Uh Huh Her rocker and "L-Word" actress Leisha Hailey and her girlfriend, bandmate Camila Grey, are speaking out today against Southwest Airlines after the couple were asked to leave their flight in El Paso bound for Los Angeles because they shared what the rockers say was a simple kiss.In a statement released today, Hailey and Grey describe the moment of affection as a "modest kiss" and that in no way were the couple "making out or creating any kind of spectacle."
Hailey and Grey label Southwest's actions as "homophobia,' adding: "No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn't make it any less loud. You can't whisper hate."
Southwest contends that the couple were approached by a member of the flight crew based on multiple complaints from other passengers alleging the couple's behavior was "excessive." (Clearly none of those complaining passengers have witnessed the excessive douchebaggery aboard a SWA flgiht from Burbank to Vegas, just sayin'...)
Hailey and Grey, however, are not offering an apology to Southwest, and instead say they are looking to file a formal complaint against the carrier that dubs themselves "the LUV airline."
Below is the text in full of Hailey and Grey's statement:
We have always promoted tolerance, openness and equality both as a band and as individuals. We both come from loving homes where our parents not only love and accept us, but are also proud of who we are. We believe everyone has the right to live openly in this society as equals. In no way were our actions on Southwest Airlines excessive, inappropriate or vulgar. We want to make it clear we were not making out or creating any kind of spectacle of ourselves, it was one, modest kiss. We are responsible adult women who walk through the world with dignity. We were simply being affectionate like any normal couple. We were on the airplane less than 5 minutes when all was said and done. We take full responsibility for getting verbally upset with the flight attendant after being told it was a "family airline." We were never told the reason the flight attendant approached us, we were only scolded that we "needed to be aware that Southwest Airlines was a family oriented airline." No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn't make it any less loud. You can't whisper hate. We ask this airline to teach their employees to not discriminate against any couple, ever, regardless of their own beliefs. We want to live in a society where if your loved one leans over to give you an innocent kiss on an airplane it's not labeled as "excessive or not family oriented" by a corporation and it's employees. We find it very disturbing that the same airline who lauds itself as being LGBT friendly has twisted an upsetting incident that happened into our behavior being "too excessive." The above is not an apology and we are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the airline. We hope that when all is said and done a greater tolerance without prejudice will evolve.
