Queer TikToker risks losing job to expose his boss’ anti-LGBTQ bumper sticker

A queer person who manages a restaurant was stunned to see an anti-LGBTQ sticker on his boss’ car and decided to call him out. The TikTok user shared a video of his boss' bumper sticker on the platform. It was just an example of the vitriol queer people have to process and navigate on daily basis. It certainly hurt Adam Mateo to know that his employer hated queer people and literally put it on display for everyone to see. Many urged Adam Mateo, who goes by @adamscottmateo on TikTok, to report the issue to HR but Mateor revealed that his boss was HR as well, and added that he wasn't in a position to quit his job. Mateo said he was financially dependent on his current job but added that he was looking out for a new job, reported DailyDot.

In the video, Mateo says, "I might get fired for this one but this is on my boss’ car,” before switching the camera and showing his boss' anti-LGBTQ bumper sticker. It has a silhouette of a Christian family of a heterosexual couple and beside it is a stop sign over a rainbow. The homophobia is unmistakable. Below is a website of a fascist group in America but the link doesn't work and also the hashtag #realfamilies. In the caption of the video, he says the bumper sticker is big. 

Mateo makes it clear that his boss knows he's a member of the LGBTQ community and then proceeds to flip off the camera. The video has since been viewed more than 32,000 times and garnered more than 6,000 likes. Many called on Mateo to reveal his boss and the restaurant, so they could call the owner but Mateo said he was going to keep that a secret because he needed his job at the moment. “To those saying I’m ‘covering up a homophobe’ for not disclosing my work, it's not that simple. Financial and legal liability could be a stake,” he wrote in a comment beneath the video.

In a video he posted later, Mateo said that “half of the bumper sticker was peeled off.” He's not sure if it was the video that caused the sticker to be torn but added that he wasn't sure if it was his boss or a stranger who tore the sticker. In a separate video, he added, “Trust me, everyone, I’d love to quit." He also added that he was working with a great set of people and it wasn't a hostile work environment as many assumed. Mateo said he has a "great relationship with his employees," but added that he was looking for another job and “trying to get out of there ASAP.” 

Mateo said a lot of the employees had issues with him but added that his boss comes to work once a week and doesn't stay beyond 20 minutes. The video went viral and he addressed it in another video. "I didn't expect much to come of it (video). I go on Facebook and my face is everywhere now. Honestly, I'm not gonna lie. It's pretty cool," said Mateo, urging those who knew where he worked to not really tag them or name his workplace.

An inclusive workplace makes a huge difference to someone who's LGBTQ and according to a report by Catalyst, 25% of LGBTQ employees report “staying in a job due to an LGBT-inclusive work environment” and 10% “left a job because the work environment did not accept LGBTQ people.”