Last Friday, February 14, social networking site Facebook has updated its list of gender options for its users.

The social networking giant now officially recognizes that gender comes in all shapes and forms. Roughly around 50 more gender identities were made available for the users of Facebook who wish to identify their gender other than 'male' and 'female'.

Since the update, users can now choose from a variety of gender labels that they think best reflect their identity.

The new options range from "agender" (users who lack a gender), to "FTM" (female to male transsexual), to "gender fluid" (a person who experiences either gender at different times), and "two-spirit" (a Native American traditional gender).

The update has also allowed users to choose from pronouns which would apply in addressing them. Other than the common binaries "he" and "she", "they" was also added as a neutral alternative.

This change might not affect all of Facebook's 159 million users, but they believe that this move matters to people who feel out casted by the old setting's conventions.

The Facebook Diversity page has posted:

"When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self. An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just "male" or female." So today, we're proud to offer a new custom gender option to help you better express your own identity on Facebook."

A transitioning female software engineer on Facebook named Brielle Hudson even worked on the project herself. "There's going to be a lot of people for whom this is going to mean nothing, but for the few it does impact, it means the world."

For those still in the closet about their true identity, Facebook has added a privacy filter to protect these users.

To change your gender identity and pronoun, just click on "Update Info" at your "About" Page. Edit your "Basic Information", choose "Gender" and you will find the new "Custom" option added to the dropdown menu.