Dear United,
I am writing to you with regards to the now viral incident occurring at a gate in the Denver International Airport. Specifically, how two girls in their young teens were turned away because of the type of pants they were wearing. In case you weren’t aware, the year is 2017 and leggings, otherwise known as yoga pants, are a widely acceptable and fashionable form of apparel. Yes, I know that these girls were “pass travelers,” or family and friends of United employees, and that because of this they are required to follow the apparel guidelines, but are you really backing your decision by saying that these dependents are reflecting your company?
What’s really reflecting on your company is the fact that your dress codes are sexist and regressive. Barring ten year old girls from boarding a flight because they were wearing full coverage, comfortable pants that might be a little too tight for your liking, is ridiculous. Clearly people are much more uncomfortable with your policy than they are by these poor girls that were forced to change before being allowed to board, or else this incident wouldn’t have sparked widespread Twitter rage.
The real irony here though, is the tweet coming from your own verified twitter account of a passenger doing yoga in — gasp — yoga pants! So, it’s okay for a grown woman to bear her midriff and wear tight pants, but god forbid an employee’s child wears spandex. Your advertisements reflect your company much more than two dependents boarding a flight like any other of your customers do.
The important thing here is not to change the past though, it’s to make sure nothing like this happens again. Policies like yours are what makes the discrimination and marginalization of women prevail. Young girls are taught that their bodies are not acceptable by bigots like you that care more about your image than the self esteem of ten year olds. So please, before you lose more customers than you already have, update your policies to reflect the standards of the 21st century.
Sincerely,
A lost customer
photo by: Hannah Silver
