
When Virtue-Signalling Backfires
Halifax Bank has made a grave error in attempting to pander to transgender ideology. It is losing business — even from those who experience same-sex attraction. Their customers recognise the insanity of their politically correct stance.
‘Dear valued customer, embrace our extremist Woketard ideology or take your money elsewhere!’
Welcome to the brave new way of doing business, this month being modelled by the gender-botherers at the UK’s Halifax bank.
Oh, and it’s not going well.
Blanket Rule
Last week the progressives at Halifax sent out a tweet, advising customers that staff would be adding their preferred pronouns to name badges.
Pronouns matter. #ItsAPeopleThing pic.twitter.com/vj9UdlBnLy
— Halifax (@HalifaxBank) June 28, 2022
The tweet was predictably mocked.
Bank customer Warren Richman summed up the situation fairly succinctly:
“There’s no ambiguity about the name “Gemma”; It’s a female person’s name. In other words, it’s pathetic virtue signalling and is seen as such by almost everyone who has responded to the initial tweet. Why are you trying to alienate people?”
Great point, Warren. But hell hath no fury like a virtue-signaller scored.
The self-righteous zealots in the Halifax social media department replied with this …
We strive for inclusion, equality and quite simply, in doing what’s right. If you disagree with our values, you’re welcome to close your account. ^AndyM
— Halifax (@HalifaxBank) June 28, 2022
Boom!
‘We strive for inclusion and if you think differently to us, shove off!’
It’s a heck of a marketing strategy!
If you don’t agree with our ridiculous stance on an obscure issue affecting hardly anyone, then we don’t want you as a customer.
And guess what? Angry customers inundated Halifax asking that their accounts be closed.
Blowback
The whole episode is already being called one of the greatest business blunders in UK history.
Former Doctor Who scriptwriter Gareth Roberts, a Halifax customer since 1988, told the bank:
“I’m a homosexual man. I’m appalled by your adoption of this homophobic, woman-hating claptrap, and by your attitude to customers making perfectly reasonable objections to it.”
Another who closed her account wrote:
This is a hostile act to women like me who view gender ideology as an encroachment on women’s rights. You wouldn’t permit another belief on a work badge — Jesus Saves, for instance. This is another belief and one that’s hostile to women.
I suspect even more costly than the money withdrawn from Halifax accounts will be the pounding their brand took on social media.
The memes were brutal. Here is a selection for your enjoyment…



False Compassion
Some argue that we should not get upset by people using their preferred pronouns. We should, instead, go along with Halifax and virtue signalling organisations like them since it’s no big deal.
After all, it’s kind to use people’s chosen pronouns.
The Left always wants to reduce everything to “kindness”, not because they care about kindness but because it’s the easiest way to manipulate a society that feels rather than thinks.
They suggest ridiculous ideas and then accuse anyone who disagrees with them of being “unkind”.
And so dangerous ideas become normalised while the majority of people keep quiet for fear of being thought rude.
Halifax Bank says that pronouns matter. No kidding! Imagine their surprise to learn that pronouns have mattered since the English language was first spoken!
Reality also matters!
No one has a problem with pronouns. But people who think with more than their emotions do have a problem with pronouns being twisted and contorted to pretend that biological sex does not exist.
And they especially have a problem with a business demanding that to use their services, you must play along.
So Halifax customers decided they would not humiliate themselves for the privilege of giving a science-denying financial institution their money.
___
Originally published at The James Macpherson Report.
Subscribe to his Substack here for daily witty commentary.
2 Comments
Leave A Comment
Recent Articles:
3 August 2026
5.2 MINS
An unholy alliance between secular progressives and Islamists is reshaping the West. But the two movements operate from fundamentally different moral universes — and one is far better equipped to win the long game.
31 July 2026
12.3 MINS
Christopher Nolan's adaptation of "The Odyssey" deploys progressive messaging beneath a veneer of cinematic spectacle, using identity politics to create a revisionist betrayal of Homer's original epic. Here's a reveal of this ideology so it doesn't ensnare you.
31 July 2026
5.8 MINS
The Trump administration has cut $67 million of taxpayer funding for controversial “radical leftist sex ed” programs in favour of solid curriculum that emphasises abstinence and marriage.
30 July 2026
5.1 MINS
"Turn the Tide" is a timely call to the Church in Australia and New Zealand to recover courage, clarity, conviction, and public faithfulness in an age of confusion and compromise. Shelton's book challenges Christians to rediscover the Church's responsibility to protect children, speak truth, and act faithfully in the public square.
30 July 2026
9.5 MINS
The fall of Prince Andrew reveals more than royal excess. It unveils a civilisation in retreat — one where the presumption of innocence crumbles, tribalism festers, and multiculturalism dissolves the moral foundations that once held the West together.
29 July 2026
3.6 MINS
WNBA star Sophie Cunningham has sparked debate by defending women's sports, insisting biological men shouldn't compete against women. The Indiana Fever guard has since doubled down, citing "truth", "love", "fairness" and athlete protection.
28 July 2026
4.7 MINS
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has resigned after the Labor caucus moved to replace her. Following disastrous policies and polling and corruption cover-up, Ben Carroll has been chosen to take over the leadership reins just four months out from the state election.






Finally even those on the left are beginning to see the light of God though they do not yet recognise Him .
To recognise that compelled speech is ludicrous even by the standard of those doing the compelling.
Thank you James.
PS. Have you seen the Australian documentary Humble Hope ? I am trying to understand why this award winning home grown move has almost no coverage.
Some people call me Vivienne but my preferred title is Princess Vivienne and I demand that you all call me that in full!