Microsoft accused of homophobia

Microsoft has been accused of homophobia after an Xbox 360 games designer claimed that he was subject to abuse about his sexuality while at work, according to reports.

Jamie Durrant is suing the computer giant for £45,000 on the grounds of "hurt feelings" in regards to a series of taunts he alleges were aimed at his sexuality.

Legal papers submitted to the London South Employment Tribunal claim that messages were distributed about the designer under the subjects 'I'm Jim and I'm Gay', 'Ladies Are Bad' and 'Me and My Favourite Men'.

It is also alleged that a notice was posted in the shared kitchen of the office where Durrant worked under the headline 'Fag Boy Jim'.

The 38-year-old claims that Microsoft did not have an appropriate procedure in place for dealing with cases of possible office-based homophobia.

Durrant said: "I have never hidden my sexuality from the office and I felt this could be targeted at myself.

"This was not the first time there was homophobic content in the office. Previously, I had tried to deal with it myself. This time, I did not feel that I could."

Microsoft was recently accused of suspending a lesbian Xbox Live member's account over fears that her openly stating her sexual orientation could "offend" the wider community.