A leading British bank has won praise and criticism for one of its Pride Month initiatives. The Halifax, named after the northern England town where it was originally founded, posted a tweet about staff wearing name tags with their pronouns.
Earlier this week it tweeted a photo of one of the staff badges, with a caption saying ‘Pronouns matter’.
Pronouns matter. #ItsAPeopleThing pic.twitter.com/vj9UdlBnLy
— Halifax (@HalifaxBank) June 28, 2022
The photo quickly went viral and divided opinion. Some customers were outraged and threatened to close their accounts. Whoever was running the bank’s Twitter account clapped back admirably.
“At Halifax, we strive for inclusion and equality. Giving our colleagues the option to add their pronouns on their badge, helps to create an inclusive environment for our customers and colleagues.”
Hi, I’m Lee. At Halifax, we strive for inclusion and equality. Giving our colleagues the option to add their pronouns on their badge, helps to create an inclusive environment for our customers and colleagues.
— Halifax (@HalifaxBank) June 28, 2022
Another user called it “pathetic virtue signaling.” Halifax again reiterated its support for inclusion and said unhappy customers were welcome to close their accounts.
We strive for inclusion, equality and quite simply, in doing what’s right. If you disagree with our values, you’re welcome to close your account. ^AndyM
— Halifax (@HalifaxBank) June 28, 2022
On Facebook, the photo has prompted over 2,000 comments. Many have thanked the bank.
“Thank you Halifax for giving this option to your employees and helping to normalise it,” said one commentator. “Everyone has pronouns and it’s nice to not have to assume, and to not have to ask. I hope all the nasty comments on this post show you how important this step is.”
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The UK’s leading LGBTQ advocacy nonprofit, Stonewall, was among those to praise the initiative.
It’s great to see workplaces like @HalifaxBank offering staff the option of including their pronouns on badges.
Having pronouns on badges is a simple yet impactful way to make sure LGBTQ+ identities are respected – for employees and customers alike 🌈💗 https://t.co/Q0z0bMM3Xd
— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) June 29, 2022
Even other financial institutions have issued tweets in support. Rival bank HSBC re-shared Halifax’s photo.
We stand with and support any bank or organisation that joins us in taking this positive step forward for equality and inclusion. It’s vital that everyone can be themselves in the workplace. ❤️ https://t.co/TuoFpqN692
— HSBC UK (@HSBC_UK) June 29, 2022
Despite this, several people online have claimed they will close their accounts. The right-wing leaning Daily Mail claims the pronoun badges have prompted an “exodus” of customers, with its columnist, Richard Littlejohn, describing the pronoun pins as “the latest example of the widespread woke fascism.”
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A spokesperson for Halifax downplayed the controversy to PinkNews saying, “We want to create a safe and accepting environment that opens the conversation around gender identity. We care about our customers’ and colleagues’ individual preferences so, for us, it’s a very simple solution to accidental misgendering.”
mailliw110
Didn’t know a name tag was so high on some peoples agenda. It’s not the first thing I look for when I need to use a live teller. Actually, it’s not even on the list. Just “SHOW ME THE MONEY!”
DCFarmboy
Of course, this could all be solved by just using the honorifics Mr./Ms./Mx. on name tags.
Mr. Stadnick
Not really all that different
cuteguy
It’s usually the older ppl that complain about this and like Chris Evandro wisely said recently that the homophobic old dinosaurs will soon die off
Man About Town
I didn’t know Chris Evans changed his last name to something more ethnic sounding!
LumpyPillows
I sure hope the world is more tolerant, when and if you live long enough to be old.
cuteguy
Lmfao dumb typo. Of course it’s the one and only Chris EVANS! You gotta love autocorrect smh
v6origal97
I hope that is correct. When I was a kid, I had hoped to be an adult, in an adult world, where being a grown-up meant something more inclusive and supportive. I’m 43, and the hate I saw as a kid, is unfortunately, just as alive as it was, and hiding behind the same political and religious “brands,” as they were when I was small. I do, however believe, that the “long arm” of equality will eventually bend towards inclusion. I just wish it would hurry tf up.
mastik8
As long as it is an option and not a requirement then why not? Inclusion matters.
