American Express has responded to a petition from LGBTQ+ campaign Include Mx, which has reached over 100 signatures, and said it is working to add the title “in the coming months.”
Tom Pashby, the founder of Include Mx, started the petition because American Express in the UK requires prospective customers to select a title to apply for an Amex credit card, but only provides Mr, Mrs, Miss and Ms as options.
According to Tom, this “effectively excludes non-binary people from being able to apply for a card”. The Gender Census 2023 found that, of those non-binary people who use a title, Mx is the most popular.
An American Express spokesperson said: “We believe in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce, marketplace, and society.
“Work to add the Mx titling option for new American Express Card applications in the UK is already underway, and will be added to the digital application journey in the coming months.”
Tom said: “It’s good that American Express is working towards adding Mx and that it has set itself a deadline to add the title.
“However, it does feel like Amex is saying it doesn’t mind excluding non-binary customers for up to a year while it fails to include Mx.
“Amex should take this seriously and commit more resources to the process so the title can be added as quickly as possible.”
India, she/they, a former employee of American Express, added: “It is extremely disheartening to see Amex excluding the non-binary community from equitably accessing their products.
“A person’s gender identity should not be a barrier to accessing financial services.”
Ambrose, a current Amex customer, said: “I have been an Amex customer for years.
“I was really pleased when I realised I could change my title to Mx after I realised I am non-binary.
“It’s incredibly disappointing to know that I wouldn’t have that option as a new customer when applying.”
Include Mx is an LGBTQ+ campaign founded by Tom Pashby in late 2020 which encourages organisations to add the gender-neutral title Mx to their forms. The campaign has successfully encouraged brands such as Argos, River Island, Next, Wickes, Debenhams and Cotswold Outdoor to add Mx to their form. More info HERE
Image courtesy of Jade Forbes – @nonbinary_baps on Instagram