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Joystiq

Microsoft settles homophobia complaint from former Lionhead developer

by Alexander Sliwinski on Apr 6th 2009 12:01PM

The queer sexual discrimination case of Jamie Durrant against Microsoft has ended in an "amicable resolution." PinkNews reports a settlement has been reached by the two parties, with no financial figures revealed and Durrant no longer continuing his employment at Lionhead Studios as part of the agreement. Durrant had been "sick" and on half-pay since last August from the Molyneux studio due to "anxiety and depression."

When contacted for comment about the conclusion of the case, Durrant responded, "I really can't comment on it apart to say that it was resolved amicably."

Despite the Durrant issue and an alleged incident involving a lesbian being banned from Xbox Live, Microsoft appears to still have the support of GLBT political organizations. The Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index gave the company the highest score possible in its latest review. So far, these discrimination incidents appear to be tempests in a teapot.

[Via GamePolitics]

Source

Tags: business, gay, glbt, jamie-durrant, lawsuit, lionhead, lionhead-studios, microsoft, settlement

Reader Comments (32)

Wow, "tempests in a teapot." I don't think there could be a cuter metaphor! :3

lol, agreed. Man, that dude looks angry. Him saying 'resolved amicably' must mean he got paid off pretty well.

By the looks of this guy, it's a safe bet he had something up his ass long before he came out of the closet.

queer complaint....sooooooo bad!

is it just me or is that picture of the ex- Lionhead dev really creepy?

Just dont use that picture at all Joystiq!

scary indeed...... its like" that one scene from the movie signs, where they show video footage of the birthday party in Brazil, and they kids are looking out the window behind the garage and that alien walks out and scares the shit out of me" scary!

Yeah, I could see this coming. I started Fable II the other night, and it puts up a descriptive screen on the NPC's. So, for several of the male NPC's, it calls them "gay". Yeah, real mature, guys.

Also, apparently I'm married to one of them.

how is that immature?

"Microsoft appears to still have the support of GLBT political organizations."

Translation: Microsoft made contributions to GLBT political organizations in 2008.

Looks like the ZERO PUNCTUATION guy.

Only gayer.

I'm sorry that I'm an asshole, but all I can think about when I see that guys picture is: I ARE SREROUS DEVELOPER. THIS IS SERIOUS THREAD.

"The /queer/ sexual discrimination case..."

ADJECTIVE FAIL.

He looks like Henry VIII, only not as fat or straight lookin.

I don't know about you all, but I think this thread NEEDS MORE CAPS!!!!

Simon Pegg used to work for Lionhead?

I was thinking Simon Pegg and Eric Wareheim's gay love child

that's what I was wondering!

Great job.

Moral of the story: complain, get money.

Why hello white, heterosexual male! must be tough at the top....

*gives Douche $5*

I'm gay and I am pretty sure I would be meant to this person if they made that face at me. "Oh man, I am sooo depressed. Instead of getting a new job somewhere else I will sap money out of the company on sick leave"

However it actually happened, it's probably more a case of "here's some money to keep your mouth shut, we don't need the bad publicity"; I'm sure he took it willingly in the end, after all he's unlikely to work in a major studio again.

And I hope he doesn't work in a studio again. I'm a MAJOR supporter of the GLBT movement but I personally think this guy goes in the Book of Douche. It's like, how do you make a stand for gay rights? Do you hide your head and bitch at the company while still trying to make an easy buck off them? Or do you stand your ground and tell your other co-workers to go fuck themselves?

Answer: The one that doesn't make you look like a scared kitten while still looking like a greedy bastard. He has no concern over how he was treated. He just wanted money and publicity.

"The queer sexual discrimination case"

really guys

Isn't it great how being wronged can be solved with money 95 percent of the time? And here I thought the guy would try to make a point of it...

this shows we are all the same... (we'll do anything for a truck load of money)

He looks like a character you'd see in Sean of the Dead or the Office.

From the outside this looks clearly as a case of someone who is gold-digging. Seriously...a year of being depressed. Time to get over it and move on buddy. Unfortunately because someone can sue for just about anything these days Microsoft has to bow down to it. Another case of the lames.

What was so queer about the sexual discrimination case? Did the lawyers all wear pirate costumes and have a hearing at the mall? I read this as a fairly normal sexual discrimination case, as far as sexual discrimination cases go.

"Despite the ... alleged incident involving a lesbian being banned from Xbox Live, "

Actually, that was an incident involving an Xbox Live user being suspended for violating the ToS. Her being a lesbian doesn't (and shouldn't) matter.

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Breaking News

Microsoft settles homophobia complaint from former Lionhead developer

Reader Comments (32)

Posted: Apr 6th 2009 12:32PM Saria the Cat said

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