As LGBT+ Pride Month closes, a new hero in the form of Post Office comms employee ‘Courney’ has emerged and she is effortless in fending homophobes off. (Twitter/PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
In life, there are moments where we look to leaders to provide guidance, motivation and inspiration in trying times.
And today, a member of the Post Office’s communications team known only as Courtney is that person.
For the past few days, the British high street stalwart has splashed its logo with the colours of the rainbow.
No, not to show support for National Health Service workers, but to celebrate the LGBT+ community during Pride Month.
Naturally, the Post Office daring to acknowledge the existence of people who aren’t straight white men drew the ire of… straight white men, who decried the LGBT+ “agenda” and queried where “the proud story of the straight family” had got to (spoiler: everywhere).
Post Office staffer ‘Courtney’ does not suffer fools or their Twitter accounts.
It all sparked when a sudden influx of trolls bombarded a Post Office tweet detailing chief marketing officer Emma Springham’s Pride journey.
“You fall in love with who you fall in love with” Emma from Post Office shares her Journey to Pride 👇🌈 ❤️
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 19, 2020
For days, the company’s social media team were pelted with abuse by accounts with handles such as Matthew3728502s and James6729257s.
They harangued the Post Office for celebrating LGBT+ rights. Only Courtney, master of the four elements – sarcasm, passive-aggressive emojis, excellent grammar and basic levels of human decency – could stop them. And, boy, did she.
What are you fed up with? If there wasn’t so much prejudice, inequality and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, we wouldn’t have to do it! Do you honestly think it’s all about who someone has sex with? Says it all 😅 – Courtney
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 28, 2020
Apologies, I thought every human being would want an equal world without any hate and prejudice, silly me – Courtney
— Post Office News (@PostOfficeNews) June 28, 2020
We’ll advertise what we want and stand for what we believe in! A straight family is and has been celebrated by everyone, everyday, as it’s deemed as ‘normal’. The LGBTQ+ community need support as they still face discrimination for simply loving someone of the same sex – Courtney
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 26, 2020
Do you honestly think it’s okay to speak about my colleague like that? Your comment is absolutely disgusting. You don’t know Emma personally to even comment on the type of woman she is, so please don’t respond unless you have something positive to say 👍 – Courtney
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 28, 2020
We stand for what’s right, Derinda 😊! Everyone has their own individual views and opinions… this is ours 👍 – Courtney
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 22, 2020
No, we’re okay thanks 👍😊 #PRIDEMATTERS – Courtney
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 29, 2020
It looks like you don’t care about us at all… we don’t deliver mail 😂! – Courtney
— Post Office News (@PostOfficeNews) June 28, 2020
Of course, queer Twitter was quick to flood the Post Office with fan mail addressed to Courtney.
honestly obsessed with Courtney at @PostOffice for being such an ally x pic.twitter.com/5mX4YNWekm
— jacques (@flamencolambada) June 29, 2020
Yaaaaas Courtney at @PostOffice! You rock! https://t.co/4xa97ohZMi
— Markus 🐱🎬🎮🏳️🌈🇪🇺🌹 (@ItsMisterMarkus) June 29, 2020
Hahaha, could you imagine 😂!! – Courtney
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 30, 2020
More like this 😅! You guys have made my day 😍🌈🙏 – Courtney pic.twitter.com/oAczXcxWbs
— Post Office (@PostOffice) June 30, 2020
While many saw the funny side of Courtney’s interactions, a 2020 report revealed that homophobic and transphobic trolling is forcing queer people off social media.
LGBT+ anti-violence charity Galop surveyed 700 queer people from across the UK for its Online Hate Crime Report, which found that eight out of 10 had experienced online abuse.
Among those targeted, six in 10 were threatened with physical violence and four in 10 had received death threats or threats of sexual violence.
Half of them had experienced the online attacks more than 20 times, and one in five had been the victims of more than 100 incidents.
In response to the online abuse, two in five LGBT+ people used their social media accounts less, and one in five either removed LGBT+ information or deleted their accounts altogether.
Less than one in 10 reported the incidents to the police, and less than half flagged the abuse with social media platforms. More than a quarter did not report the online abuse to anybody.