Mx Chronicles pt III
Some successes!
Two different banks have given me proof of ID with the correct title!
My experiences with Smile and Britannia have reinforced something that I kinda knew anyway - that change to oppressive systems has to happen through changing individual minds. (Top-down or bottom-up are both valid approaches, but perhaps both are necessary.)
With both banks, my experiences have been wildly divergent depending on the individual I've spoken to.
For example -
Me: Please can you fix my title? It should be "Mx".
Smile employee 1: Dear Ms Stardust: nope.
Me: Are you really really sure? How about at least not addressing me by an incorrect title in these messages?
Smile employee 2: Dear Ms Stardust: no chance. It's automatic.
[Time passes]
Me: I'm about to be due a new credit card - when it comes, please can you list my name on it as Mx Sebastienne Stardust? I understand that you can't change it within your systems, but at least in this one place, is it possible?
Smile employee 3: Dear Sebastienne: sure thing!
Letter from smile: Dear Mx Stardust...
Me: Hi, when I renew my savings account with you, I need to change my title to Mx - will that be ok?
Britannia employee 1: Sure thing, just send us your deed poll!
[Sigh; Deed Polls aren't required to change title. But I've got one anyway.]
Letter from Brittania: Dear Ms Stardust, it is not possible to process your name change. Also we've cashed that cheque that you made out to Mx Stardust because apparently when it comes to taking your money, we recognise that titles don't actually have any legal standing as part of a name.
Me: Hey wtf? You lied to me on the phone and cashed a cheque fraudulently, I think maybe I should close my account..
Britannia employee 2: Shit, sorry, that's not cool. I've looked at our systems and I reckon I can get "Mx" onto your statements and stuff, just not onto your internal record with us; there I'll have to put a custom note asking people not to call you "Ms". Will that be ok? There's still a human error element, but let me issue you a statement now and you can see whether or not it comes to you addressed as "Mx".
Statement from Britannia: Dear Mx Stardust...
Next step is the DVLA. They've sent me a letter addressed to Mx (because I fixed their online form) and I've sent back an application with a deed poll. It's been more than the three weeks I'm supposed to wait, though...
Originally posted at http://sebastienne.dreamwidth.org/61531.html.
comments.
Two different banks have given me proof of ID with the correct title!
My experiences with Smile and Britannia have reinforced something that I kinda knew anyway - that change to oppressive systems has to happen through changing individual minds. (Top-down or bottom-up are both valid approaches, but perhaps both are necessary.)
With both banks, my experiences have been wildly divergent depending on the individual I've spoken to.
For example -
Me: Please can you fix my title? It should be "Mx".
Smile employee 1: Dear Ms Stardust: nope.
Me: Are you really really sure? How about at least not addressing me by an incorrect title in these messages?
Smile employee 2: Dear Ms Stardust: no chance. It's automatic.
[Time passes]
Me: I'm about to be due a new credit card - when it comes, please can you list my name on it as Mx Sebastienne Stardust? I understand that you can't change it within your systems, but at least in this one place, is it possible?
Smile employee 3: Dear Sebastienne: sure thing!
Letter from smile: Dear Mx Stardust...
Me: Hi, when I renew my savings account with you, I need to change my title to Mx - will that be ok?
Britannia employee 1: Sure thing, just send us your deed poll!
[Sigh; Deed Polls aren't required to change title. But I've got one anyway.]
Letter from Brittania: Dear Ms Stardust, it is not possible to process your name change. Also we've cashed that cheque that you made out to Mx Stardust because apparently when it comes to taking your money, we recognise that titles don't actually have any legal standing as part of a name.
Me: Hey wtf? You lied to me on the phone and cashed a cheque fraudulently, I think maybe I should close my account..
Britannia employee 2: Shit, sorry, that's not cool. I've looked at our systems and I reckon I can get "Mx" onto your statements and stuff, just not onto your internal record with us; there I'll have to put a custom note asking people not to call you "Ms". Will that be ok? There's still a human error element, but let me issue you a statement now and you can see whether or not it comes to you addressed as "Mx".
Statement from Britannia: Dear Mx Stardust...
Next step is the DVLA. They've sent me a letter addressed to Mx (because I fixed their online form) and I've sent back an application with a deed poll. It's been more than the three weeks I'm supposed to wait, though...
Originally posted at http://sebastienne.dreamwidth.org/61531.html.
comments.