Trans people can now get a credit card with their chosen name at a major bank without jumping through legal hoops
The “True Name” cards are aimed at transgender and non-binary customers. (Pexels)
Citi has become one of the first leading US banks to let trans and non-binary cardholders go by their chosen name on bank-issued credit cards.
From Tuesday (October 20) Citi bank-goers can now request the name on their credit cards be changed without having to do so legally.
Citi will be the first to rollout Mastercard’s “True Name” initiative, Business Insider reported.
The news will undoubtedly be a relief to countless trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming Americans, where credit cards have long been logistical barriers. Many credit-card providers only allow those who have completed a legal change name to change their name on cards.
According to a 2015 study from the National Center for Transgender Equality, 32 per cent of those asked to show an ID with a name or gender that does misrepresents them have been verbally harassed or denied service.
Citi lets trans cardholders change their name without legal fuss.
“We’re incredibly proud to launch the True Name feature, through our relationship with Mastercard, because we strongly believe that our customers should have the opportunity to be called by the name that represents who they really are,” said Carla Hassan, Citi Chief Marketing Officer. in a press release.
The “True Name” feature is available for existing credit card customers – new members can apply for a Citi credit card and then request for a name change.
Introduced in 2019, the Mastercard “True Name” scheme was launched by the service to combat the rife issue of deadnaming among trans cardholders.
Mastercard said in a statement at the time: “We are working with partners to create a product, as well as a sensitive and private process free of personal questions, that will allow for true names, not deadnames, to appear on cards without the requirement of a legal name change.
“This will ease a major pain point for the transgender and non-binary community.”
Banks will have to approve the use of “True Name” cards, and they could cause some problems collecting credit card rewards or in situations where government-issued identification is required.
