Google offers infinite gender options

Users will be able to enter any gender they wish

Google+ will allow its users to choose whatever gender they wish, giving them the choice of ‘custom’ alongside the usual three options.

As well as ‘male’, ‘female’ and ‘decline to state’, Google+ will feature a ‘custom’ field. Selecting that will open up a text field and allow users to enter whatever gender identity they wish.

The old option had meant that “both those who don't fit into the traditional gender labels and those who don't want to declare their gender to the world at large” were put into the decline to state box, said Google engineer Rachael Bennett, announcing the change.

“For many people, gender identity is more complex than just ‘male’ or ‘female’,” said Benett. “I'm proud to announce that Google+ will support an infinite number of ways to express gender identity, by giving you the option to customize the way your gender is represented on your profile.”

Google has long given users the ability to hide their gender, and that will continue. The company said that it had worked with “people and groups” to make the change.