Ray Howard: Alaska woman claims she was kicked off plane for being 'fat and tattooed'
A plus-size stylist from Fairbanks, Alaska, has shared in a TikTok video that she was harassed and kicked off a flight for being a "fat, tattooed, mixed-race woman". Ray Lin Howard, 33, alleged that she was booted from the flight as her "stomach was showing" while seated. The shocking incident reportedly happened aboard Alaska Airlines on Friday, September 3, 2021. Howard recounted her ordeal in a recent TikTok video posted via her account 'Fat Trophy Wife' which has garnered more than 1.3 million views.
While flying, she was reportedly wearing biker shorts and a crop top that showed her midriff. The staff on the Alaska Airlines flight allegedly harassed her about the attire, before she was escorted away by airport police officers, as seen in her video. "I was harassed about my outfit — I put my shirt back on. They asked me to put my shirt back on. [So] I put my shirt back on, and then they approached me again, saying that I can’t wear this, my stomach is showing — and it’s inappropriate," she said.
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The airline officials further heckled her, insisting that she covered up. Howard claims that she did put on a leopard print shirt but that did not suffice for the officials. She also informed them that she was wearing a sports bra underneath, even flashing the same to prove herself. Eventually, they called the cops after she was approached the third time for her outfit. "If you’re going to kick me off, kick me off. I’ve done what you asked me to do, I want you to leave me alone," Howard told them in the end.
She also questioned the officer about her fault and pleaded to let her go as she was due to perform at a show. The officer even assured that the aspiring musical artist did not commit any offenses. Nevertheless, Howard was barred from flying primarily for her attire.
“I felt like I was being discriminated against for being a fat, tattooed, mixed-race woman, which in turn left me full of emotions like anger, disappointment, helplessness, humiliation and confusion,” she told in the TikTok video.
In another follow-up video, Ray Lin Howard modelled her outfit from the flight to prove to her viewers that she was indeed discriminated against unfairly. She reflected on her struggles and said, "Throughout my life as a fat person, I’ve had to deal with fatphobia, especially growing up in the Midwest — but not to this degree." One of her Instagram followers commented that they were on the same flight and could only hear the flight attendant's "raised voice" towards Howard.
Meanwhile, Alaska Airlines did not reveal details about the alleged incident and stated, “We’re in contact with the guest. We’re committed to finding out what happened and taking the appropriate actions. It’s our goal to provide caring service to all of our guests. When we don’t live up to that goal, we do everything we can to make it right.”
Around a month ago, TikToker Sierra Steadman also accused Alaska Airlines staff of harassing her about her attire. She even claimed that they slut-shamed her for wearing a crop top with shorts on the flight.