The contact form on the official website of The White House has been updated to allow users to choose their preferred pronouns in the aftermath of Joe Biden's inauguration as the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday.
According to NPR, The White House contact form now includes gender-inclusive pronouns, such as "they/them" and also the gender-neutral title "Mx" for those users who require a gender-neutral option.
NPR reports that this new feature was applauded by Sarah Kate Ellis, President of the LGBTQ+ awareness organization GLAAD. In a statement Ellis stated:
"Pronouns matter, and adding inclusive pronouns to a contact form is more than just a demonstration of allyship.
"Research has shown that recognition and respect of our pronouns can make all the difference for our health and wellbeing — especially when it comes to LGBTQ youth."
Per, NPR GLAAD also stated that the new feature is a departure from the Trump administration, which removed all mentions of the LGBTQ+ community from the White House website shortly after Trump's inauguration back in 2017.
However, these aren't the only new features to have shown up on The White House's website. According to The Independent, Tom Warren, Senior Editor of The Verge, took to Twitter this week to share a screenshot of The White House website which showcased its new dark mode.
This dark mode helpfully mutes the white background seen in the daylight hours to prevent eye strain among anyone who chooses to browse it at night time.
However, even more interesting than that was a second new feature, which was shared by a second social media user and Microsoft employee named Isaac Hepworth, who retweeted Warren's post and shared a screenshot of his own of a hidden message.
Per The Independent, Hepworth's screenshot shows him using the developer tools in his web browser to view a message in the site's text edit feature. Buried in the code is a hidden easter egg - a message which says:
"If you're reading this, we need your help building back better."
The message then includes a link to the United States Digital Service (USDS) job application page. The USDS aims to provide consultation services to federal agencies on internet communications and IT and designs new interactive technology for the United States government.
A statement on the site says that the Biden administration is striving to make web content easier for people with sensory, cognitive, and mobility disabilities in the near future.
A spokesperson writes: "Our ongoing accessibility efforts work toward making WhiteHouse.gov as accessible as possible. The White House welcomes comments on how to improve the site’s accessibility for users with disabilities."
