GLBT Travelers - L-Word's Leisha Hailey kicked off WN plane for kissing girlfriend

Thought this would be of interest to some here:

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/09/26/L_Words_Leisha_Hailey_Kicked_Off_Flight_For_Kissin g_Girlfriend/

I read she was asked to leave after the plane landed. Is that true?

The peculiar thing is that they market and recruit at GBLT events. They try to have it both ways. Sadly, it doesn't work. Even the comments were lame.

I'll bet it was a PHX-based cabin crew...

The peculiar thing is that they market and recruit at GBLT events. They try to have it both ways. Sadly, it doesn't work. Even the comments were lame.

I'll bet it was a PHX-based cabin crew...

Most airlines are good to the LGBT community. Delta is the title sponsor of Atlantas pride. Problem is even the most gay friendly (or even 100% gay owned) company can have homophobic employees. `My biggest complaint over this is not only did Gary Kelly refuse to apologize, he is supporting the employee. A few months ago when the pilot made those off colored comments on the open mike, Southwest didn't fire the pilot. I realize there could be some union rules regarding firing the person and if they coulldn't fire him they should have at least issued a public apology.

I am sure if it was a hetro couple doing the same thing no one would have commplained and if they would have the FA wouldn't have told them this was a "family" airline

The peculiar thing is that they market and recruit at GBLT events. They try to have it both ways. Sadly, it doesn't work. Even the comments were lame.

I'll bet it was a PHX-based cabin crew...

We (National Gay Pilots Association) did speak with Soutwest and the flight attendants of that particular flight about the incident and there is a bit more to the story. Leisha Hailey and her girlfriend were not thrown off the plane for being lesbians or even the kissing, they were told to get off the plane for being loud, obnoxious and extremely vulgar. After a flight attendant told them to tone it done they went ballistic. Nobody exactly knows why they behaved that way, but some people speculate that at an upcoming 10-city tour of their band had a lot to do with it :)

Surprised this story didn't get more traction here.

We (National Gay Pilots Association) did speak with Soutwest and the flight attendants of that particular flight about the incident and there is a bit more to the story. Leisha Hailey and her girlfriend were not thrown off the plane for being lesbians or even the kissing, they were told to get off the plane for being loud, obnoxious and extremely vulgar. After a flight attendant told them to tone it done they went ballistic. Nobody exactly knows why they behaved that way, but some people speculate that at an upcoming 10-city tour of their band had a lot to do with it :)

Yeah, I didn't think that this was as benign as a Katy Perry song. I've stayed at many hotels with WN flight crews there, and just by observation of that, I seriously doubt that same-sex couple kissing is that offensive to them. I thought maybe they were "scissoring" or something similar; but that would be the Real L-Word. Sometimes people want to provoke a conflict in an effort to "make a stand". Militant Lesbianism, folks. Be aware... be very aware!!!

. . . After a flight attendant told them to tone it done they went ballistic. . . .

I think the real question, which we will likely never know the answer to, is exactly what were they doing when they were asked to tone it down. If it was something analogous to what wouldn't get a heterosexual couple a comment, then they had every right to go ballistic.

And that's what has been missing from every WN commentary...they quickly backpedaled from discussing the original behavior to the actions afterwards. To me, this says that the original behavior probably wasn't that objectionable--and of course if there was a double standard applied, you'd more than likely get a negative reaction. Imagine if a FA told a mixed-race couple they couldn't kiss because others were complaining?

In brief, their attitude after the fact may have been what got them the boot, but we still don't know (and may never know) if it was justified or not.

I think the real question, which we will likely never know the answer to, is exactly what were they doing when they were asked to tone it down. If it was something analogous to what wouldn't get a heterosexual couple a comment, then they had every right to go ballistic.

And that's what has been missing from every WN commentary...they quickly backpedaled from discussing the original behavior to the actions afterwards. To me, this says that the original behavior probably wasn't that objectionable--and of course if there was a double standard applied, you'd more than likely get a negative reaction. Imagine if a FA told a mixed-race couple they couldn't kiss because others were complaining?

In brief, their attitude after the fact may have been what got them the boot, but we still don't know (and may never know) if it was justified or not.

And that is my concern. What was the behavior the FA commented on? If it was just a kiss, or any other behavior a hetro couple would have not been questioned on, I can see the couple getting upset. If the behavior was sopmething a hetrosexual couple would be told to cease, then WN might have behaved correctly.

WN won't comment on specifically what behavior they were engaging in. WN also won't comment on the behavior towards the FA that got them thrown off, were the couple being hostile and threatening? Were they simply questioning the FA as to why a str8 couple can kiss and they can't?

What I find really disturbing is GK is supporting the crews actions. But we are talking about someone that also backed the action of the pilot that made the innapropriate comments on the open mike when the guy should have been fired.

now this thread is going where I thought!