This feels like a cultural moment in Arizona.

U.S. Bank has opened its first branch in Arizona that caters specifically to people in the LGBTQ community.

The branch just north of downtown welcomes gay and trans people with rainbow signs and art that depicts same-sex couples, The Arizona Republic’s Russ Wiles reports.

Further, it tailors its services to the unique needs of gay and trans people, with staff members who “represent and understand the community’s needs,” Wiles reports.

You don’t have to be LGBTQ to bank at the branch. All customers are welcome.

It’s just that some customers are more welcome.

Is this a good thing?

It certainly isn’t wrong to tailor a business to unique population groups. We have children’s shoe stores and big-and-tall men shops. There are gay bars and Western bars and even sports bars that micro-market to Chicago Cubs fans.

But this kind of customization for an historically marginalized community is relatively new to banks in Arizona.

Is U.S. Bank taking identity politics to extremes? Has banking suddenly gone intersectional?

I don’t think so.

This feels more like U.S. Bank telling gay and trans people their money is just as green as anyone else’s. Sometimes business has a cold way of expressing its affection.

Then again, perhaps the bank is merely imitating the internet, seizing on the so-called “long tail” in which consumers move more and more to specialty products uniquely designed to their narrow wants and needs.

As Wiles reports, U.S. Bank has 10 other specialty branches in the nation that cater to various cohorts — Black people, military........

© Arizona Republic