CEO caught on video mocking teen boy who wore dress to Tennessee prom is fired
A man shown in a video ridiculing a teenager for wearing a dress to his high school prom has been fired from his job as the chief executive officer of a Tennessee company.
VisuWell, a telemedicine firm, said Monday it condemns the behavior exhibited by Sam Johnson, who has been called homophobic for his actions Saturday against 18-year-old Dalton Stevens.
Stevens’ boyfriend, Jacob Geittmann, recorded the exchange. He said in a TikTok video they were at a hotel taking photos before the dance when Johnson approached them.
“He’s about an inch away from my boyfriend and he says, ‘What are you wearing?’” Geitmann said.
When Stevens responded, Johnson reportedly told him, “You shouldn’t be wearing that.”
Stevens, who according to WKRN is a senior at Tennessee’s Franklin High School, is seen in the video wearing a red dress. The video shows Johnson following Stevens outside the hotel.
“You look like an idiot,” Johnson told Stevens in the video.
“I’m sorry, I’m gorgeous,” Stevens responded.
“Are you?” Johnson asked.
Johnson denied he was harassing Stevens. He told Newsweek he approached the teenagers to ask them to tone down their vulgarities.
“We had just sat down for dinner at this restaurant that we frequent, and I was returning from the restroom when I was presented with their loud cursing,” Johnson told Newsweek. “Making it about the dress was their idea and they edited out most of the exchange.”
Johnson was asked by hotel staff to leave, NBC News reported.
Stevens wore the dress because he wanted to “show that clothing is genderless,” according to NBC News. He said Johnson was calling him “stupid” and other vulgar names.
VisuWell said it will take “concrete steps” to support the LGBTQ community in the coming weeks.
“Visuwell’s culture emphasizes respect, kindness and compassion, especially for those from traditionally marginalized communities, and we maintain a zero-tolerance policy for intolerance of any kind,” the company said. “Mr. Johnson’s actions contradicted the high standards we set for ourselves in promoting the health of those who use our platform.”
Kathy Griffin is among the celebrities who have tweeted their support of Stevens. She called on VisuWell to remove Johnson from its board of directors.
Dia Morgan, Dalton’s mother, told NBC News “it’s heartbreaking” to see the exchange.
“If you let people like this guy continue to do this, then that’s how you beat people’s spirits,” Morgan said. “I mean, I’m incredibly proud of my son.”
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 11:00 AM with the headline "CEO caught on video mocking teen boy who wore dress to Tennessee prom is fired."