Bryan the Diamond films a TikTok after his friend is not allowed into Gilt with a purse. (Screenshot from TikTok)
ORLANDO | Gilt Nightclub is facing accusations of homophobia after local social media influencer Bryan the Diamond, who has nearly 6 million followers on TikTok, posted a video Nov. 30 saying that he and a group of friends were denied access to the club because his best friend Andrew had a purse and was told by security that he cannot go in with it because “he doesn’t have a period.”
“You guys, my heart is literally pounding right now. Me and all of my friends just tried to get into the Gilt Nightclub and because Andrew has a purse they said he can’t get into the club,” Bryan said in the video. “You really just denied my gay best friend to go into your club because he doesn’t have a period so he shouldn’t have a bag?”
@bryanthediamond Not to mention the security literally said “WHAT ARE U GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?” Then squared up like he was about to fight me 💀💀 #fyp #giltnightclub #orlando #besties #bryanthediamond ♬ original sound – Bryan 💎
In a follow up video, Bryan went into more detail about the incident, saying that after security refused to let them in an individual who identified themselves as a Gilt manager repeated the same comments, saying it is the owner’s policy.
@bryanthediamond Replying to @bryanthediamond My besties face broke my heart why not just check his bag & let us in? No need to make him feel some type of way just because he likes using purses… Do better 🙃💔 #fyp #giltnightclub #orlando #besties #bryanthediamond ♬ original sound – Bryan 💎
“I asked for a manager and I expected the manager to say sorry, because that is homophobic and sexist,” Bryan said in a phone interview with Watermark. “The manager comes out and I tell her what security said to us and she repeats ‘he does not have a period so he should not have a bag.’ Another gentleman with security started to beef up to me and said ‘What are you gonna do about it?’” he says.
Bryan’s original video has 3.7 million views with the follow up video accumulating 1.2 million views.
Gilt responded with an apology post on its Facebook page before speaking with Watermark on Dec. 2.
“Our policy, which was implemented after the Pulse shooting, to make our patrons feel safer eliminated the ability for people to bring in bags — large bags, backpacks, things of the nature — to make sure no one can bring in any weapons. Our policy to keep people safe was in turn used as a weapon of bigotry,” says Gilt operating partner Bosko Lazic.
Lazic says the club policy does allow purses into Gilt and that it is not a gender specific policy emphasizing that Bryan, Andrew and their group should not have been turned away or treated the way they were. He also says that the person who identified themselves as a manger was just am employee and has been terminated because of this incident.
“When I heard what was said to them it made me sick to my stomach,” Lazic says. “For some reason the employee who was not a manager thought it was ok to assume that role in this instance, and what they said has never and would never be a part of our policy.”
Bryan says while he doesn’t dispute that the individual may have lied about being a manager, he says no one corrected her or addressed what was said to them.
“They told us this is not how Gilt operates but you had an entire staff out front and they didn’t look shocked at all by what was happening,” Bryan says. “I’m not saying this is normal because obviously I don’t know, I don’t go to Gilt all the time, but no one looked phased by how we were being treated. … I told them they need to train their staff better.”
Lazic says the actual manager in charge that night eventually did make it outside but after the incident was already done and Bryan and Andrew had already left.
“It was unfortunate that our leadership was not outside because we strive to cultivate a culture that is inclusive,” he says. “We definitely enjoy the support from the LGBTQ community and they have been a big part of our success over the years.”
As far as the security team that night, Lazic tells Watermark that Gilt’s security has been outsourced to a local company for the passed 20 years and that the incident has been addressed with them and the security team from that night will not be allowed back at Gilt. It is unclear if the private security company has terminated those individuals.
Lazic says he has reached out to both Bryan and Andrew.
“I offered my apologies,” he says. “I also offered to right this wrong with some kind of charity event that would benefit the community. They seem receptive. We would donate the proceeds raised to wherever they felt it appropriate.”
Bryan says that his management team is working out the details to see if this is something they want to move forward with.
“The only way Bryan will feel comfortable doing something like this with Gilt is if it’s really benefiting the LGBTQ community in Orlando and it is something they are making a clear effort to make amends for the situation,” says Gianni Pasciuto, Bryan’s talent manager. “If we see that they are making a clear effort then I think it is a good idea, but if we aren’t seeing that after a few calls then I don’t think it is something we’ll move forward with.”
Outside of a possible event, Bryan says he doesn’t see himself going back to Gilt.
“The charity event I think is a good fix,” he says. “Mistakes happen and I think there is always redemption for situations like this but I’m never going to go out of my way to go to that club ever again.”
