Thread by @motherofbillis

⚠️Update⚠️
After so many of you RTed and amplified our story, we were contacted by @hiyer - Head of Diversity & Inclusion @AxisBank, Devesh - the Seven Bungalows Branch sales manager, and Uthra - VP Branch Banking

Today, we went to the branch again and met Harrish and Uthra. Over about 90 mins, Bhakti asked a lot of incisive questions about the implementation of #ComeAsYouAre, the training and sensitization policies of Axis Bank, and crucially, the redressal mechanisms for people like us.

We got satisfactory answers to most of these questions, and Axis Bank is rolling out more queer-friendly initiatives soon. We also discussed being a part of some training videos for internal use at Axis Bank, which is TBC.

Finally, ✨ we successfully opened a joint savings bank account! ✨
We didn't sign any documents explaining our relationship, which I hope doesn't affect our banking in the future.

However, we can't be complacent & assume this fast corrective experience would come as easily to others as it did for us. Our personal connections w @hiyer can't be discounted, nor our privilege to use this platform to create visibility & pressure for answers from Axis bank.

Even after this, we do have our reservations as to whether the services under #ComeAsYouAre would be easily accessible for all desiring individuals across the country. We hope it is, but we wouldn't be surprised if similar cases crop up again.

All in all, through this humiliation and embarrassment came learnings, awareness and hopefully a smooth implementation of an important scheme. #ComeAsYouAre

Yes, other banks do allow two people with no blood relation to open a joint savings bank account, but it was important to us to avail a policy where we could proudly identify ourselves as part of the LGBTQ+ community and receive equal treatment for financial services. 🌈

We went out to celebrate, but this is not the end. While this may be idealistic, we can only hope that @AxisBank walks the talk and no queer couples/individuals have to be questioned and made to feel othered regarding the provisions laid out in the #ComeAsYouAre scheme

A big thank you to all of you who spread the word about our experience, thanks to you we could get our problem resolved much faster than we'd expected.

Lastly, the biggest thank you to @OGFeministRani for her brevity, helping me phrase things calmly & pushing me(someone who's usually happy to sit by and let things go)to stand up for our rights.None of this would have been possible without you.I love you. Here's us celebrating :)