‘Humiliated’ bisexual handbag shop worker, 31, wins £7,800 payout after being forced to fake being gay to keep his job because his boss would only hire women or homosexual men

‘A ‘humiliated’ handbag shop worker forced to pretend to be gay to keep his job because his boss wouldn’t hire straight men has won almost £8,000 in damages, it was revealed today.

Daniel Hart, 31, was ordered to keep his real sexuality quiet or face the boot from a boutique in Gateshead, Tyne & Wear.

Daniel, who is bisexual, says he was ‘humiliated’ because he was told to lie to his boss at Amon, Linda Zhang, who only wanted to hire women and gay men, a tribunal heard.

Mr Hart said: ‘I was told to stay quiet because I’d be sacked if they found out. I had to keep pretending I was gay – even though I’m not. It was humiliating that I had to hide who I am just to keep a job.’

Assistant manager Karen Price warned him that Ms Zhang would ‘not be able to process’ Mr Hart’s sexuality, North Shields County Court heard. ‘

Read more: ‘Humiliated’ bisexual handbag shop worker, 31, wins £7,800 payout after being forced to fake being gay to keep his job because his boss would only hire women or homosexual men