Tisha Rowe: US Woman Says She Was Humiliated By American Airlines

Tisha Rowe, A Houston-area doctor said she was forced to get off her American Airlines flight after boarding and wrap an airline blanket around her waist before being allowed back on.

When will people and corporations get tired of policing women’s bodies – especially Black women’s bodies?

American Airlines is under fire after forcing a Black doctor to cover up an outfit that they claimed was inappropriate, threatening not to let her on her flight unless she did.

Dr. Tisha Rowe, of Houston, tweeted that the incident, which occurred in June, left her feeling “disgusted” and “humiliated.”

I just really want to know has #AmericanAirlines done this to anyone else or is my ass just that distracting. I’m disgusted. The only power I have is my voice so I’m going to use it…

— Tisha Rowe MD, MBA (@tisharowemd) June 30, 2019

“My shorts covered EVERYTHING but apparently was too distracting to enter the plane,” Dr. Rowe tweeted, with two photos of her in the matching strapless top and shorts set. “When defending my outfit I was threatened with not getting back on the flight unless I walked down the aisle wrapped in a blanket.”

Rowe was traveling from Jamaica back to the United States when she was targeted by American Airlines.

So #AmericanAirlines just told me I couldn’t board the flight without putting a jacket over my ASSETS. My shorts covered EVERYTHING but apparently was too distracting to enter the plane. I guess that’s why they are AMERICAN airlines 🤷🏾‍♀️…. @AmericanAir

— Tisha Rowe MD, MBA (@tisharowemd) June 30, 2019

“We are policed for being black. Our bodies are over sexualized as women and we must ADJUST to make everyone around us comfortable,” Dr. Rowe tweeted. “I’ve seen white women with much shorter shorts board a plane without a blink of an eye. I guess if it’s a “nice ass” vs a @Serena Booty it’s okay…”

According to her tweets, her son, who was with her, was reduced to tears and hid under the blanket that she was told to wear.

I’ll post a picture of my ATTIRE when I land. After an AMAZING VACATION it’s ended with my son in tears with the blanket they asked me to wear to my seat over his head and will never forget this experience @AmericanAir

— Tisha Rowe MD, MBA (@tisharowemd) June 30, 2019

“As a physician i know the negative impact of #racism on health and i am speaking up because i hope no one else has endure what i did because they don’t fit the mold,” Dr. Rowe said, according to USA Today. “We are policed for being black. Our bodies are over sexualized as women and we must ADJUST to make everyone around us comfortable. I’ve seen white women with much shorter shorts board a plane without a blink of an eye.”

Here is what i was wearing when @AmericanAir asked me to deplane for a talk. At which point I was asked to “cover up”. When defending my outfit I was threatened with not getting back on the flight unless I walked down the aisle wrapped in a blanket. #notsofriendlyskies pic.twitter.com/AYQNNriLcq

— Tisha Rowe MD, MBA (@tisharowemd) July 1, 2019

American Airlines told USA Today that the airline was “concerned about Dr. Rowe’s comments” and had “reached out to her and our team at the Kingston airport to gather more information about what occurred.”

“We apologize to Dr. Rowe and her son for their experience, and have fully refunded their travel,” American Airlines representative Shannon Gilson said in a statement. “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.”