From assault to harassment to robbery to rape, we’ve heard about a lot of cases being reported when the victim is a woman. But one kind of a case that is starting to take precedence over all other forms of crime, is that of moral policing. Instances of the same have been surfacing almost every day. And somehow the misogyny absolutely shines through when women are on airplanes. Another woman was moral policed and shamed on her choice of clothes when she was flying with United Airlines.
Flying from Denver, Colorado to Newark, New Jersey, a US woman recently found herself becoming a victim to people’s shallow thinking and unsolicited policing when it comes to clothes. She was on her way to board her flight but was stopped by a male staff member because she was wearing a ‘revealing’ low cut blouse. Andrea Worldwide shared how she was humiliated by a male staff member for her choice of wardrobe.
Sharing the instance on Facebook, Andrea wrote, “I am a professional woman, who employs hundreds of other young professional women, which is why I have decided to take a stand and speak out about the unacceptable behavior of United Airlines staff. I didn’t want to post this, but given the lack of attention to this issue by United, I am given no other choice.”
Also Read : A Woman Was Asked To Cover Up Before Her Flight Because Of The Pilot’s Misogyny
Attaching pictures of her attire, for which she was called out and made to feel badly in front of the crew and fellow passengers, her disappointment is too damn relatable. Whether it is a movie theatre or a flight, women are forced to cover up and conform themselves to what others believe is acceptable where as men can show up shirtless on stage, or sporting low neck ganjis, and still their skin show won’t rile society up.
Further to this, Andrea also sat for an interview with the CBS Denver affiliate, where she shared how she is a frequent flyer and that she does so because of her long distance relationship with her boyfriend putting up in Puerto Rico. She also mentioned how she would dress in an identical manner every time, and so was wearing her customary black top, when she was stopped from boarding.
She wrote on Facebook, “For those wondering what ELSE I had on-as friends and family members I contacted did ask me right away-I was also wearing an oversized scarf, a knee-length cardigan, leggings and sneakers.” Recalling the incident and how humiliating it was to her, Andrea shared, “I didn’t get a reason at first, and then there was a little bit of shuffling going on with the other employees.”
Not just was the matter poorly handled by the staff, who had no business in approving of what she did and did not wear anyway, but it was also reflective of how our society still wants to extend a certain degree of control over women and their choices, that ideally shouldn’t concern anybody. A case that has happened too many times on several different flights, with different women. This needs to stop.
Also Read : Jetstar Polices What A Woman Should Wear On A Flight. She Asks, ‘Is This 1921?’