Is my co-founder homophobic?
My co-founder keeps making inappropriate remarks to our gay marketing director. Will I make the problem worse by saying something?
Q: My co-founder keeps making inappropriate remarks to our gay marketing director. The comments are made in jest and appear to be taken in good humour - but they make me uncomfortable, not least because we could end up at an employment tribunal. I don't want to make things worse by causing a fuss. What's your advice?
JEREMY SAYS: The real problem with your co-founder is not that he's a homophobe but that he's a bore. It would be just as tiresome if he persistently teased your marketing director for being a Millwall supporter.
This is helpful, since suggesting that a colleague is boring is a lot less likely to endanger relationships than accusing him of sexual discrimination; and it's certainly not going to risk an employment tribunal.
