For trans and nonbinary individuals, it can be challenging to use a credit card that may have their deadname instead of their preferred name. However, thanks to Mastercard’s True Name feature, customers who are with the Bank of Montreal (BMO) will be now able to use their preferred first name on their credit cards without having to legally change their names.
BMO is the first Canadian financial institution to offer the feature.
See also: LGBTQ+ terms you keep hearing and what they mean.
According to a recent survey by Mastercard, nearly half of all transgender or nonbinary people in Canada feel anxiety, embarrassment and frustration when having to show an ID that doesn’t reflect who they are. A quarter of survey participants also reported having not gone through the process to change their gender marker on their formal ID, as they were discouraged by how pricey and time-consuming it was.
Changing one’s ID often requires a name change, and also the sign-off from a healthcare professional who can provide some form of certification for the person’s transition. The cost of a name change varies by province and territory, but in Ontario, the fee is $137.
With the new feature, cardholders can use their chosen name on both their personal and small business debit and credit cards (and on their monthly statements), starting this month. Additionally, instead of using a prefix such as Mr. or Ms., customers can use Mx., which is gender-neutral.
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