Designer Accuses Microsoft Of Homophobia

[Keane Ng]

Designer Accuses Microsoft Of Homophobia

Jamie Durrant [http://www.jamiedurrant.com/index.php], an employee at Fable developer Lionhead Studios, is suing parent company Microsoft for lost earnings and "hurt feelings" after the company allegedly ignored his complaints about harassment he suffered for being homosexual.

Durrant has been working as a graphic designer at Lionhead for 11 years now, during which time he claims he's been the subject of a large amount of ridicule and harassment because of his open homosexuality. Emails were circulated around the office with titles like "I'm Jim and I'm Gay," "Me and My Favourite Men" and a note was put up in the office kitchen that said "Fag Boy Jim," according to Durrant.

As a result of the abuse, Durrant has taken a hiatus from work to deal with his depression. Now, he's suing Microsoft for 45,000 pounds for lost earnings and emotional damage.

The whole ordeal could have been avoided, but Durrant feels that Microsoft's "homophobic aspects" stopped them from taking his complaints seriously. When Durrant originally brought his complaints to the company's human resources department, he was told that a memo would be sent out addressing behavior in the workplace, but nothing ever happened. Eventually, Durrant was told that in order to do that, HR would have to draw up entirely new policies for the company.

"I was very surprised that Microsoft did not have any policies relating to this sexual orientation harassment," Durrant said.

Later on, Microsoft allegedly asked Durrant to sign an agreement saying that he wouldn't file a grievance and that he was happy with how things were being handled. He refused. Eventually Microsoft offered him counseling, but again, Durrant said no. "I feel like they're making out that I'm the one with the problem and not the homophobic aspects of the company," he said.

"I feel I should be compensated for the stress that this whole complaint procedure has placed on me, the amount of effort and time I have put into trying to get this resolved and acknowledgment that they have done nothing whilst the homophobic harassment continued, making my workplace uncomfortable and unpleasant," Durrant said.

This isn't the first time Microsoft has been in hot water over its attitude toward homosexuality. Last month the company stirred up some controversy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89739] for banning a lesbian Xbox Live user who was deemed "offensive" allegedly for referencing her sexuality in her profile.

[Via Telegraph [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/microsoft/5042225/Xbox-designer-accuses-Microsoft-of-homophobia.html]]

(image [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01371/Jamie-Durrant_1371502c.jpg])

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[johnman]

And in this weeks stolen pixles Shamus accuses Microsoft of Homophobia, excellent timing

 

[grinklehi]

Wait a minute. He was having problems with employees in Lionhead and he sues MICROSOFT? What he was going through must have been harsh, but isn't this an example of choosing to sue whoever is richest regardless of how tenuous the connection? Sort of like sueing a State government because somebody's child was bullied in a state-run public school?

 

[kaziard]

wow micro have really gotten thick lately...

 

[Archaon6044]

i'm actually suprised a company as large as MS doesn't appear to have a formal policy for dealing with sort of thing, and i'm sad that a company as pretigious ('scuse me while i regain a straight face) as Lionhead has employees that behave in this manner.

 

[KDR_11k]

Wait a minute. He was having problems with employees in Lionhead and he sues MICROSOFT? What he was going through must have been harsh, but isn't this an example of choosing to sue whoever is richest regardless of how tenuous the connection? Sort of like sueing a State government because somebody's child was bullied in a state-run public school?

He contacted the MS HR department, seems MS is in charge of policies like that.

 

[oliveira8]

This isnt the first time that Microsoft is being accused of being homophobic. And bad press is bad.

Wait a minute. He was having problems with employees in Lionhead and he sues MICROSOFT? What he was going through must have been harsh, but isn't this an example of choosing to sue whoever is richest regardless of how tenuous the connection? Sort of like sueing a State government because somebody's child was bullied in a state-run public school?

Microsoft owns Lionhead studios. Therefor he complained to the people that own Lionhead, but they ignored him, so now he is getting his revenge.

 

[AdmiralWolverineLightningbolt]

i cant believe a company that big wouldnt deal with it
also, the fact that the workplace didnt stop even after he told them to, hmmm

very unprofessional

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

Wait a minute. He was having problems with employees in Lionhead and he sues MICROSOFT? What he was going through must have been harsh, but isn't this an example of choosing to sue whoever is richest regardless of how tenuous the connection? Sort of like sueing a State government because somebody's child was bullied in a state-run public school?

They got fully taken over last year or so and the big crossover was the reason they cancelled my work experience application (I was gonna playtest Fable 2).

i cant believe a company that big wouldnt deal with it
also, the fact that the workplace didnt stop even after he told them to, hmmm

very unprofessional

Very unprofessional indeed. And it seems like he's put up with it for 11 years. 3 Weeks and I'd start getting mighty pissed off.

