UK - A high street bank today began rolling out services for transgender customers. HSBC said the move was aimed at providing a better banking experience, including offering a choice of 10 gender neutral titles. The bank said the new titles would allow people who do not identify as a particular gender, or who do not want to be identified by gender, to choose the title that works for them. It means customers can choose to be a Mx, Ind, M and Misc.
The bank’s chief executive Antonio Simoes, 42, has spoken publicly about how being gay helped him get to the top. In one interview he admitted: “Being gay is a plus for me. It made me a more authentic person, with better empathy, better emotional intelligence. If I wasn’t gay, I probably would not be CEO of the bank.”
Here are the new titles that HSBC customers can choose from, with some detail about them from HSBC:
• Mx (pronounced “mix” or “mux”)
• Ind (an abbreviation of individual)
• M
• Misc (an abbreviation of miscellaneous)
• Mre (an abbreviation for “mystery”)
• Msr (represents a combination of Miss/Sir)
• Myr
• Pr (prounced “per”. An abbreviation of person)
• Sai (pronounced “sigh”)
• Ser (pronounced “sair”).