I don’t like talking on the phone. I have a mild phobia of calling people on the phone my transition aggravated my uneasiness, if I have to call about a credit card problem I always get transferred to security.
It has with me, like I said I usually get referred to security as soon as I say my name. Most of the time it is just a minor annoyance but one time when a doctor’s office called with my lab results I got into an argument with the nurse…
Nurse: Is Diana there?
Me: Yes, I’m Diana.
Nurse: No, I need to speak to Diana.
Me: I am Diana
Nurse: I can only give Diana the information.
Me: I am Diana.
Nurse: Please put Diana on.
This went on for what seemed like twenty minutes but probably was less than five minutes, I finally hung up and called back and got a different nurse and she gave me my lab results.
Bank freezes transgender woman’s account because she ‘sounded like man’Has this happened to you?
Mero
By Toby Meyjes
19 May 2016
A transgender woman has said she was left feeling ‘humiliated’ after her bank account was blocked by call centre staff because she ‘sounded like a man’.
[…]
The 34-year-old said she was first refused service in a branch in Exeter for carrying ID bearing her former name, Tim.
But after heading to Plymouth to resolve the dispute, she said a fraud protection team was called in and her account frozen.
‘I repeatedly stopped her to say “No, it’s madam, I am a transwoman”,’ she said.
‘I was so embarrassed and humiliated, I was literally in tears leaving the branch.’
But after heading to Plymouth to use the phone banking system, she said she was told her voice didn’t match the name on the account.
It has with me, like I said I usually get referred to security as soon as I say my name. Most of the time it is just a minor annoyance but one time when a doctor’s office called with my lab results I got into an argument with the nurse…
Nurse: Is Diana there?
Me: Yes, I’m Diana.
Nurse: No, I need to speak to Diana.
Me: I am Diana
Nurse: I can only give Diana the information.
Me: I am Diana.
Nurse: Please put Diana on.
This went on for what seemed like twenty minutes but probably was less than five minutes, I finally hung up and called back and got a different nurse and she gave me my lab results.
She said: ‘Unfortunately, we didn’t handle her query sensitively and our customer was understandably upset by this.It is nice that they apologized but it should never have happened in the first place. When you answer all of the security questions and tell them that you are trans that should be enough .
‘We have provided feedback to the member of staff involved.
No, it hasn't happened to me - yet. But with apologies to Creedence Clearwater Revival..."I see a bad moon rising."
ReplyDeleteAs background, I haven't transitioned, and most likely won't. But I present as androgynous 24/7 when not femme. And my given name, which was my father's (and his father's) all those years ago, is now a female name. But I sound like a male unless I expend effort to sound "a little less male."
So, for telephone access to any of my accounts without a gender notation, I guess I'm now at risk for the issue illustrated here. Namely, because of the name on my account, the rep thinks I'm a girl, but I still sound like a guy. Likewise, at stores where my credit card (in my given name) stirs the curiosity of the clerk, since with my hair, nails, purse and women's capris/blouse/flats, I look like a girl (hear Ma'am with some regularity) but sound male.
I appreciate this heads-up...so I can be at least somewhat prepared when it happens.
Mandy