A YORK bookshop is working to support the city’s LGBTQIA+ community as it celebrates Pride Month.
The Portal Bookshop, located in Patrick Pool near Shambles Market, specialises in LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and asexual or allied) books.
Owner, Lali Hewitson, said that since opening in late October 2019, the shop has become a safe space for queer people in York.
“Even if they don’t buy anything that’s absolutely fine, they just need a space where they can let their guard down and be themselves,” said Lali.
The shop aims to support all genders and sexualities.
Books are identified with the pride flags that they represent, and pride flags decorate the shop.
Lali explained that it’s important for people to see their flag displayed in public.
Lali said: “I keep a box of tissues behind the counter for when people come in and spot their flag and burst into tears because they’ve never seen it up displayed before.”
The shop supports people across the whole LGBTQIA+ community.
Lali said: “A lot of people come in and ask questions while they’re figuring themselves out - it’s a privilege to be able to help. I think I do help with that.”
Upstairs in the shop is a rail of donated clothing free to anyone who needs gender affirming clothes but feels that they cannot go into a shop and try items on.
“It’s basically a trans clothes swap", said Lali.
Lali works to support many causes, such as the charity Time to be Out, working to support LGBT+ refugees with items such as mobile phones.
The shop put a call out on social media to help the charity, which got a big response.
“If you want something done, you ask the gays!” Joked Lali.
Lali also has funds in place to send books to people, who otherwise couldn’t afford them or feel that they can’t have Portals appearing on their receipts.
Along with this, Lali also helps provide chest binders for transgender masculine individuals (people who were assigned female at birth, but don’t identify as female), so they can bind their chest in a safe way.
Despite the positivity around the shop’s opening, there has also been some backlash.
Lali said she has received hate mail and negative comments online, with some asking: “Why can’t people just go to a normal bookshop?”
The community, however, was quick to defend the shop.
Lali arrived at the site one day to a sign on the door stating: “You are loved, and you are protected”, with pride hearts inside.
“I think I’ve proven that there was a need for it,” said Lali.
Portal Bookshop will have a stall at York Pride, at the racecourse, on June 18.
Portal is an affiliate of the ethical online bookstore Bookshop.org.
For more about Portal, go to: https://theportal-bookshop.square.site/page
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