To pass any homophobic or racist comments off as banter seems completely out of touch with most people's views of such behaviour. But even today, this is still a widely used defence against allegations of harassment. Whether banter crosses the line into harassment will obviously depend on what was said, how it was said and who it was directed to. Another key factor which is often overlooked is the nature of the workplace. What counts as banter in a warehouse may well amount to discriminatory harassment if said in an office.