Being a loud, independent queer startup isn't easy.
Of course, we face the usual challenges: reaching customers, promoting our products and growing our business. But some of our biggest obstacles have come from outside, and we often believe they're connected to who we are and what we stand for.
We've previously shared our experiences with places like Netil Market, where we believe we were refused a retail unit because we're queer, and Boxpark, which repeatedly ignored our applications.
But we never expected a major financial institution to become our next problem.
What did Revolut do to us?
You may have noticed we've been unusually quiet on social media recently. There's a reason: Revolut UK.
Without providing a satisfactory explanation, Revolut closed our business bank accounts and restricted access to our funds.
We repeatedly asked why. Instead of answers, we got endless conversations with AI chatbots and customer representatives repeating the same scripted responses.
Revolut even told us, in effect, "We do not have to give you an explanation. This is our final decision."
Imagine hearing that from a financial institution holding your company's money.
Meanwhile, our business was suffering.
We couldn't pay our fulfilment partners, arrange deliveries or even issue customer refunds. We had to cancel orders, apologise to customers and spend weeks setting up new banking and payment arrangements.
A bank's decision had effectively stopped a small independent business from trading.
Why us?
We cannot prove that Revolut's decision was motivated by discrimination. But as an outspoken LGBTQI+ business that has faced obstacles before, we have every reason to ask questions.
We're loud, we're queer, and we refuse to make ourselves more acceptable to the mainstream.
Should that affect our access to financial services? Absolutely not.
We've also seen controversies involving banks closing accounts belonging to politically outspoken individuals and organisations.
Since when did financial institutions get to decide who deserves to participate in the economy?
We've complained to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and we're determined to challenge how Revolut treated us.
Still here. Still unapologetic.
Are we going to cry about losing a mediocre bank like Revolut? Absolutely not.
We only chose them because opening an account was easy. Clearly, that was a mistake.
We've now moved to another bank, restored our operations and started trading normally again.
Thanks to our customers and supporters, we're still here.
But what happens to another small business that can't survive having its banking facilities suddenly withdrawn?
Who holds these institutions accountable?
If you're queer, support LGBTQI+ rights or simply believe businesses deserve fair treatment, we encourage you to reconsider your relationship with Revolut.
We're not going to become quieter, smaller or more acceptable just to make powerful institutions comfortable.
We're UNAPOLOGETIC. And we're not going anywhere.