It’s 2017, which means that in the world of women’s fashion, one of the most essential articles of clothing is leggings. Leggings are the perfect pants to throw on for a workout at the gym, a night out with friends, or a long day at work. Personally, I don’t know where I would be without them. But despite all that, two young women were stopped from getting on a plane because their leggings were too “inappropriate.”
On Sunday in Denver, CO, two pre-teens tried to board a United Airlines flight, but they were barred from the plane until they changed their outfit. The airline decided that their stretchy pants were unfit for the flight.
It seems ridiculous, and it is, but it’s not due to the fact that passengers can’t wear leggings, sort of…
The girls were what is known as “pass travelers,” a company benefit that allows United employees and their dependents to travel for free on a standby basis. United says the travelers are “representing” the company and as such are not allowed to wear Lycra and spandex leggings, tattered or ripped jeans, midriff shirts, flip-flops or any article of clothing that shows their undergarments.
In my opinion, the whole situation is, well, dumb. Although the airline has the right to refuse service, it’s not as if the poor girls were in bikinis or accidentally forgot to put a shirt on that morning. Girls wear leggings as often as a runner drinks water or Donald Trump tweets outrageous things on Twitter. Every day.
Plus, the girls are only kids. For anyone to look at a 10-year-old and say her outfit it too revealing makes vomit. If she’s too young to remember George Bush being president, an iPod without a touchscreen, or owning a matching Juicy Couture sweat suit, she is also too young to be sexualized in that way, bro.
Also, we can’t forget that thousands of women wear leggings on airplanes, and in supermarkets, and in school, and literally everywhere else. I feel bad that these girls were singled out for trying to dress comfortably for a plane ride, even though they were traveling with a special ticket.
They were able to board their flight after they put on additional clothing. But the internet did not let it slide:
The highest standard of any culture corporate or not is to allow children to be children and to dress in accordance.
— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) March 26, 2017
I have flown united before with literally no pants on. Just a top as a dress. Next time I will wear only jeans and a scarf.
— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) March 26, 2017
Fact: I once took a @united flight with my penis FULLY EXPOSED and had NO PROBLEMS #Misogyny
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) March 26, 2017
We here at @united are just trying to police the attire of the daughters of our employees! That's all! Cool, right? https://t.co/xGyL4IAslE
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) March 26, 2017
And here is how United responded today:
Hey United Airlines, it’s 2017, it might be time to allow leggings.
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