A United Airlines gate agent barred two teen girls from wearing leggings on board their flights, and Chrissy Teigen and Patricia Arquette are speaking out.

UNITED AIRLINES BANS LEGGINGS

A United Airlines gate agent didn’t allow two girls to board a flight from Denver to Minneapolis because they were wearing leggings. The agent also forced a 10-11 year old girl to put a dress on over her leggings.

The incident was live-tweeted by Shannon Watts, another passenger waiting to board her plane. “1) A @united gate agent isn’t letting girls in leggings get on flight from Denver to Minneapolis because spandex is not allowed?” she tweeted. “2) She’s forcing them to change or put dresses on over leggings or they can’t board,” said the next tweet. “Since when does @united police women’s clothing?”

The official United twitter account responded to the situation, as did spokesman Jonathan Guerin. Apparently the girls were “pass travelers,” a company benefit that allows United employees and their dependents to fly for free on a standby basis. Pass travelers are technically representing the airline when they fly, so they must comply with a company dress code.

“It’s not that we want our standby travelers to come in wearing a suit and tie or that sort of thing,” Guerin explained. “We want people to be comfortable when they travel as long as it’s neat and in good taste for that environment.”

Arquette and Teigen were among the celebrities who spoke out against the policy. Arquette, an outspoken feminist and equal rights activist, pointed out that the policy targets women’s clothing specifically. “How many men wear leggings?” she asked in a tweet. “Ok we got it. Women and girls are in a no mans land about appropriate attire. So looks like we can’t fly.”


A father was allowed to board wearing shorts above the knee and he was not told to change. “I find it disturbing that they are implying there’s something provocative or “sexy” about children,” said a user in a tweet reposted by Arquette.


And fellow user Nick Bolton wrote to United, “Friendly Advice, United: No one is nearly offended by a little girl in spandex as they are by this situation.”


“Shorts are allowed but not leggings? How many men wear leggings? Mostly W&Kids wear leggings,” Arquette added.


Teigen joined in with a welcome joke. “I have flown united before with literally no pants on. Just a top as a dress. Next time I will wear only jeans and a scarf.”

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