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The new Virgin Money Rainbow Credit Card is a collaboration with Stonewall 

The campaign aims to raise £100,000 for Stonewall – each time users make a purchase in the first three months Virgin Money will donate £1 to the cause.

A spokesperson for Stonewall said: “We need to work together to remove the barriers that still face so many LGBT people and create acceptance in every family, school, workplace and community.

“And while not every one of those would appear in a timeline of milestones in the next ten years, they will add up to transforming the lives of too many LGBT people who are held back at the moment.”

What is the Virgin Money Rainbow Card?

Much more than a design – it’s a statement, a pledge and a way to raise money for Stonewall, an amazing charity that’s been doing great work for equality since 1989.

Virgin Money – accepted by all

Fifty years after the Sexual Offences Act 1967, and with a gradual chipping away at discrimination both in society and in law, it’s tempting to think that the battles for equality have all been fought and won in the UK. But the truth is that there is still discrimination, and the ladders to the top of many organisations have broken rungs for members of the LGBT community.

There is still work to be done, and the pioneering campaigning carried out by LGBT activists has inspired other minority groups to press for true equality in the workplace and in society. Virgin Money has never shied away from a challenge. And now they’re doing their bit to tackle this one.

The launch of the Rainbow credit card celebrates that and showcases how we welcome with open arms the values behind that symbol – values of acceptance, diversity and love.

Stonewall

When Virgin Money asked Stonewall to project forward to 2027 to give them a picture of where society could realistically expect to be on the issues that they campaign for. Their response left the Virgin group in no doubt of how many steps need to be taken even to reach their achievable goals.

“Hate crime against lesbian, gay and bi people has gone up by 80% in the last five years so that one in six have had to deal with a hate crime in the last year,” said Stonewall.

“For trans people the situation is worse, with two in five being victims of hate crimes. Nearly half of young LGBT people are still bullied at school. Many LGBT people still face discrimination in their everyday lives, in shops, restaurants and bars, when finding a new home or using public services. And many are still rejected by family, their communities or their faith.

“In the next ten years Stonewall wants individuals and organisations to come out for LGBT people in their communities, workplace or school. We need to work together to remove the barriers that still face so many LGBT people and create acceptance in every family, school, workplace and community.

“And while not every one of those would appear in a timeline of milestones in the next ten years, they will add up to transforming the lives of too many LGBT people who are held back at the moment.”

Passivity is not an option

Though we might feel smug about our own generation’s attitudes compared to past decades, it’s misplaced while sexual orientation and gender identity remain issues in decisions made in society. Virgin Money and Stonewall want people in 2027, 2037, 2047, to look back on 2017 and say that they did all they could to uproot the discriminatory attitudes inherited.

Every time a Rainbow card is used, Virgin Money will make a donation to Stonewall, helping them to push their cause over the line.

If you’d like to show your support and use the Rainbow card with pride, find out how to apply for yours here. If you’d simply like to make a donation to Stonewall, click here.

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