Metro becomes first UK bank to include non-binary gender on forms
The newest high street bank in the UK, Metro Bank, is to become the first to add a “nonbinary” gender option to its account application form. Applicants will also be able to select the title “Mx” as opposed to Mr or Mrs/Miss/Ms. The move by Metro, which opened in 2010, is a response to a Buzzfeed interview with Scottish teenager Kaelin Farnish who stated that they were unable to open a bank account as they identified as neither male nor female. Farnish and nonbinary activist, chef and writer Jack Monroe called on other banks to adopt similar procedures. 

Danny Harmer, the chief people officer of Metro Bank, told BuzzFeed News how the development came about: “One of the people in my team said to me, ‘Have you seen this article? This teenager struggling to set up an account?’ They sent it to me and said, ‘Can we do something about this?’ And I said, ‘We must be able to.’ So I spoke to the IT guys and said, ‘Can we do anything about enabling people who are nonbinary to open an account with us and not force them to specify or identify with a particular gender?’ And they said, ‘Well yes, I’m sure we can.’”

That conversation triggered several discussions and investigations within the technology department to add another option in both the gender and title categories. “It took some work and some technological changes but the passion with which people wanted to dive in and fix it was magnificent,” said Harmer.

The result, unveiled and available today, also prompted Harmer to issue a message to Kaelin Farnish, who, aged just 17, has reversed 600 years of banking history: “Thank you for sharing your story. It helped us to realise there was a way we could be more inclusive.”

As well as offering these options to customers, the change has been adopted internally so that all employees can list their gender as nonbinary and use the title Mx.

“We understand that how we treat our colleagues is how they treat our customers,” said Harmer. “So if you want colleagues to feel able to welcome customers regardless of gender or sexual orientation you need to do the same thing with your own people.”

Metro Bank opened in 2010, offering private, business, and retail banking – with online, telephone, and app services as well as over 40 branches across London and the South East. Earlier this year it launched an internal LGBT organisation, which encourages dialogue and discussion with heterosexual members of staff, one of whom saw the interview with Farnish.