This Sunday was International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia. Our Monzo Pride theme this year focuses on how everyone can belong, regardless of sexuality or gender identity. Here’s a blog post written by @shereeatcheson, our Head of Diversity and Inclusion, on what we’re doing during Pride month at Monzo:
We’d love to hear your thoughts and what you’re up to!
Firstly this is such a good quote:
“Language evolves over time and allies have a responsibility to think about using inclusive words“
I just love reading about all the work that goes on behind the scenes at Monzo to make it as inclusive an environment as possible. The fact that there remains such a strong percentage of employees who identify as LGBTQ within Monzo is a good indication that all this work makes a difference too.
I’m gay. Why are trans people STILL grouped with the sexualities? Are they, in 2020, still not worthy of their own events? Wouldn’t their message be stronger if they were not the ‘T’ stuck onto LGB? That is in no way saying something negative, quite the opposite in fact.
Edit - this is more to do with society in general, not Monzo in particular 
They’re not always grouped. November 20 is Transgender Day of Remembrance, for example. So that’s one thing for getting their message across on its own.
As for why they’re grouped, that’s probably down to the large overlap in gay society and trans society. The alienated an marginalised will seek out the alienated and marginalised, even if they are two different types. So when they was a thriving gay scene, trans folks were likely to find a welcome there. Also, it’s possible to both trans and gay (or bi, or queer, etc), so many trans people will belong to the scene in more than one way, as it were.
I appreciate you didn’t intend your message in a negative way, but given there are actively anti-trans gay groups out there (check the news for reports of them at Pride events), I don’t think it’s helpful to give the impression of questioning why trans people are welcomed.
To lighten the mood; my preferred acronym, rather than LGBT, is QUILTBAG. 
I did not say they are not, or should not be, welcomed.
I disagree but I can really understand where you’re coming from here. I think there IS a separate trans ‘movement’ (I don’t like using the term but can’t think how else to put it) but that the LGBQ and T issues and cultures are so closely linked that it still makes sense to group them together.
I’m not sure if I’ve made my point well here
Poor phrasing on my part, I have amended.
I have a bit of a split opinion on this one, because a lot of the issues are very similar but then there are a set of separate concerns.
For similar things, the concept of identity, having to hide it, and generally going against the grain of normality is very much similar. Getting kicked out by parents for who you are being common, or having to conform to a normal society in school and through childhood, discrimination in jobs or on paperwork in general, it’s all different tiers of the same thing.
Queer spaces in general (going back even before gay bars, which are what most people seem to think of when you say that) are places away from that forced conformity, and are important to everyone who uses them for roughly the same reasons. It is a place away from hell where you can exist as yourself, where others come to do the same, and you can meet up!
Though on the other end, trans people have a lot more difficulties of our own. Particularly when it comes to healthcare and generally getting documents to match our identity. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who want to remove what rights I do have, and terrifyingly they’re in governments and actively doing it. 
In my strong opinion, we’re all stronger together and by gods does everyone need to stand together because many of the arguments certain people like to yell at me nowadays are the exact same ones originally used to bring Section 28 in the UK, and long before that the general criminalisation of homosexuality. Please don’t fall for the kinds of groups who want to divide the community and don’t shut the door just because you got your rights. Rights can go backwards surprisingly quickly if people turn against each other. 
I don’t think there should be any movement (that’s in an ideal world), I personally don’t care about anyone’s sexuality or how they choose to identify just people being people, I recently heard from my friend that her son @15 has decided he wants to be a female, she supports him fully and I’m like I wish the world would get over it, just be accepting.
I recently posted on here about a debate that my friend and I were having about firefighters being both firemen and firewomen again I see no issue with using a person’s sexuality to describe who or what they are, they ultimately are doing the same job and their sexuality choice should not have any impact on rank or pay or any number of other things.
People are people.
Actually not sure what my point is, but all power to all people regardless of sex/race/beliefs etc etc, life is 2 short to get hung up on this shit, it’s so trivial at the end of the day, I do agree that unfortunately there is still some way to go to get everyone on board to a fairer world wehere everyone is treated the same hence my ‘in an ideal world bit’ up top.
I’m lost now so just gonna post.
You have articulated what I was trying to say much better than I did. I just think that being ‘the T’ at the end isn’t good enough for trans people’s needs, and for other people to understand their needs properly.