Posted on 12/05/2005 7:19:03 PM PST by blam
German women offered man-free banking
By Kate Connolly in Berlin
(Filed: 06/12/2005)
A bank for women is being launched in Germany with the aim of liberating female customers from dealing with patronising, traditional bank managers.
Its founder, Astrid Hastreiter, a 41-year-old information technology specialist, said women wanted more thorough advice from their bank managers and more understanding about career breaks.
Astrid Hastreiter: support for her idea is growing
Frauenbank, in Munich, has been set up, to begin with, as a financial advisory service on everything from investments to retirement plans for women.
Miss Hastreiter has to raise around £7 million before she can secure a bank licence, after which she plans to offer full banking services.
Support for her idea is growing. Her Munich branch has 300 customers so far.
Next year she plans to open further branches in three other German cities, and by 2007 hopes to be able to offer credit for the first time.
At a period when Germans are saving more than ever and women are the most averse to taking risks, Miss Hastreiter believes Frauenbank has a big future.
"It is extraordinary how many German women avoid talking about their money and what to do with it, simply because they are not keen to sit opposite a sharp-suited banker who has little understanding of their needs," she said.
Frauenbank's customers are typically university-educated women between 30 and 55.
There is also "a handful" of male clients. "We are women friendly, but that does not mean that we are hostile to men," Miss Hastreiter said.
It would be illegal in the US.
Hmmmm, this gives me an idea...
Hooters needs to get invloved in the banking industry...
Well, if you wouldn't, I would...
The Medici Family during the Italian Renaissance never took it this far, I wager.
Deutschland Dike ping....
and you wondered why they did it lol!!
Only if they exclude male clients by policy. Being woman friendly is their marketing strategy.
No, it wouldn't. Self enforced segregation by a "protected class" is ok. Remember, the books really do not balance. Just because it is not ok for men to discriminate against women it does not necessarily follow that women cannot discriminate against men.
A Manbank certainly would be.
...read the fine print....male customers are subject to penalty for early withdrawal.
What, they've got 28-day CD's?
Instead of balloon loans they've got bloat loans?
Nope. Take a look at the Curves fitness centers that are springing up everywhere for women only.
Liberal: another word for liar.
I think the layman's term for that is "sperm bank." :-)
I'm sure that somewhere, somehow, there's already a "gay bank."
I would make a joke about deposits, but I don't wanna be banned...
That is TRULY a LOL!!! Haven't laughed that hard all day!
German women offered man-free banking
I thought that the men were offered as some sort of promotion to open an account.
Hmmmmm, Chickensoup thought. That is much better than a toaster!
Butterknife haircut alert!!
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