United Airlines: leggings ban 'not sexist' even though it affects women more

The United Airlines dress code for pass riders is “absolutely not” sexist, a spokesman for the carrier said on Monday, a day after a social media storm blew up when two young girls were prevented from wearing leggings when boarding a plane in Denver.

Pass riders are United employees or dependents of employees, travelling free of charge or at a discount. The airline’s dress code for such passengers rules that they must be “well-groomed, neat, clean and in good taste”.

Miniskirts, clothing that “reveals a midriff”, short shorts and “form-fitting lycra/spandex tops, pants and dresses” – such as leggings – are banned. Jeans, sneakers and longer shorts are OK.

Asked if the rules could be construed as sexist, United spokesman Jonathan Guerin replied: “Absolutely not.”

“Male or female,” he added, “those rules apply to every pass rider.”

When the Guardian noted that the rules in question seem to affect women disproportionately, since they are more likely to wear leggings, dresses or mini-skirts, Guerin disagreed.

“That’s an assumption you’re making, right?” he said. “They are guidelines that apply to everyone.”

United spent much of Sunday trying to hose down a social media garbage fire, after Shannon Watts, founder of the gun safety group Moms Demand Action, posted on Twitter that United gate staff in Denver had stopped two girls from boarding a flight to Minneapolis because of their stretchy pants.

Watts also noted that a third passenger, a girl of about 10 wearing leggings, put a dress over her outfit after the kerfuffle.

“She’s forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can’t board,” Watts wrote of the gate agent’s actions on Twitter. “Since when does United police women’s clothing?”

Outrage subsequently erupted on social media, with widely shared expressions of anger from, among others, the model Chrissy Teigen, actress Patricia Arquette and comedian Sarah Silverman.

In a statement released on Sunday night, United said: “To our regular customers, your leggings are welcome.”

The company said the Denver leggings were only an issue because the teenagers were pass riders.

It continued: “When taking advantage of this benefit, all employees and pass riders are considered representatives of United. And like most companies, we have a dress code that we ask employees and pass riders to follow.

“We regularly remind our employees that when they place a family member or friend on a flight for free as a standby passenger, they need to follow our dress code.”

The third young girl at the gate was not a pass rider. Guerin said no gate staff had raised any issues with the girl or her family about her outfit, but she had changed anyway.

“All of this applies only to our employees and their selected pass travelers,” Guerin said. “This does not apply to our regular, paying customers.”

On Monday, Watts wrote about the incident in a post on Medium.

“This United Airlines policy – whether intentional or not – is sexist and sexualizes young girls,” she wrote.

She continued: “As a woman and a mother, I was uncomfortable and angered by what unfolded at the Denver airport. I saw young girls confronted head-on with the disturbing reality that everyone – even an airline gate agent – is scrutinizing your body at all times.

“That what you were wearing for your vacation travel sent a message to someone that you were not appropriate, and that in order to participate in society, you are literally going to have to change. Even if you’re only 10 years old.”

Asked if United was likely to change its dress code for pass riders following the public outcry, Guerin said: “We regularly review our guidelines.”