It’s nice when something invisibly quotidian is tweaked in a way that grabs your full attention. Previously we’ve talked about slightly altered street signs and artistic renderings of subway maps, and now the humble cash machine gets an eye-grabbing makeover in the interest of LGBTQ inclusivity.
The machines were created by Australia and New Zealand bank ANZ as an extension of their sponsorship of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The super-colorful cash points come in a variety of LGBTQ-related designs, including tributes to the bear subculture and Dykes of Bikes, and are temporarily installed near Pride events.
▼ Here’s one for the drag queens!
▼Bears, but not the man-eating kind. Oh wait…
▼Super hot superheroes.
▼ I would make a joke about Dykes of Bikes, but they could easily tie me up like a pretzel. Hot.
In addition to being a highly visible gesture of support, ANZ donates the operator fees from the GayTMs to Twenty10, a community-based, non-profit organization, supporting people of diverse genders, sexes and sexualities.
Not everyone is thrilled with the campaign, though. Some have called it pinkwashing, using a gay-friendly marketing approach to draw attention away from negative aspects of a company. One group went so far as to splash pink paint over a couple of ANZ branches, saying, “As queer subjects, we object to the representation of queer identity in terms of consumptive and wealthy citizens.”
Whether you feel it’s a well-meaning effort or cynical appropriation, you’ve got to love those designs. I wish my local ATM was half so shiny and fun.
H/T Jin 115, mUmBRELLA
Photos and video ANZ Australia
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Major Tokyo subway line shut down by in-train mobile battery fire
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Are Japanese convenience store sandwiches scamming us with their fillings?
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Major Tokyo subway line shut down by in-train mobile battery fire
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
Are Japanese convenience store sandwiches scamming us with their fillings?
7-Eleven Japan’s giant fried chicken skewer would be too big to eat, so it’s really for cuddling
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
Japanese man drives truck that’s on fire directly to fire station, drops flaming potatoes[Videos]
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
The Straw Hat Students are back with a new One Piece Japanese high school anime short【Video】
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
Virtual idol Hatsune Miku redesigned with look that adds new elements and brings back old ones
Pizza Hut Japan teams up with creator of one of the country’s best kinds of ramen for ramen pizza
The top 10 graduation songs in Japan as chosen by current Japanese high school students
Is Japan’s Crab-shaped Cup Ramen Timer worth the hype?
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura cherry blossom collection for hanami season 2026
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
The 10 most annoying things foreign tourists do on Japanese trains, according to locals
Naruto and Converse team up for new line of shinobi sneakers[Photos]
Starbucks Japan releases first-ever Hinamatsuri Girls’ Day Frappuccino
Starbucks Japan unveils new sakura Frappuccino for cherry blossom season 2026
Now is the time to visit one of Tokyo’s best off-the-beaten-path plum blossom gardens
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
We asked our Japanese team of writers how they deal with seasonal allergies in Japan
Japanese man drives truck that’s on fire directly to fire station, drops flaming potatoes[Videos]
Studio Ghibli adds new Mother’s Day gift sets to its anime collection in Japan
Visiting Japan’s one-and-only, and only-for-a-limited-time, Dragon Ball noodle restaurant[Photos]
The Straw Hat Students are back with a new One Piece Japanese high school anime short【Video】
McDonald’s Japan’s new daifuku pie: Is it as good as the Japanese sweet that inspired it?
7 hilarious/inexplicable Japan moments in South Park
Nope, these AREN’T eels — Gunma Prefecture’s ‘Nasu no Kabayaki’ blows our reporter’s mind
7-Eleven Japan’s “Paper Tiger” sandwich sparks online controversy over deceptive packaging
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
A ranking of Tokyo’s 10 best train and subway lines for spotting handsome men
No rice cooker needed! How to make an entire gyudon beef bowl in a single mess tin【Recipe】
The next time you’re feeling stressed out, you could relax on a Pokémon Psyduck chair from Japan