American Airlines forced passengers to cover up & # 39; inapropriate & # 39; outfit with carpet

A Houston-based doctor has accused American Airlines of humiliating her in front of her son and other passengers – all for an employee to protest against her summer body.

Dr Latisha "Tisha" Rowe, a family medical specialist and founder of a telehealth company, said that she and her 8 year old son were on their way to Miami earlier this month after a week of family vacation in Jamaica. In a viral tweet, Rowe said she had to force herself after boarding, telling her her outfits were unacceptable, and unless she covered herself, she would not be allowed to fly.

In the tweet, she included a front and side view of her outfit, a piece of romper.

Rowe said there was nothing inappropriate about what she was wearing and that she even doubled herself in a mirror in the bathroom just before boarding. 1[ads1]9659002] READ MORE:
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"I turned and I looked at my back, and I gave myself what you know, girl control," she told Business Insider in an interview. "I grew up and lived in a very conservative household. As if Dad thought I was short, I didn't leave the house. So it's just something I used to do."

Instead, she believes that there is a double standard for appropriate outfits that are different in women, depending on a few factors, including body shape and race.

"I have a very curvy body, and I put my body in strong colors, so you should see it. But it is not vulgar. It is not inappropriate. It is not bad, you know? A size 2 in exact the same outfit beside me, no wo I would be bothered, "she said.

Rowe said she had boarded the plane with no problem, and almost reached her seat when a plane charge denied her and said they needed to talk to her on the front of the plane. She said she went up and met another flight attendant, who led her off the plane to the jetway.

"There was no explanation why I was called by the plane," Rowe said. "And all she said was" do you have a jacket? ""

After Rowe told the airline she didn't have a jacket, she said the airline explained that the flight crew found her outfits inappropriate and that she would not be allowed back on the plane unless she changed or covered.

"At this point I do not scream or am angry or anything, but I am defending myself. I am fine with my outfit, as, what is the problem," she said, adding that she looked down and saw that the son Her was embarrassed and fought back tears.

"My automatic mummy protection mode started. I'm like," how do I fix it? "I don't want to be in this situation. I just want it done," she added.

She said that since she didn't have a jacket or clothing that she could easily change, she asked for a blanket. The flight attendant was obliged, Rowe said, saying she was wearing the carpet, the only way she was allowed to fly.

"It just felt like an average girls standoff in high school at the time because that's the only way you get at this point, as if I'm not a paying customer. I was just embarrassed," Rowe said.

After she wrapped the carpet around her waist, she said, another flight attendant came up and warned her not to make a scene, despite her intentionally behaving quietly to avoid escalating the situation.

"I said," I've followed your request, please, let me fly. "Three times I had to say it before they actually let me on the plane," Rowe said. "Three times I did not argue with them, fuss with them, and had a blanket wrapped around before they hit their physical barrier to drop me on the plane. "

When the plane landed, Rowe went to a bath in the airport to take pictures that she included with her tweet.

American Airlines & # 39; transport agreement, which passengers agree on when buying tickets, mentions appropriate outfits but gives no details or examples. It simply says: "Dress properly, only feet or offensive clothing is not allowed."

Either way, Rowe said the outfit was perfectly appropriate for the public. "I don't want to you should see me in a normal summer vacation and tell me that it is inappropriate just because of the thoughts of others, "she said." I have no idea what was the source of this at first. What I know is that I was perfectly comfortable and felt right. "

A spokesman for American Airlines, Shannon Gilson, said that the airline takes Rowe's complaint seriously and investigates why she was forced to cover up and that the airline didn't has been able to contact Rowe.

In a statement by Gilson, American said:

We were worried about Dr. Rowe's comments and reached out to her and our team at Kingston Airport to gather more information on what Unfortunately, we have not been able to reach Dr. Rowe or leave a message by the number provided.We would like to apologize to Dr. Rowe and her son for their experience and have fully refunded their journey. We are proud to serve customers with all backgrounds and are committed to providing a positive and safe travel experience for anyone flying with us.

This is not the first time individual employees of the airline have been charged with discrimination. April 2018, a passenger alleged that the police were called upon her "to flee while fat and black." In October 2017, the National Association for the Advance of Colored People issued a travel notice to African American passengers flying the airline, but lifted it in July 2018, according to Dallas News. .

However, Rowe hopes that no one else has to deal with subjective rules used on regular summer clothes just because an outfit looks different on different body types.

"I just don't want this to happen to anyone else. I just want things to be fair, to be objective and to – for anyone to fly without feeling you have to fit into a certain mold."

– This story was published by BusinessInsider.com.au