Halifax cemented their status as the world’s wokest bank this week by introducing pronoun badges for staff, which they proudly announced on Twitter:
Pronouns matter. #ItsAPeopleThing pic.twitter.com/vj9UdlBnLy
— Halifax (@HalifaxBank) June 28, 2022
Some users applauded the bank for being thoughtful and inclusive, while others found the move polarising and unnecessary:
If a person is wearing a NAME badge, wouldn’t it more polite to use that NAME, isn’t that the point of a NAME badge, otherwise, why put the NAME on the NAME badge in the first place?
— Jamie QTLS 🇺🇦 (@MDFocus1) June 28, 2022
Weird to see so many people in a frothing rage about a bit of harmless courtesy. Well done for doing this.
— Paul Duane 🏳️⚧️ (@paulduanefilm) June 29, 2022
Could you please just concentrate on being a bank and stop trying to ride a gravy train?
— Nothing New Under The Sun (@NothingNewUnde1) June 28, 2022
Thank you for being inclusive!
Sorry that your social media team have had to deal with the transphobes but they’re doing a great job.— Brodie 🏳️🌈🦕🦖 (@BrodieMH) June 28, 2022
Account will be closed. I’m fed up of this shit.
— Not that Elon. 🍆🍊💊💎🙌🏻 (@Eggplant_Elon) June 29, 2022
Pretty much the reaction everyone expected then, with loads of arguments and debates and insults kicking off in the comments. What happened next was absolutely mindblowing though; the woke 20-something who runs Halifax’s Twitter account suggested that anyone who has a problem with pronoun badges should just close their account with Halifax. Yikes!
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
A bold move for sure, and not one I think Halifax shareholders would echo or appreciate. At time of writing the Tweet was still up and drawing further ire:
Oh dear, Andy, do your bosses know you are encouraging your customers to leave?
— Bethsmum (@Glenbonny) June 28, 2022
You’d actually say that drivel to your customers? Well Andy, could I take your last name so I can quote it when I write to the Halifax to close my longstanding business account and remove my home and contents insurance from the Halifax? Thanks.
— Cornwall7000 ⛵️🐕 (@cornwall70001) June 28, 2022
No problem, strange business decision on your part to put virtue signalling before customers. Good to see inclusion means ‘but only if you agree with what we think’, as always. Why are the ‘Be Kind’ lot always the opposite of inclusive?
— kmw (@kirstywakeling) June 28, 2022
It should be noted that Halifax’s pronoun badges are optional and so staff aren’t strictly required to wear them, but you have to wonder how they’d treat an employee who doesn’t take up the option if they’re straight up telling customers to close their accounts over it. It just seems pretty wild that they’re literally advising clients to leave the bank if they have an issue with pronoun badges, which is why I’d love to know whether the higher-ups at Halifax feel the same way as AndyM does on Twitter.
We’ll have to wait and see how Halifax’s accounts are looking at the end of the year. Oh who are we kidding – they’re a bank! They’ll be alright no matter what happens. I guess it’s the place to go if you don’t want to worry about accidentally misgendering the staff, though.
For the students facing sexual harassment charges for not using their classmate’s correct pronouns, click HERE.
