Women’s rights campaigners who reject transgender ideology have been placed on the Co-operative Bank’s banned list, alongside an individual with links to an ‘oppressive overseas regime’.
The unnamed feminist organisation was declined banking services because it had views at odds with Co-op policies on “diversity and inclusion”.
But women’s rights campaigner Venice Allan said it was “highly inappropriate” for the bank to penalise organisations for “sticking to the correct definition of a woman”.
Denied
Within the Co-op’s Values and Ethics Report, the bank explains how it screens businesses to check if they conform to its Ethical Policy.
I think we are entitled to stick to the dictionary definition of what a man is and what a woman is.
On “human rights and equality”, the bank explained that it declined services to “a feminist group that actively denied the rights of members of the transgender community”.
It also barred “a charity directly linked to an organisation which was classified as a cult outside of the UK, and whose members had been denied basic human rights”.
Oppressive regime
Other customers declined included an individual with “links to the government of an oppressive regime” and a business which is involved in the sale of “mink scarves”.
In an explanation of its actions, the bank said it was “supportive of women’s rights and the freedom of thought and belief” but the group in question breached its rules.
But Venice Allan criticised the decision: “Feminist groups are constantly being told that they need to admit men who define themselves as a woman”, she said.
“But I think we are entitled to stick to the dictionary definition of what a man is and what a woman is.
‘Twitter block’
“It is highly inappropriate for the Co-op Bank to treat a group in this way for sticking to the correct definition of a woman”.
Last month feminist group Fair Play for Women said it was being censored for “speaking the truth” about transsexualism.
Twitter blocked posts which stated what the women said are “basic, incontrovertible biological facts”.