 

[Krakyn]

Microsoft rep: "Would you like to sign this agreement saying that you're happy with being ridiculed constantly, relieving Microsoft of any fault for your co-workers' gay bashing and our subsequent refusal to solve the problem?"

Durrant: "Uh....no thank you?"

Microsoft rep: "Well, uh...shit."

I mean, what did they really think would happen?

 

[renegade826]

Good on him I say.

 

[ultimatechance]

i think that both parties have their faults. Microsoft should have a policy on sexual orientation harassment, and his suggestion was a good one. That said, it would require MS to change their policy, and being the lazy people they are, such an expectation for them should never have existed. And come on now, 45k pounds over hurt feelings? I wish I got paid everytime I get depressed.

 

[Nexus424]

I've noticed a good amount of big companies have problems controlling these types of things. Maybe they just can't handle it because they are too spread out.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

i think that both parties have their faults. Microsoft should have a policy on sexual orientation harassment, and his suggestion was a good one. That said, it would require MS to change their policy, and being the lazy people they are, such an expectation for them should never have existed. And come on now, 45k pounds over hurt feelings? I wish I got paid everytime I get depressed.

I dunno how it works in the UK, but in the US it got to a point where the companies are so rich that the traditional "Pay their therapy bills" treatment stopped working. They just laughed it off. So they installed a punitive damage system that makes it so a relatively minor offense, one which they've been told to quit doing several times, is now going to cost them very dearly until they learn to behave.

I suppose the classic example would be the hot coffee lawsuit with McDonald's. 80 year old woman has second degree burns from coffee dropped by employee onto her lap. She'll be scarred for life and will live out her final years in constant pain. That's gonna cost ya. Factor in that this was the 13th person McDonald's had horribly burned with their coffee and you understand why they took it up a notch to get their attention.

 

[NeedAUserName]

Is it bad I saw Microsoft points instead of pounds?...

 

[ultimatechance]

i think that both parties have their faults. Microsoft should have a policy on sexual orientation harassment, and his suggestion was a good one. That said, it would require MS to change their policy, and being the lazy people they are, such an expectation for them should never have existed. And come on now, 45k pounds over hurt feelings? I wish I got paid everytime I get depressed.

I dunno how it works in the UK, but in the US it got to a point where the companies are so rich that the traditional "Pay their therapy bills" treatment stopped working. They just laughed it off. So they installed a punitive damage system that makes it so a relatively minor offense, one which they've been told to quit doing several times, is now going to cost them very dearly until they learn to behave.

I suppose the classic example would be the hot coffee lawsuit with McDonald's. 80 year old woman has second degree burns from coffee dropped by employee onto her lap. She'll be scarred for life and will live out her final years in constant pain. That's gonna cost ya. Factor in that this was the 13th person McDonald's had horribly burned with their coffee and you understand why they took it up a notch to get their attention.

i see the point there, but there is no doubt that it is being abused everywhere now, and suing is happening left and right for no reason, and for imaginary amounts of money.

2nd degree burns > hurt feelings

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

i see the point there, but there is no doubt that it is being abused everywhere now, and suing is happening left and right for no reason.

2nd degree burns > hurt feelings

What happened to her was purely accidental. If the allegations here are true there was some pretty pervasive negligence involved.

I was a bit surprised that he's not trying for more. MS has some of the world's deepest pockets but he's suing for what translates to about 70k in US dollars. Usually these cases that involve punitive or pain and suffering penalties are trying for seven figure settlements.

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

Wait a minute. He was having problems with employees in Lionhead and he sues MICROSOFT? What he was going through must have been harsh, but isn't this an example of choosing to sue whoever is richest regardless of how tenuous the connection? Sort of like sueing a State government because somebody's child was bullied in a state-run public school?

Lionhead is owned by Microsoft. He went for the bigger fish.

On-topic: I can't be bothered to look up sources right now, so don't get mad at me for making an unsubstantiated claim, but I believe Microsoft actually has a pretty good reputation with the GLBT community at large. Hell, one of their executives is transsexual [http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4394493]. Huh, I guess that was a source =P.

My opinion is that the lawsuit is legal, rather than hopelessly frivolous, but a tad silly. I'm transsexual, and I would never file a lawsuit like this. Technically Microsoft is responsible for their employee's actions, but they can't watchdog every employee. I would preserve the memo went out, but knowing that kind of ridicule, anything short of firing people or docking pay really wouldn't fix the problem. Its sad, but true, and they can't fire every homophobic person. Still, it was wierd thay they offered him counseling...

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

That dude looks like Adam Savage. Also, M$ is a rather large company so its odd that this would be the first homosexual person in the company to feel abused and decide to stand up against it.