Baring claws
United front vs. airline for banning girls’ leggings
UNITED AIRLINES’ dress code isn’t flying with most teenage girls.
Indeed, love for the airline took a nosedive Monday in the wake of the carrier’s controversial leggings ban. Many young girls said United’s excuse for why some female passengers can’t wear leggings is sexist.
“It’s not right at all,” said Sophia Brown, 16, a student at Brooklyn High School for Law & Technology.
“It’s unfair,” agreed fellow student Ronelle Mark, 16, calling it unimaginable that boys or men would get blocked at the gate for wearing a popular style of casual pants.
“It would never happen (to boys). It wouldn’t. But it’s different for a woman, because we have so many standards placed on us. It’s just sad,” Ronelle said.
The teens spoke out after United barred three girls from a domestic flight Sunday morning for wearing leggings. The incident was first reported by Shannon Watts, founder of the gun control group Moms Demand Action, in a series of tweets from the Denver airport.
United defended its actions — saying the girls were traveling free as the relatives or dependents of United employees and therefore had to be “properly clothed.” Paying customers are accorded greater latitude.
Watts said two girls in their early teens were visibly upset after they were barred from a flight to Minneapolis for wearing what she called “perfectly acceptable” leggings.
A third girl, roughly 10 years old, was forced to pull a dress out of her backpack and put it on over her “normal and appropriate” gray leggings before she was allowed on the plane, Watts said.
The girl’s dad, meanwhile, was wearing shorts that hit a few inches above his knee and faced “no issue,” she said.
Critics blasted the airline for claiming leggings are inappropriate attire for young girls.
“This behavior is sexist and sexualizes young girls,” Watts tweeted.
“You shouldn’t be watching younger ladies,” Brooklyn high school student Beyoncé Brown, 17, told the Daily News on Monday, referring to anyone policing young girls for their form-fitting pants.
“I think if it was guys, they wouldn’t have done anything. It’s a stereotype thing,” she added. “As women, we need to stand up for our rights and show that we have the same power as men.”
Eleventh-grader Deundre Richards, 16, called the airline’s ultra conservative dress code “stupid.”
“I feel like this is some nonsense because if they’re going on a flight, they should be comfortable — they shouldn’t have to be in heels, or in flared pants, to look professional,” fellow Brooklyn student Lashounda Miller, 17, said.
Meanwhile, Oscar-winning actress Patricia Arquette was one of several celebrities calling the carrier out on Twitter.
“Leggings are business attire for 10 year olds. Their business is being children,” the “Boyhood” star tweeted.
Comedian Sarah Silverman said she planned to boycott the No. 4 airline.
“Hey @united I fly a LOT. About to go on tour all April and changing all my @united flights to other airlines,” Silverman tweeted.