Work beard

a concept where an individual, typically identifying as gay, engages in flirtatious behavior or pretends to have a romantic or sexual interest in a colleague of the opposite gender while at the workplace. This action is performed publicly with the primary intent of diverting attention from the individual's actual sexual orientation. It's a strategy used to create a facade of heterosexuality in environments where being openly gay might lead to negative consequences, such as discrimination or social ostracization.