RickHeathen
As for claims of virtue signaling, this will matter a lot to the people for whom it matters. I see no reason for others to be callous about it.
Bosch
“Virtue signalling” is just a phrase used by people who need an excuse to not be virtuous.
boblrice
@Bosch Very nicely put.
Jim
Umm unless I had along relationship with the bank I probably would close my account.
jcool
gonna take your 2 cents and go home, are ya?
Rambeaux
It’s okay, hon.
They are tired of dealing with your overdrafts.
Bosch
A detailed name tag is gonna make you switch banks and update your bank account number with countless services and institutions? Rational.
Cam
Translation: You are such a massive bigot that somebody showing the barest bit of courtesy to non binary and trans people enrages you.
By the way Mario, it’s cute you think you can just jump in with your other screenames and nobody will notice.
cuteguy
@Jim
the bank, along with the rest of the world, wouldn’t care if you ceased to exist
Mario
If the Democrats and leftists want to die on this hill. I say go ahead!
LumpyPillows
One very rare occasion when I agree with you.
jcool
you mean supporting the people that work for them rather than fighting with elmo the muppet? yeah, that’s the hill to strive for. lol
Bosch
First world values must look strange to your third world eyes.
Cam
I know that ANY post that remotely shows any kind of sympathy to trans or non binary people will cause the right wig troll to come in with multiple screenames sputtering in rage.
Sweetie, as always, your troll game is sad and weak.
GlobeTrotter
Everyone who was shocked at the recent Roe decision needs to take SERIOUS note! While dems are busy arguing pronouns, republicans are busy SEATING JUDGES! Next up on the chopping block: same-sex marriage, same-sex relations and contraception.
Justice Thomas has given fair warning, so yeah, keep going with this pronoun nonsense, but don’t be surprised when we wake up in a year or two back in the year 1789.
radiooutmike
Democrats and leftists?
It’s a bank in the UK.
Diplomat
A sexual micro group wanting to castigated the English language by calling a single person “they” and think it’s rational is almost the dumbest thing any American has signed off on, ever. 95 percent of Americans think it’s pure hogwash and echo a resounding “no!”.
I agree with Globetrotter. Stop with this clap trap and focus on more important political ventures, like getting the Dem’s senators into a super majority in the senate.
Playing Mr silly while we’re losing our rights is exactly what the Rs want. Cya never “they”.
Kangol2
This is a business, not “Democrats” or “leftists,” and it’s the UK, so you’re even more off base. At any rate, I thought right-wingers like you were supposed to be pro-market and pro-freedom? Does the phoniness every end?
LeBlevsez
Anyone who is triggered by a nametag was already lost to reason, and assuredly a reliable reactionary voter. No loss here.
LumpyPillows
Not really. There is a reason the pronouns were reasonable in the picture. Had it be gizus and preen….or some other nonsense it would have resulted in a very different reaction. It like they say about pollsters creating polls to get the results they’re paid to get.
Bosch
Some pronouns are weird, and some pronouns are attention-seeking, but to be triggered by them? That’s the observer’s problem.
LeBlevsez
For your comfort, LumpyPillows, allow me to amend my post. Please replace “a nametag” with “these nametags”.
Whew! That was close!
Fahd
If the nametag can spare the customer and worker some awkwardness, why not? Especially if it is optional, it seems more helpful than anything negative. I would be interested to know what percentage of bank employees have had issues with pronouns.
Given the worsening hostility in so many places around the world, gestures of inclusion from the corporate world should be praised.
Neoprene
As long as I can use the pronoun You in a one on one business transaction, does it really matter what their pronouns are? And if I’m pissed off and need to speak to their boss, I’ll use other words to reference them, not pronouns.
Kangol2
It’s a solution.
smokey
I don’t see an issue with this as others said, as long as it is optional. My experience is really the few times where I have challenges with pronouns, those specific people don’t identify their pronouns, so basically when I truly need the help to correctly identify the person, those decide not to. Just recently I met someone named Andy and couldn’t tell their gender, when I politely asked “which pronouns do you prefer prefer?”, “they” got annoyed with me.