Black Transwoman Kicked Off Flight For Wearing “Black Panther” Hat Amanda Stevens, a black transgender freelance journalist from Albany, NY was hoping to peacefully take a flight to Chicago to cover a League of Legends event. However, the flight crew wasn’t feeling her attire and eventually put her off the flight because of it . The trouble started when the pilot expressed discomfort over Amanda’s A$AP Rocky shirt, which featured a black and white American flag turned upside down: Dear @united this shirt shouldn't make your pilot uncomfortable enough to warrant having me spoken to and told to take it off pic.twitter.com/AHNU3pZxLC — Amanda Stevens (@sagegnosis) October 12, 2016 Now, WHY the pilot was inspecting the clothing of passengers before boarding the plane, we aren’t sure. Especially since an American flag displayed upside down is actually an internationally recognized sign of distress — something a pilot should generally know… But Amanda complied by turning her shirt inside out before boarding. However, as soon as she got seated, suddenly flight attendants had even more issues with her flight attire. Next, it was her Marvel “Black Panther” hat that had them shook: And now I am being told I can't wear my hat @united this is unreal and fucking racist pic.twitter.com/338GyYDa97 — Amanda Stevens (@sagegnosis) October 12, 2016 And if singling her out for clothing items they clearly mis-assigned as “terrorist” or otherwise offensive wasn’t enough…they sought the first opportunity they could find to label her aggressive and put her out. According to Gizmodo : Reached by phone, Stevens told io9 that a United representative first raised concerns when she was preparing to board flight 5183 from Albany to Chicago. Stevens told me that she’s flown in this outfit before but turned the shirt inside out. She was then told that the hat was a concern as well. She was allowed to board the plane but had a tense exchange with an attendant who asked her to place her bag under the seat in front of her. “I didn’t know if I was going to be staying on the plane or not and I said that,” she told me. “I was grumbling because I was frustrated.” Stevens then told me that the exchange with the flight attendant was given as the reason that she was ejected from the flight. He didn't seem that bothered to give me a smug look when he walked past me to the bathroom @united — Amanda Stevens (@sagegnosis) October 12, 2016 The pilot feels “uncomfortable” @united I didn't know he has to look at me while he flies. I feel uncomfortable having a racist pilot — Amanda Stevens (@sagegnosis) October 12, 2016 Kicked off the flight — Amanda Stevens (@sagegnosis) October 12, 2016 Lord…they kick Muslims off the plane for being “threatening,” and Black folks off the plane for wearing things that make the pilot — who literally NEVER has to see passengers — uncomfortable. Do white people get kicked off the plane for ANYTHING? Or is this treatment just “scary” Black and brown folks?? Twitter/FoxNews
