Hong Kong transgender woman slams HSBC for outing her with letter to employer

A Hong Kong transgender woman has lodged complaints with authorities for being forced to come out at her workplace by a major bank after it informed her employer of an inconsistency in her retirement fund application and its previous records.

In an interview with the Post, 26-year-old Christine Chu said she had sent the HSBC department handling mandatory provident funds (MPF) a copy of her updated identity card to clarify the matter before the bank contacted her employer.

She also accused the bank of causing her severe mental distress with its “serious privacy breach” and demanded an apology.

In a reply to her, HSBC said it had sought “clarification on a discrepancy” between its records and the information submitted by her employer.

The bank also told the Post that it was bound by the law to ensure the accuracy of members’ information, adding it would continue to review its procedures to uphold customer privacy.

Chu, a trainee lawyer, said she updated her identity card in September to change the gender listed and started her new job that same month, adding that she had enrolled in her company’s MPF scheme.