This article has been updated.
Since the unveiling of Daylight Bank a few days ago on Twitter, the trans and queer community have been mercilessly taking the ad apart for its perceived pandering posture. At first, people were simply pissed that the bank was using social justice rhetoric to bring in a queer audience. Then, this afternoon, an interesting factoid surfaced which painted Daylight Bank in a more obviously sinister light.
whoomp! there it is https://t.co/ZPp4DLoAAz
— emily zhou (@emializh) August 31, 2021
Before this point, people were simply pissed at the advertising. A queer bank that banks queerly? Ok, sure! Whatever the fuck that means!
ah yes finally…. a queer bank! can’t wait to pay queer interest, gay overdraft fees, sapphic interest pic.twitter.com/AvaCFx2jo4
— himbo rights now (@himboidiot) August 29, 2021
At first, it was all jokes.
How about we take this to the next level?
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the queer bank cancels me in real time for purchasing something problematic. awesome https://t.co/pudbuLVINu
— gatling gun kelly (@noahpasaran) August 30, 2021
it’s ok to cyberbully the queer bank
— Colby Gordon (@badinfinity2) August 31, 2021
the queer bank just texted to warn me that if i don’t meet the minimum monthly deposit that they’ll “get real cunty” and that “it will not be funty”
— andrew 👺 (@ultrabawl) August 31, 2021
when will they make a bank for asexuals
— p.e. moskowitz (@_pem_pem) August 31, 2021
Then, the Discourse began:
I am, unfortunately, tabs deep into research about this queer bank and I just…..I hate how much money rich write trans women and cis gay men get that they hoard for themselves instead of building community
— Niko Stratis (@nikostratis) August 31, 2021
Queer bank is an argument for even more gatekeeping imo
— Ex_Wife_Material (@thepplsbottom) August 31, 2021
“I am going to make a bank that is better for queer and trans people.”
“Oh, will it be a stable place for sex workers to keep their income?”
“No but we will judge how ethically pure your groceries are!!!”
— Montucky Woodsnacks (@tuckwoodstock) August 30, 2021
Daylight Bank even tried to chime in. Mistake!
The queer bank has progressed to the “quote tweet a personal account’s post to discourse” phase of posting pic.twitter.com/sNMdoPsKn2
— avery lake (@lake_scum) August 31, 2021
here’s what i think is interesting: the queer bank’s antagonistic response to social media critique. that’s certainly one strategy. wonder why they picked it
— Manhunter (1986) (@k8bushofficial) August 31, 2021
And while everybody’s points were decidedly good ones, it’s clear that the most damning part of all this is the fact that Daylight Bank is funded partly by MetaBank, who donated thousands of dollars to anti-trans politicians last year. Daylight still claims, however, in their “why you need a queer bank” FAQ section, that you might not know which of the large banks are giving your money to anti-trans causes and therefore should use Daylight. So yeah, that was a bad move for sure. According to journalist Jes Skolnik, the information is quite easily searchable as well, so there’s no (believable) way this queer-owned company couldn’t have known about this.
it’s super easy to look up; if i was someone invested in any of the things they say they’re invested in i would, like, idk, at least do a basic google on who i’m working with at the VERY least
— jes skolnik (@modernistwitch) August 31, 2021
The drama is newly unfolding by the minute, with the founders deleting threads and going radio silent.
here’s vern buchanan: https://t.co/kurxqWrTbs
— jes skolnik (@modernistwitch) August 31, 2021
All we can say is 👀 👀 👀
Update: Daylight Bank issued an updated statement in September:
A statement from our founders ☀️https://t.co/095s7VtZHo
— Daylight (@joindaylight) September 13, 2021