July 3, 2012 - 12:56 AMT
Facebook rolls out same-sex marriage icons

Facebook unveiled two new cake topper icons so same-sex couples can declare their marriage status, Daily Mail said.

Homosexual Facebook users have been able to select 'In a Civil Union' or 'In a Domestic Partnership' as their relationship status since February last year but this is the first they have been able to pick an icon for marriage.

Previously, changing one's status to 'married' would prompt a timeline symbol depicting a heterosexual couple.

Gay and Lesbian groups have applauded the move.

“Following Facebook's addition of domestic partnership and civil union to profile options last year, these new marriage icons for timeline are another important way for same-sex couples to be recognized,” Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's Allison Palmer said.

A number of anti-gay Facebook users have expressed outrage at the new symbols, proposing a boycott on the page of One Million Moms - an anti-gay offshoot of the American Family Association.