After a group of boys allegedly called TikToker Zach Willmore (@zachwillmore) the F-slur at Walmart, Willmore recorded himself confronting them on their abuse. And then posted the video for his 1.9 million followers to see.
@zachwillmore I will never let people disrespect me without consiquence #respect #gay #viral ♬ original sound – ★ Star Boy ★
Willmore, an HIV activist who revealed his positive diagnosis on TikTok in February has been featured in articles by The Daily Dot, NBC, and The Washington Post. In March, he shared that he had dealt with viral homophobic Tweets after disclosing his diagnosis.
But the TikToker knows better than to take the abuse lying down. His latest video, which went up two days ago, already has over 6.4 million views as of this writing.
The text overlay on the video reads, “It’s funny how people will go silent when you call them out for bad behavior.” Willmore claims that before he began filming, one of the young men at Walmart called him the F-slur as his back was turned. The TikToker headed back to confront the group with his camera in hand.
“If you’re going to call me a f**got go ahead and own up to it,” he tells the group. “I didn’t call you a f**got,” a grinning boy responds.
“I heard it from one of y’alls,” says Willmore, panning his camera to various members of the group. “I heard it behind me.”
After someone else in the group asks an inaudible question, Willmore responds, saying, “No. All I’m saying is if you want to call me f*g, call it to my face.”
In the caption, he writes, “I will never let people disrespect me without consequence,” and adds in the comments that the group followed him around the Walmart saying the slur louder and louder. “I only posted because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else,” he explains.
The video has received massive support since it was posted.
“My family scolds me for confronting people. I’m glad to see other people stand up for themselves,” said one commenter.
“Go you for standing up for yourself fr,” wrote a second.
Social media influencer and makeup artist Patrick Starr also applauded the Walmart shopper for confronting the group who called him the F-slur, saying, “Good for you! Stand up for yourself!”
“They look so guilty,” noted another user.
According to Willmore, the confrontation wasn’t the end of the story for the group involved.
“They got caught shoplifting as I was leaving,” he claimed in a response to another commenter who claimed that they too had run into the slur-slinging group at Walmart.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Willmore via TikTok comment for further information.
