One trans-woman's battle to get NatWest to use 'Ms' instead of 'Mr'

Birmingham and Dudley branches of the bank initially refused

Customers with Natwest and RBS banks were unable to withdraw money from cash machines at other banks for two-and-a-half hours (BEN STANSALL/AFP/GettyImages)

A trans woman has won the right to have her title changed from 'Mr' to 'Ms' at NatWest, but only after she reported it to the press.

The woman requested the name change repeatedly at the Birmingham New Street and Dudley branches of the bank, where she was told that the change was impossible without a gender recognition certificate, according to Pink News.

She then offered to put them in touch with trans organisations, which the bank refused. Phone conversations also proved fruitless.

NatWest said she could use an alias on her account, but the woman declined the offer because it would make bank staff aware that she had transitioned.

NatWest finally agreed to make the change with immediate effect after they learned that the woman had told her story to Pink News.

Marjorie Strachan, head of inclusion at RBS (which owns NatWest) said that the issue was human error.

“We have made it easier for customers to change their gender on their banking records, and have given them the option to use the title, Mx. By embracing difference, and placing inclusion at the very heart of how we do business, we want to be a better bank for our customers,” Strachan said.

The woman told Pink News: “This has made me feel frustrated and it feels as if my gender transition has been put on hold by a large corporate body which should not be able to impose such a restriction on my life.”