First, it was gun retailers boycotting Citibank's refusal of merchant credit card services, and pressing the bank to change their minds about that refusal. Now, a self-styled "erotic arts gallery" is hoping for the same success in getting the bank to change its mind about refusing merchant credit services to them - and possibly other adult-oriented retailers.
"Citibank is guilty of anti-sexual discrimination," The Art of Loving co-founder John Ince said in a formal statement. "To refuse to do business with a merchant just because it sells sexual products reflects unhealthy, negative attitudes toward human sexuality, sex products, and sex retailers.... I urge anyone holding a Citibank credit card to tell the bank that they intend to take their business elsewhere unless Citibank immediately terminates its anti-sexual practices."
The Art of Loving, which offers an erotic art gallery featuring British Columbian artists, plus seminars on sexuality as well as books and sexual aids, began the
"[We're] still in the early stages," he said in a telephone interview. "It depends on attention to get it moving."
AVN Online
Citibank Canada's Website says they "occasionally" refuse applications for merchant credit services, for reasons that "include, but are not limited to, a bad credit history or a business or its principal partners and bankruptcies of the business within six years." But Ince said Citibank Canada officials told him the policy refusing merchant credit to The Art of Loving originated from Citibank's New York headquarters. "Citibank Canada is not free to set its own policies in this regard," he said - adding that Canadian banking officials have said there's "no evidence" selling sexual products retail poses any unusual business risk.
Indeed, a worker at the New York headquarters e-mailed Ince last December saying Citibank was no longer allowing them point-of-sale MasterCard processing. The Art of Loving has Visa processing services through Bank of Nova Scotia and got MasterCard services through Royal Bank and Bank of Montreal after Citibank dropped the business.
"Policies for our Global Consumer Businesses do identify certain loan types and industries that may carry additional or unusual risks and may be restricted," said the text of the December e-mail, a transcript of which was obtained by
That's one reason why Ince wants the adult industry to make a Citibank boycott a rallying point, if possible. "This is just unacceptable," he said. "It's anti-sexual. If I was selling, say, Jewish products, this (kind of thing) would be instantly recognized as prejudice against Jews. If I was selling to homosexuals alone, it would be instantly recognized as prejudice against homosexuals. I just think this is a great place for the adult industry to do something similar to the gun industry, and that is flexing its muscle here."
A self-described "erotic arts activist," and the author of the forthcoming book,
But Ince also recalled that it took the boycotting gun retailers a very short time from when they were told Citibank was stopping merchant credit services to them to the point where their outrage pushed the bank to change its mind. "[Citibank] dug in their heels, like they have with me," he said. "And all it took was a similar type campaign from the gun owners, [and] they rescinded the policy. And nothing [again] prevented the gun owners from getting merchant services."
In early 2000, Citibank began a policy of refusing banking services to firearms businesses. The bank refused them merchant credit services and sought to close up their accounts, agreeing to send any funds still in the accounts on the designated start date (Feb. 17, 2000) to the customers themselves. That action ended on March 7, following an uproar from firearms merchants and Second Amendment activists, including the National Rifle Association and Texas Gun Owners Alliance, among others.
The Politics of Lust, Ince said a key ingredient would be people writing Citibank themselves, he added that he feared it might not be as effective as it sounds to say it. "It's just unlikely that people would do that," he said. "I would love to be wrong on that issue. But everyone's busy, and that's a matter of principle rather than self-interest."
AVN Online. "With respect to your specific question about our Merchant Services business, I can confirm that the business restricts processing card transactions for retailers whose business is related to adult-type services and entertainment, as well as various other industries for the reasons noted above."
attempted to call Citibank Canada's merchant credit services division for comment February 28. A division worker offered a telephone number that led, instead, to a firm called PaymentTech, and options only for actual merchants inquiring about their credit services, not for comments to the press.
boycott February 17. Ince tells AVN Onlinethe store's boycott call has received some mainstream media attention, including the newspapers and a number of radio stations, as well as one or two adult Websites like World Sex News and YNOTMasters.com, but that he's hoping for more attention - and pressure - from the adult entertainment industry, on and offline.
