Another day, another misogynistic display. An exchange between an American Republican Senator and a female airplane pilot went viral after the politician mistakenly referred to her as a stewardess during a state amendment hearing. The exchange ignited widespread discussion about gender bias in the workplace.
During an amendment hearing on Minnesota state's sick and safe time law, which requires employers to provide employees with a certain amount of paid time off for illness, Laura Haynor introduced herself as a "Minnesota resident and a Minneapolis-based pilot for Delta Airlines."
Highlights
- A Republican Senator mistakenly called a female pilot a "stewardess", sparking gender bias discussions.
- Laura Haynor introduced herself as a pilot for Delta and corrected the senator's "stewardess" mistake.
- Women shared empathetic reactions to the incident, highlighting widespread professional gender bias.
A few seconds after Laura shared her professional title, Minnesota Republican Senator Gene Dornink asked: "Can you tell me what a typical week, uh, workweek looks like for you as a stewardess?"
Minnesota Republican Senator Gene Dornink referred to Laura Haynor as a "stewardess" after she said she was a pilot for Delta
The outdated term "stewardess" refers to a flight attendant, a member of the cabin crew responsible for ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers during a flight.
Needless to say, a flight attendant isn’t the same as a pilot, who is a trained aviator responsible for operating and navigating an aircraft.
According to clips that have been shared of the uncomfortable moment, several murmurs could be heard immediately from the crowd as Gene was reminded by onlookers that Laura is a pilot, not a “stewardess,” as per Buzzfeed.
Viral videos showed Laura clarifying: "I'm a first officer for Delta."
Viral videos showed the senator laughing, seemingly not understanding that he had been corrected before Laura clarified: "I'm a first officer for Delta."
At this point, Gene was seen throwing his hands up and apologizing, admitting: "I don't know why I said that."
A video of the incident was shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), which has racked up nearly 10 million views since it was uploaded on March 14.
Many people reacted on social media to the hearing, which quickly became viral on X
People quickly flooded the post with comments from women, especially from those who have experienced having their profession and achievements dismissed by men and could empathize with the situation.
A recent study found that almost 90 percent of women surveyed experienced “tall poppy syndrome” in the workplace. Tall poppy syndrome describes when people are attacked, resented, or “cut down” because of their success and achievements, CTV News reported last year.
A flight attendant isn’t the same as a pilot, who is a trained aviator responsible for operating and navigating an aircraft
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) March 14, 2024
The global survey by Women of Influence+ asked 4,710 women in workplaces around the world about their experiences and the effects.
It subsequently found that 77 percent of respondents had their achievements downplayed, 72 percent were left out of meetings and discussions or were ignored, and 66 percent said others took credit for their work.
The controversial hearing continued to ignite heated debates
