Is US Airways Racist? - Would You Let This Man Fly?
Last week, the man above was allowed to board a US Airways flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Phoenix. A passenger took this photo and it is obvious the man has serious fashion issues. I just don't think those three colors are working well together. Plus, if you are going to go that skimpy, give yourself a little sock help to make it all come together. Anyway, this old white dude was allowed to board wearing this and lets face it, we cannot see his ass but there is probably not much material there which means the seat he was sitting on is probably ruined. He might be wearing women's clothing, but he is still a man and I know I would feel sorry for anyone who had to sit down on something after my almost naked butt was on it for a four hour flight in a cramped sweaty plane.
Meanwhile, US Airways refuses to comment because they know they are going to get sued on why they they refused boarding last week and ultimately had Deshon Marman (above) arrested when he refused to pull up his pants. Deshon was wearing saggy pants, which I hate, but at least the guy was wearing way more underwear than the white guy above. When Deshon refused to pull up his pants, he was cited for trespassing and arrested. Deshon is a player on the University Of New Mexico football team and was way more overdressed than the old guy. So, do you think US Airways is racist?
43 comments:
I hate using the "racist" word to justify anything... but I can't argue with that logic.
I would totally let that guy fly. Who doesn't need a good laugh during a long flight?
YES, they're fucking racist!! That is BULLSHIT. They're also sexist, too, probably. Would a woman be allowed to wear that outfit? I *highly* doubt it.
Sitting next to yet another boy who doesn't know how to use a belt is one thing, but sitting next to a freak with his PACKAGE bulging out is quite another. Jeebus.
That old guy is probably about as hetero as Richard Simmons, but I still wouldn't feel comfortable sitting next to him. Put me next to the fool with his pants on the ground ANYday.
Sorry. I didn't read the post. I just saw would you let this man fly and then that classic picture.
I would have let both of them fly. Who cares. Is this racist? Probably. Racially profiled? Totally.
I don't know if the AIRLINE is racist, but the person who refused boarding to Deshon then called the cops is seriously questionable. Maybe just a conservative prude? Sometimes, it's just the employee you get on a given day. Either way, I'd rather sit next to Deshon than dude with hardly any clothes. Ew.
I think its a matter of completely different employees in different airports (I think). The weirdo in the lingerie should not have been allowed to fly, and clearly someone in the Ft. Lauderdale airport was too busy laughing at him to say anything.
That was women's underwear, not clothes. Would you let a women fly in her underwear?
How does he get those thigh hi's to stay up...I've never been able to keep them up...
It was a bad call to kick the football player off the plane and have him arrested.
I'm not a fan of either style these passengers chose to wear--droopy drawers or skimpy lingerie (in public) but I would not object to either of them boarding a plane.
I'm more opposed to the stinky people (too much perfume or colonge, no bath in a few days, booze/ciggy smell) and to people who are visibly sick--sneezing, coughing, look like ass and carrying a wad of used tissues.
The fact is, the old dude was probably hoping to be denied so he could sue based on women he probably viewed in flight in similar outfits. As far as Deshon was concerned .....HELL YES IT WAS RACIST!
this makes me want to puke. i was on a flight w/ a guy wearing cowboy boots, a floral print skirt, a polo shirt and full make up. he was pushing an elderly woman in a wheel chair. i swear to you; no one other than me even noticed. i think the number of weirdos at airports is too high for the people who work there to pay much attention. its like 7-11 after midnight; WEIRDO-CENTRAL.
I think Deshon Marman has a good case and US Airways is in deep shit.
From what I have gathered from other websites today, the lingerie-guy is well known at many airports. He is a frequent flyer for the airline and there are lots of pictures of him online in various get-ups. He claims that he travels so much, he just does this to make it "more fun". Ummm, okay, whatever you say buddy.
maybe the guy in the high heels was a lawyer trying to make a point for Deshon's case?
LMAO @Misch...Me either!
I doubt the airline is *racist*. They just don't have a clear policy defining "decently dressed", and two separate people made different judgements. One said flying with your underwear showing is ok, another said it isn't.
I think it was racist as well and I'm white. The kids underwear were merely showing..That wasn't all he was wearing like this guy. They have 'splaining to do.
Racism has so permeated in this society that even people horrified by racism would be surprised at how racist they are without even knowing it.
