A 17-year-old genderqueer, who was a female at birth, has failed to open a new bank account in Scotland due to restrictions in the application form's gender options, and the person's father is campaigning to have it changed.
A genderqueer, according to Oxford dictionary, is a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders.
Kaelin Farnish was unable to open a bank account as the form only has male and female gender options.
Her father, Keith, told BuzzFeed News that they have visited one bank after another to find one that have more gender options but could not find one.
"When you're filling something in and you don't identify as male or female and you only see those two boxes then you don't see yourself there," he said. Kaelin uses the pronouns "they," "their" and "them."
Kaelin needs a new bank account so that she could pay for her university accommodation in September. In her existing bank account, Kaelin used a female name that was given to her at birth.
At Co-operative Bank, the only titles in the official form for opening new accounts were "male" and "female."
"The online form said male or female and had all the standard titles," said Farnish. Many genderqueers and transgenders prefer the title Mx.
Kaelin said she called up the bank and the person she talked to said, "We'll get back in touch with you within two weeks, because someone else has complained about this as well." However, the bank never called back.
"It's not life and death," Kaelin said. "But, actually, embracing your identity and being comfortable in that identity? In many cases it is."
Kaelin left her family in March last year and changed her name and gender identity.
"It was a new start. Like, I'm going to leave the old me behind and everything's going to be fine. But then it just hit a brick wall at the first hurdle," Kaelin said.
When Kaelin applied for university study through the University and Colleges Admissions Service, she ended up ticking the male box.
Kaelin's father said it is his duty to help her.
"I'm a parent that cares. As far as I'm concerned whatever my child does, I will support them, and something as fundamental as their identity – it's who they are – how can I deny that?" he said.
