A new video has emerged online appearing to show a well-known estate agent arguing with a member of the public about its Pride-themed window display. See video below.
Base Property Specialists in London has received a number of scathing comments online from people who have taken issue with the display chosen to celebrate the LGBT community.
Pride celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex culture, but one agent, who has asked not to be named, contacted EYE to say that the display was “inappropriate”, and in no way represented Pride. “It’s just weird and tacky,” they added.
The agent’s comments come after a member of the public took to YouTube to encourage others to express their concern regarding the agency’s display. See images.
In the video, which has been viewed by thousands of people online, a member of the public expresses concern at the window display, after his 8-year-old daughter viewed it, insisting that “she was asking questions”.
He said that the display “looks very sexualized” and alleged that it is “aimed at children”.
Responding to his concern that the display is “pure sexualization”, a female representative of the agency is heard talking on the video, but at no stage appears on camera. She states that she can “only apologise”, insisting that “We didn’t think it [the display] was on a school route”.
She goes on to tell the disgruntled member of the public that her “business partner” advises him to write an email to the company.
A short while after, Kristjan Byfield, co-founder and company director of base property specialists, appears on the camera, and engages with the displeased individual raising concerns.
When the member of the public reiterates his concern that his young daughter is being exposed to the images of the inanimate wooden objects in sexual positions, Byfield tells him, “Mate, your parenting challenges are for you to make for yourself”.
When accused of “sexualizing children”, Byfield sarcastically said, “Yeah, that’s exactly what we’re doing”, insisting that the passer-by is “making stuff up”.
Byfield continued: “Are we are children’s store?
The estate agent insisted that the display was “about the embracement of different sexualities”. This is something the passer-by said he agreed with, but insisted that he wanted to know why having the wooden objects in a “sexual position” somehow represents “embracing pride and tolerance”.
Byfield concluded that “it’s a bit of fun and tongue-in-cheek”.
The member of the public was again told by Byfield to put any concerns he has in writing via email.
The man insisted that he would put his video recording on social media, which was something Byfield said he should do if that is what he wanted, and so here it is.
The video attracted more than 200 mostly critical comments yesterday. Content warning: Video Contains swearing.
Daily news email from EYE
Enter your email below to receive the latest news each morning direct to your inbox.