoji will allow for over a 100 unique combinations. Google choose the proposed professions based on data pulled from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the US Department of Labor (among other sources). "We hope these updates help make emoji just a little more representative of the millions of people around the 🌎 who use them," explains the Mountain View-based tech giant.

On top of that, Unicode is set to make 33 existing emoji available as both male and female. "For example" explains Google, "you'll be able to pick both a female runner emoji and a male runner emoji, or a man or woman getting a haircut" (see below).

Cool!

The new emoji could be available before the end of the year, reports the Chronicle. When you consider that, according to a report presented to the Unicode Consortium, "women are the most frequent emoji users," they cannot come soon enough.

Previously: Google Presses Unicode For 'Working Women' Emoji