Testing Wells Fargo's Gender Policies Today!

[Allison_Leslie]

Going to the bank today and I'm going to talk to the manager and see what their policy is on identity and if I am allowed to dress as myself even though my identity is legally Alvin's. Maybe they'll be cool. Thing is it's the only OTHER place besides the DMV and my job that I have to make sure I'm in guy mode for and I HATE that.. So i'm going to see what both branches say (I visit 2 bank branches regularly).

Wells Fargo.. we will find out just how accommodating you can be!

[Genny B]

Good Luck Allison! I'm sure you'll have no problem! I think they'll know you are not the girl to mess with! LOL!

Genny B

[ChristinaK]

Hi Allison. I'm confused. Can a business deny you service when dressed en femme? Or, is it that they do not accept your ID?

[Aprilrain]

I'm also confused. Are you saying that you work there and want to know if you can go to work dressed? Or are you saying you are a customer and want to know if they will serve you while your dressed as a woman?

If you are just a customer have some self respect! Do not degrade yourself by bothering to ask them how you may dress to do business in their bank!

[Melissa Rose]

The local non-profit transgender group has a checking account at Wells Fargo. Each person with access to the account was added to the account and issued a debit card while en femme (me included) which has to be done in person. As long as you are not trying to hide your legal identity, the bank does not really care. It comes down to the attitude of the individual tellers and account specialists as to how you are treated in person. This is one situation where having an official ID with your femme picture is beneficial especially if your guy ID picture looks quite different from your girl presentation.

[I Am Paula]

Oddly, my bank would not change my acct. info to my femme, but not yet legal name. They would, however, issue an additional bank card to Paula. A double standard for sure.
Your post was a bit confusing. If you are talking about doing your banking en femme, go right ahead. No need to ask.

[rachael.davis]

I don't know if it's the case in Canada, but in the US that would be a banking violation. The additional card in a "doing business as", or "Also Known As" is a standard accommodation that doesn't relate to gender issues

[Rhonda Jean]

I agree with everyone else on the bank deal. I'll add that on the DMV issue, while I didn't get (nor seek) a change from M to F, I did have my picture done en femme. I posted on it ages ago. I don't remember if I was fully en femme or not, but I did do my hair and wore makeup and big hoops. The problem wasn't getting the picture en femme, it was getting the to re-do it when I chickened out months later.

[Briana90802]

Just remember, People aren't policies. Policies are great on paper but people will be people.

[Daphne Renee]

good luck Allison. I think you will do fine. as long as you are not doing anything illegal I dont think they can refuse you service.

[Beverley Sims]

I think you are placing too much emphasis on presenting femme.
Just do it and see what transpires.

[Tracii G]

I have been to two separate branches of my bank enfemme and nothing happened when I did my business.
I was making a larger deposit and the teller asked for my ID just to verify she looked at my ID then back at me a bit perplexed but then just smiled and said nothing.
The same teller now when I go in a more guy mode just says hi and is very friendly.
The sign on the door says no hats,hoodies covering the head or sunglasses it doesn't say no crossdressers.

[sandra-leigh]

In Canada, I have never had any difficulty going dressed into my bank (RBC), even branches I have never been to before.

I did check some years ago about getting my name changed on my debit card without a legal name change; they took the time to check with their HQ and came back indicating that it could not be done in Canada due to the banking laws. (I did not try to get a credit card.)

[Barbra P]

Although I don’t bank en femme I’m rarely asked for ID at Wells Fargo. I go up to the teller window with my Bank Card (Debit) in hand, tell them what I want to do, swipe the card and enter my PIN Number and the teller completes the transaction. I’ve cashed checks (gifts from others) this way, deposited money to my accounts, and made withdrawals. My Credit Union on the other hand is a different story, they always ask to see my ID, but then I don’t have a card from them since I don’t have a checking account with them.

[Alice B]

I seen problems. You are a customer and know your pass words, etc. Unless you plan on depositing or removing a very large sum of money it won't matter.

Should have read I see no problems.

[Lorileah]

Nice thing about the internet, you can learn so much about the business you are working with

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/5-leading-lgbt-friendly-companies

As far as having an account in your NOT legal name, that would be fraud. However since you have an account and it is the primary account, having a card in another name is legal because YOU are guaranteeing that the person using the card will pay the bills.

[Kate Simmons]

The only thing I know for sure about Wells Fargo is that I would like to be the Belle of the town that rides in their stage coach. ;):battingeyelashes::)

[sandra-leigh]

An account not in your legal name is not fraud unless you are attempting to get someone else to pay or attempting to not pay at all. Common law in USA, and more clearly in Canada, holds that you may transact business in any name so long as you are not attempting to commit fraud.


The compulsory registration of births with governmental agencies is a practice that originated in the United Kingdom in 1853

Notice that is roughly 75 years after the formation of the USA.

The concern with legal names on banking documents is relatively recent, flowing out of money laundering concerns and later anti-terrorism concerns; anti-immigration and voter-suppression people also tend to pressure for stricter "Real-ID" laws supposedly on these grounds but knowing that the impact will be disproportionately felt in society.

[Leslie Langford]

I don't know if it's the case in Canada, but in the US that would be a banking violation. The additional card in a "doing business as", or "Also Known As" is a standard accommodation that doesn't relate to gender issues

I agree, rachael, and I am surprised that Paula got such a positive response from a Canadian bank on the matter of having a supplementary credit card issued in her femme name.

I made the same request of a number of Canadian banks a few years ago, and was turned down on the basis that having a credit card issued to a fictitious name (and by default, a non-existent person) would be tantamount to an act of fraud in their eyes.

Not only that, but their rules have tightened in terms of issuing supplementary cards in general. They will only issue them now with the proviso that the person whose name appears on it picks up their card at a local bank branch once it is issued, and also shows proper photo ID attesting to their true identity.

In other words, anyone who has not yet taken the necessary steps to have their gender identity changed on all official documents (i.e. passport, driver's license, social insurance number, health care cards etc.) is essentially SOL now when hoping to get a credit card in their femme name here...

[Allison_Leslie]

I dont work there, I was going in to see about an alias, being called that while there, and to commend them on their company's addition of breast and srs surgery to the healthcare options as well as the ftm op being covered as well... We had a VERY good chat and I will be receiving info on obtaining legal alias from the branch manager.

[I Am Paula]

Leslie- I have a bank card (atm) issued to Paula. They would not give me a visa card.

[NicoleScott]

To reduce fraud, companies (including banks) are increasingly asking for picture ID, and they should. It could be a problem for Allison to appear en femme while presenting a picture ID of a guy.

[KayleeTaylor]

Don't know much about the bank accounts yet, it seems like you have already gotten good advice on that. Have you checked with the DMV about a new photo enfemme? I went to the DMV today and got a new license while enfemme, still says my real name with the male marker, but I know what I need to do to change that. But at least my license looks like me now :)

[Persephone]

Do virtually all of my banking en femme and never have a problem. My primary account is with CitiBank and they were as accomodating as could be. I do have their credit cards in my femme name, not even attached to my "male" accounts. They couldn't change my debit card due to U.S. laws, but they did let me use just an intial on it and on my checks.

Secondary account is at Bank of America. They put photos on their debit cards so I just went to them and said "I'm transgender, can you do my photo as a woman rather than a man?" "Certainly!" they said and proceeded to do so.

My driver's license photo is also en femme.

Just can't have checking accounts and driver's license in femme name unless I do a legal name change. Would do that, and change the sex marker, but my spouse objects.

Hugs,
Persephone.