HSBC advert: gender should never be a barrier to opportunity

[InvisibleDragon]

Came across a billboard with this HSBC advertising campaign on it the other day (see the picture - not the billboard I saw, but a similar image from facebook). Was initially mildly irritated at the continued conflation of sex and gender.

But then I noticed something else. In this case, "gender" isn't being used as a euphemism for "sex", it means gender identity.

The people in the images are both (presumably) non-binary men or trans women and the web page links to details about how to change your bank account to have gender neutral title:
www.hsbc.co.uk/opportunity/

www.hsbc.co.uk/help/banking-made-easy/change-of-gender/

I have no issue with HSBC wanting to make life easier for people with a non-binary gender identity (presumably you can also be addressed as Reverend or Rabbi in line with other beliefs). But I really don't like the use of "gender" to mean just the state of having a non-binary / trans gender identity. This feels like a further step in making it harder to name women as a (sex) class. First we had gender as a euphemism for sex. Then we had gender meaning basically gender identity or sex as preferred. This advert is using gender to mean "minority gender identity." (i.e. trans or non binary) Combined with the taboo around naming biological sex as a sex class, this feels concerning.

I'm now also side-eyeing the euphemism "gender based violence," which is becoming increasingly popular in Scotland as a replacement for "violence against women and girls."

Have I gone full tin-foil hat here, or is this worth taking notice of?

I’ve been trying years get my title from miss (since I was 8) to Ms with HSBC but never seems get changed. I may just go full hog for Mx instead If it’s only thing willing actually do

It's quite tame really, but I am just far too much of a wimp to use it.

My name printed on the card is

MAGIC Purple Butterfly Biscuits.

Great, that's - well - magic!
I'm now curious if it was even looked at by a human.

I think offering alternative titles is a sound idea - let people just enter their own rather than offer a selection. Using gender to mean gender identity works well, too - it matches with its use in phrases like gender stereotypes, gender norms, gender conforming or non-conforming.

As long as we can reserve sex for m or f we can have clarity of meaning all round and avoid confusion. Sex is biological fact; gender is societal construct. All good.

But if we are talking about sex-based violence against women and girls, we need to be clear and say VAWG. If we mean violence against people because of their gendered presentation or sexual orientation, that has different roots and needs a different name.

Both are abominable, both are serious, both are almost exclusively male crimes and both need to be targeted.

We are already accused of a hate crime if we misgender someone because we can’t remember different pronouns for every single person. Now we’re going to be accused of mis-titling them too if we can’t remember multiple different titles. Why do we need more than one gender neutral title, surely Mx would suffice?

@LumosSolem
I also noted the reference to 'those who identify as female'.
Swiftly followed by “those who identify as disabled “. That’s the one! Hello colleague! 😁

[quote PoisonCrystal]@LumosSolem
I also noted the reference to 'those who identify as female'.
Swiftly followed by “those who identify as disabled “. That’s the one! Hello colleague! 😁[/quote]
Yes @PoisonCrystal !

I'm glad to have seen your post- I wondered how many of us watching it picked up on it.

I get endlessly cross with references to gender at work, I wish I had the nerve to say something at times.

I've worked in the past in retail, and the first, most basic check of a debit card was checking that the Mr/ Mrs matched the individual standing in front of you. Simple, but it cut out possible fraud by 50% of the population.

A simple, useful check, now removed for the sake of virtue signalling.

@purplebutterflybiscuits

It's quite tame really, but I am just far too much of a wimp to use it.

My name printed on the card is

MAGIC Purple Butterfly Biscuits.

I cannot tell you how happy this has made me. I'm genuinely grinning from ear to ear. You go be Magic

@PoisonCrystal @LumosSolem there's a thread about identifying as disabled. Specifically, people who want to (or do) amputate limbs, blind themselves, become wheelchair bound or similar

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/4410501-Article-quotes-for-discussion

Yes, @LumosSolem, it's very hard to say anything. Not really all that surprising when you see senior HR staff use this language, which is somewhat ironic considering the topic!

I'm sure there are more of us. After all, what are the chances that I would post, and you would see my post?

@GoodieMoomin That article is fascinating. Thanks

@oldwomanwhoruns

I've worked in the past in retail, and the first, most basic check of a debit card was checking that the Mr/ Mrs matched the individual standing in front of you. Simple, but it cut out possible fraud by 50% of the population.

A simple, useful check, now removed for the sake of virtue signalling.

That check rarely happens now though. Payments are either contactless or you put the card in the card reader yourself.

And in the current climate would any shop assistant dare to challenge someone obviously male with a female title and name on their credit card?

Both of the CCs I've got at the moment just have my initials. My debit card has Dr. (Which is a bit odd as I don't remember ever telling them to use it, and I'm pretty sure the account preceded getting the doctorate. Maybe they picked it up after a pissy letter I had to write once.)