Leisha Hailey, "The L-Word" actress was one of two women removed from a Southwest Airlines flight at a stop in El Paso, Texas. The Uh Huh bandmates were escorted off the plane following an exchange with crew members that began after Leisha and her girlfriend kissed.
Evidently, a flight attendant approached them after they kissed and 'scolded' them saying it was a 'family airline'. The airlines said the removal from the plane had "little to do with their kiss and lots to do with their alleged loud use of profanity and 'aggressive reaction'."
Leisha and her girlfriend issued the following statement:
We have always promoted tolerance, openness and equality both as a band and as individuals. We both come from loving homes where our parents not only love and accept us, but are also proud of who we are. We believe everyone has the right to live openly in this society as equals. In no way were our actions on Southwest Airlines excessive, inappropriate or vulgar. We want to make it clear we were not making out or creating any kind of spectacle of ourselves, it was one, modest kiss. We are responsible adult women who walk through the world with dignity. We were simply being affectionate like any normal couple. We were on the airplane less than 5 minutes when all was said and done. We take full responsibility for getting verbally upset with the flight attendant after being told it was a “family airline.” We were never told the reason the flight attendant approached us, we were only scolded that we “needed to be aware that Southwest Airlines was a family oriented airline.” No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn’t make it any less loud. You can’t whisper hate. We ask this airline to teach their employees to not discriminate against any couple, ever, regardless of their own beliefs. We want to live in a society where if your loved one leans over to give you an innocent kiss on an airplane it’s not labeled as “excessive or not family oriented” by a corporation and its employees. We find it very disturbing that the same airline who lauds itself as being LGBT friendly has twisted an upsetting incident that happened into our behavior being “too excessive.” The above is not an apology and we are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the airline. We hope that when all is said and done a greater tolerance without prejudice will evolve.
Same sex couples do not have the same freedom to hold hands, kiss or show normal affection in public as heterosexuals. In public, I find myself restraining from all touch and ostensibly 'passing' or I'll forget and then pull back into the closet again.
This is one of the most painful areas for same-sex couples. Society not being open to normal expressions of affection has so much power over us. Think about the differences in our behavior when we are out in public and we're at home or in a safe environment. Even the most radical lesbians are more free in a gay-friendly place than in public.
Hopefully, with time and more awareness we will be able to show affection publicly. For now, I guess we have to hide our feelings or get kicked off of airplanes.
Evidently, a flight attendant approached them after they kissed and 'scolded' them saying it was a 'family airline'. The airlines said the removal from the plane had "little to do with their kiss and lots to do with their alleged loud use of profanity and 'aggressive reaction'."
Leisha and her girlfriend issued the following statement:
We have always promoted tolerance, openness and equality both as a band and as individuals. We both come from loving homes where our parents not only love and accept us, but are also proud of who we are. We believe everyone has the right to live openly in this society as equals. In no way were our actions on Southwest Airlines excessive, inappropriate or vulgar. We want to make it clear we were not making out or creating any kind of spectacle of ourselves, it was one, modest kiss. We are responsible adult women who walk through the world with dignity. We were simply being affectionate like any normal couple. We were on the airplane less than 5 minutes when all was said and done. We take full responsibility for getting verbally upset with the flight attendant after being told it was a “family airline.” We were never told the reason the flight attendant approached us, we were only scolded that we “needed to be aware that Southwest Airlines was a family oriented airline.” No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn’t make it any less loud. You can’t whisper hate. We ask this airline to teach their employees to not discriminate against any couple, ever, regardless of their own beliefs. We want to live in a society where if your loved one leans over to give you an innocent kiss on an airplane it’s not labeled as “excessive or not family oriented” by a corporation and its employees. We find it very disturbing that the same airline who lauds itself as being LGBT friendly has twisted an upsetting incident that happened into our behavior being “too excessive.” The above is not an apology and we are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the airline. We hope that when all is said and done a greater tolerance without prejudice will evolve.
Same sex couples do not have the same freedom to hold hands, kiss or show normal affection in public as heterosexuals. In public, I find myself restraining from all touch and ostensibly 'passing' or I'll forget and then pull back into the closet again.
This is one of the most painful areas for same-sex couples. Society not being open to normal expressions of affection has so much power over us. Think about the differences in our behavior when we are out in public and we're at home or in a safe environment. Even the most radical lesbians are more free in a gay-friendly place than in public.
Hopefully, with time and more awareness we will be able to show affection publicly. For now, I guess we have to hide our feelings or get kicked off of airplanes.
