American Airlines flight attendant body shames Black doctor on flight from Jamaica adding to #existingwhileblack trend

By Mona Austin Visualize this scenario: Same pair of shorts/skirts.  Black girl gets written up for violating the school dress code.  White girl doesn't. Double standard. Not fair, but it is a reality Black middle and high school girls face in classrooms every year.  In the school system, it is a form of "justified" body-shaming couched in  language about appropriate clothing in the code of conduct. This example may not be thought of as a problem because it is a part of enforcing a school rule, but for Black Americans encounters with inequality start early and are frequently systematic.  Something similar happened to Latisha "Tisha"Rowe/MD/MBA, a Black woman on an American Airlines flight. Rowe got a dose of this discrimination when she was not allowed to board a flight coming from Jamaica back to Florida -- unless she covered up the strapless romper she was wearing, a common form of leisurely attire women wear in summer months.  Rowe pointed out racism is a factor in her treatment: “I’ve seen white women with much shorter shorts board a plane without a blink of an eye,” she said, further stating that she Black women are over sexualized and she was treated like a slut.  Dr. Rowe was with her young son when deplaned to address what she was wearing. She told her attorney she felt humiliated after being forced to cover up with a blanket or she would not be able to board the flight. While Rowe complied, she took to social media to express how upsetting the ordeal was, sharing that her son cried the entire time on their way back. Rowe seemed to think she was targeted for revealing curves that are associated with a woman's figure: “As a mother my body has changed dramatically,” Rowe said. “Those changes mean more curves. It took time to appreciate them only to be shamed for them and even worse tell my son to be ashamed of my body as well. #bodyshaming.”  But the differences in perceptions about body shapes and sizes with Black women are subtly pointed out throughout their lives starting when they are young, in the media and music, sometimes celebrated, often detested.  The message the flight attendant sent in this incident is more pervasive than a Black woman with curves not being dressed properly. This story illuminates the spread of #existingwhileblack..  This time it was out of the country. American Airlines has since sent an  apology to People Magazine.

“We were concerned about Dr. Rowe’s comments, and reached out to her and our team at the Kingston airport to gather more information about what occurred,” said spokeswoman Shannon Gilson.

“We apologize to Dr. Rowe and her son for their experience, and have fully refunded their travel. We are proud to serve customers of all backgrounds and are committed to providing a positive, safe travel experience for everyone who flies with us.”

Companies like Starbucks and  Poppa Johns Pizza implemented sensitivity training and diversity and inclusion efforts after being exposed for maligning black customers.  American Airlines has not disclosed any  plans for  disciplinary action against the flight attendant or how they intend to address discrimination internally.

Are an apology and refund enough?

CNN has more.