Shop staff 'verbally abused over Pride display'

Staff at a bookshop say they have been sworn at and verbally abused because of a window display celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride month.

Browsers Bookshop in High Street, in Porthmadog, Gwynedd decorated its two front windows with Pride rainbow flags and books about the gay community at the start of June.

Staff said most people have been supportive, but a small number have shouted abuse at the owner and called her a “disgrace”.

Sian Cowper said she would not change the display, and is determined to show that the shop is a safe space where all are welcome.

The display went up for the start of Pride month, which runs for the whole of June.

But four days later she said she was sworn at by people who had seen it while passing.

“I was tidying shelves near the window and could hear two men talking loudly about how they were going to come in and give me a piece of their mind.

“I went out to them – next thing, they were swearing and shouting abuse at me and calling me a disgrace.

“They were so loud that a gay couple who were in the cafe next door heard them, and came over to check I was all right.

“It left me quite shocked and tearful for a good hour afterwards.

“I was brought up to believe that a man shouldn’t shout swear words in the face of a woman.

“It was quite an insight into the prejudice that people in the LGBTQ+ community have to live with.”

Staff said it was the first of three incidents that day, and they have continued to hear comments from people passing the shop over the past week.

But they stressed that the comments and abuse have come from a minority of people, with no pattern of whether they were local or visitors to Porthmadog.

Mrs Cowper added: “There is a bigger picture here – we put all sorts of things in our window displays, sometimes controversial, often not.

“We’ve had books on mental health and women’s health to local history and local authors.

“In a few weeks’ time, the books in the window will go back onto the shelves - but anyone who’s suffered homophobic abuse can’t just put that experience back into a box.

“We are a small independent bookshop, part of our community and I want people to know that we’re open and welcoming to everyone.

“It’s been a relief that the majority of people have been very supportive – over the last few days the messages of support have outnumbered the negative comments.”