29.7.2019
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have been a Barclay's customer and account holder for at least 20 years. I have never once been overdrawn and I would think that my account has never given your Bank one moment of concern. I have never previously written a complaint, but now do so with the expectation that I have a legitimate right to complain about a recent action by Barclays Bank and for this to be seriously considered by you. I am referring to the change of your App logo to Pride colours during June/July.
I would like to thank you for your service to me as a Bank. Indeed on two occasions that I remember your customer service has been outstanding. Once you made a mistake concerning my wife's Debit Card for which she received generous compensation. On another occasion, when by coincidence I was rung by a Bank Adviser the day after we had been robbed of our passports in Spain you immediately put money into our account to cover the cost of the emergency passports. I hold something of a public role and on a few occasions have mentioned this to some hundreds of people and complimented Barclays Bank. I say this to underline that I am in no way negatively inclined to Barclays Bank. This letter will also be published on my blog site when again it will probably be read by hundreds of people.
But I do question your decision to use Pride colours on your logo which appears on my mobile and therefore for the month that it was there was constantly thrusting a particular view of sexuality in my face. My overwhelming objection to this is that I can see no reason why a Bank should feel that they have the right to confront me with a particular view on sexuality. It simply isn't your job to do this. And this works both ways, If you ( and it's difficult to define the 'you' - perhaps the senior management board?) were to hold a view on sexuality that was opposed to LGBT then there is no way that I would expect you to be representing that on your logo either. It's not your place to do this.
So why did you insert Pride colours into your logo for a month?
I can speculate that it may have included the following:
Perhaps for commercial reasons. I cannot imagine that 'you' would not have considered the commercial results of this. You would surely have considered that some customers would be offended and might transfer their accounts to another Bank. On the other hand you may have considered that you would gain more financially than you would lose. If this correct then I believe it is the wrong treatment of faithful customers like me. My first reaction to the changed logo was a spontaneous decision to change banks. But then I decided that this was an immature response and have waited some weeks in order to write a thought out letter to you. Of course I may still decide finally to move my account, but I assume you don't consider that it is a great financial risk to lose a few long term accounts.
Perhaps for moral reasons. As commented above I don't believe it is the place of a Bank to force their views on sexuality on me by way of a logo. But if you feel it is your place to do so then there needs to be some consistency. There are 12 months in a year so why not let your logo reflect some of the following possibilities: Amnesty International, World Refugee Day, Activity to prevent climate change, Any number of Agencies fighting against poverty, Agencies that are fighting Leprosy and other health concerns, Agencies that are campaigning on behalf of those persecuted for faith, Prison Reform, Educational Needs etc etc. I wouldn't necessarily personally support all of these myself but they represent areas of desperate human need and would give some moral credibility to including Pride on the list.
Perhaps for the desire to be politically correct. You will not be surprised to read that I have never attended a Pride March. This year, to be better informed I looked on the Web at a number of photographs that were taken at these events. Any March that brings colour, balloons and streamers onto our streets can clearly be enjoyed. And a Pride March does that and so although it may not be my thing I can see the fun of it on that level. But the photos also revealed a lewdness, crudeness and a blatant flaunting of a a particular type of sexuality to a level that astonishes me to think that any parent would take their child to go and watch it. Use Pride colours and most people would immediately think Pride March. So what you are associating yourself with may be considered politically correct but is in fact genuinely offensive to many who do not want to see that kind of in your face sexual expression on our streets.
You may feel that you are working to oppose discrimination of certain people but you are in fact discriminating against those who hold a different view on these issues. And it is a form of discrimination when you force a particular view of sexuality (any view) via a logo on an App which every customer has to use in order to access accounts on their mobile device.
Your website asks that if we have a complaint can we also suggest how to set it right. Yes, please don't use Pride colours on your logo. Or if you are going to do so, then let your logo also represent other groups who face suffering, discrimination, hatred and violence.
Yours sincerely,
John E. Hosier.