No, I would not let this man fly. I mean, to each his own, but honestly, I wouldn't want to sit next to him or any mostly naked person in a closed cabin for a flight of any length. Nor would I want to sit in that same seat unless it had been thoroughly sanitized.
I also wouldn't want to sit in a seat where the only thing between that and someone's ass prior to my sitting there was a flimsy undergarment. Cover that ass, people!
There's no proof the guy in the lingerie is gay, so I'm guessing if you're a middle-aged white male, you get a pass (what else is new?).
It goes without saying that misogyny is about as prevalent as racism and homophobia.
The white guy should have been told to put clothes on prior to getting on the plane. But remember, the reason the football player was arrested is because he refused to follow the instructions of the flight crew - to pull his pants up. He wasn't arrested for what he was wearing. It's thin line, but that's the truth.
no.
"Racism has so permeated in this society that even people horrified by racism would be surprised at how racist they are without even knowing it."
-Madlyb ftw
And yes, this screams racial profiling to me.
MadLyb - You're absolutely right. There is so much racism and sexism pervasive in our world that we don't even notice it when it's in our face. That said, it is still illegal to refuse to follow orders from a flight crew.
They did comment.
they said they don't have a dress code but if someone's genitals are showing they will be asked to cover up or not fly.
this was guy was covered, the kid was showing his ass.
I completely agree with all the above. Yes, it is racial profiling. Yes, it also has to do with two different employee's views. Yes, it is sexist. Also, it probably had a little to do with Deshon's refusal to comply. Had he pulled up his pants he would have been able to fly and we would not have an issue here.
I also think it is highly unfair that he was asked to pull up his pants in the first place when this guy gets to fly with the way he is dressed.
Everyone should just pull their damn pants up! Honestly, white or black, it looks stupid and if I had a kid, he would not leave the house like that. I think it's funny that these kids don't know they are emulating submissive men in prison - basically when a man in prison wears his pants down like that it means he's willing to be a "catcher". How ironic because these kids wearing their pants low think they look so tough. LOL
The older white gentleman in women's clothing has been popping up at airports across the country. I think he's kind of awesome, really. I'd never have the guts to wear the stuff he does.
But yeah, if he can were that, and then throw off someone with dropped trou, I think racism may be an issue here.
According to the SF chronicle, US Airways said Deshon was told not to board until he pulled up his sweatpants. He was then asked off the plane by the captain since he refused to listen to the gate agent. He wasnt booted off the plane for his saggin' sweatpants, he was technically booted for not listening. Witnesses said however that Deshon was wearing workout shorts under his sweats, so his underwear wasnt showing. That last part is why Im confused as to how the old dude made it on because he's really wearing panties. I dont think it's racism, I think the airline is completely confused as to handle dress policy. What they think is not ok in SF, is totally ok in Ft Lauderdale.
In order to call this racist, wouldnt we need both men to board from the same place and see which one is denied?
That old dude has been on television and the internet before in bit part reality shows like Airline. He flies out of Florida a lot and I think they may have known who he was. Perhaps that is why they let him fly.
yes, totally racist. Saggin is stupid, but OMG the weirdo in undies should NOT have been allowed to board and I would have thrown a fit had I been on his flight. Ick.
I've actually seen this man at the Charlotte airport in a similar outfit. Of course, my husband and I stopped in our tracks and stared! An airline employee came up to us and told us that he was a very frequent, first class flyer and always dressed flamboyantly. So, maybe the airline isn't necessarily racist, but just able to overlook some passengers since money talks!
Hell no I wouldn't let this fruitcake in blue undies fly like that. Waaaaay overexposed.
As for the guy with his pants buckled below his butt crack...I wouldn't let him fly either. They gave him the chance to pull up his pants and fly and he chose not to.
The airline definitely needs some more clearly stated guidelines on what attire is proper to wear.
Obvious racism. Deshon will get a nice paycheck.
Okay. Hearing the personal anecdotes from some of you regarding that old dude only reinforces my opinion that this is an example of racism *and* sexism. The airline just thinks of this guy as some harmless, weirdo, pants-phobic frequent flyer, but what if he were sat next to an eleven year-old girl? I flew a lot at that age, and I would have been HORRIFIED to be near that guy. Now, I'd just be totally annoyed and I'd probably demand to be seated elsewhere. But back then, I would have been threatened.
I still think it's utter crap how some old man can wear an outfit that CLEARLY shows the outline of his bits and pieces, but a woman with a skimpy outfit showing off her cameltoe and rock-hard nips would probably be booted off the plane immediately.
That is NOT an appropriate outfit for a person who will presumably have to sit next to a stranger for a few hours. Can we at LEAST hold airline passengers to the same dress code as, say, barflies or convenience store patrons? No shirt, no pants, FUCK OFF.
We might think that sagging is stupid, but it's COMMON. Walk down the street, and you'll see at least four people doing it. Heck, my boyfriend's underwear was hanging out of his pants this morning, and he didn't even realize it! It's almost like pointing to a visible bra strap and claiming that it's obscene. As long as I'm not gazing at shadowy pubes or the defined outline of a buttcrack, I TRULY don't care how low a guy's pants sag.
@ Ida - those guys that wear saggy pants know darn well what they're doing. It is definitely not like a bra strap. That said, you are absolutely right about thinking of others when you know they have to sit next to you on the plane. It's called common decency, dignity and courtesy. If we all behaved more decent, dignified and courteous, our world would be a much better place. God, I sound like a cliche! :(
Sorry, didn't use my adverbs...decently, dignified and courteously...
@Audrey -- "those guys that wear saggy pants know darn well what they're doing. It is definitely not like a bra strap."
I know, I know, but I *still* think that the old man's genital display is still more SEXUAL than just some underwear poking out-- though if anyone out there actually *finds* him sexy, then there are probably support groups out there for something like that...
Personally, I truly don't get sagging, but mostly because I pull my pants up all day long if I'm not wearing a belt. I can't even take it when my underwear drifts below my waistband. And when my socks get all droopy and I have to pull *them* up, too? Hellllll, no. That's when I go home, get naked, and crawl into bed.
And I agree with the person who mentioned that heavy perfume is also an offender. Again: if you know that you're going to have to sit next to a stranger, be considerate. Dammit!
I don't think that most people here really need that sort of common-sense lecture. I know I'm just preaching to the choir right now. :-)
The thing here is that the man in the bikini (or whatever you'd call that) was probably trying to get attention and see what would happen - maybe had lawyers all lined up to sue them or something. Clearly, though disgusting, he poses no security risk. It's not as if he could be hiding anything in that costume.
On the other hand, Mr. SaggyPants could very well be hiding something, and (because the airline stereotypes racially) they probably didn't assume he dressed that way to make a point nor was he prepared with lawyers for a sue-fest. Unfortunately, I would hope they guessed wrong on that count and that the UNM guy at least gets a pay-off for their stupidity.
I don't think it was racist on behalf of the company, these are obviously not policy decisions. Simply different employees making the call. I think in the first instance, the employee was afraid they would be sued for sexual discrimination if they did not let the old guy fly wearing that. Like they would be discriminating against him for being a "transexual" (though I think he's probably just a cross-dresser). In the second instance, maybe that employee is in fact racist, maybe they were just being overly restrictive. In any case, they should have let him fly, imo, not because he is black, but simply because a lot of guys walk around with their asses hanging out of their pants, and though I find it pretty lame, it's really not that offensive, and they are covered up.
well...saggin their PANTS are down but their UNDERWEAR, usually BOXERS are covering their ass. No way should NO PANTS be ok.
@Ida - There was a girl, about a year or so ago that got kicked off a plane b/c her outfit was deemed too revealing. She was on the Today show and I think Enty probably covered it too. Her outfit looked like a nun's compared to this dude's. I always get cold on planes. Doesn't this guy freeze his balls off??
Didn't airlines used to have a much stricter dress code in general?? For everyone, I mean.
I used my relatives buddy passes about 6 years ago and remember being surprised by all the dress code verbiage (no flip flops, open toed shoes, nothing revealing, etc.)
Saggy pants isn't going to crash the plane so not sure why they were getting their panties in a wad? Don't they have bigger fish to fry?
I don't want to sit squished against someone gross regardless of how they're dressed. If the panties guy is freshly showered I would rather sit in his seat than the farting dude who hasn't washed in a week.
Sue the fuck out of of them, Deshon!
Of course its racist, as are a big percentage of the people in this nation.
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