WestJet Captain receives passenger's sexist note

[Bede]

+1 Ahramin,

I must say I was somewhat offended at the note until I saw the (unintentional) ironic Bible reference which made me laugh.

Excerpt from the Good Book:
...worketh willingly with her hands...she bringeth her food from afar...She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household....She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard...She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness...
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=KJV

Basically, it's about a wise, entrepreneurial, working women who provides for her family.

[CpnCrunch]

Who says she went to the media? It just says she posted it on her facebook page.

[chu me]

I like the approach Doc prefers to take......just ignore the problem, then it will go away. I think we should ignore all the problems such as sexism, racism, ageism, etc. If we do this then all the dirty problems of the world will go away. Good stuff Doc!!! Why didn't they think of this during the civil rights movement.......just ignore the problem and you will get your civil rights. DO NOT...REPEAT DO NOT expose this and make other people uncomfortable. Just ignore it ! Once again well done Doc on your gem of advice.

['CauseTheCaravanCan]

"Ideologies can survive hostility, but not indifference." - Mason Cooley

wow, well said BTyyj
I feel like there is a whole lot of indifference here.

Listen UP guys (and gals...if any)! I'm speaking to the "WHO CARES!!!" Posters. I'm sure you're eye rolling because it's just another woman crying "SEXISM"... and that may be.
I can see how it doesn't affect you at all, so why waste adrenaline typing something up eh? (save it for the gear up landings, 'cause I know how much you get all worked up about THAT issue.)

I still feel it's important to roast this guy in the media just for being a real D.I.C.K.
Due due to the fact that Treating Each Other with Respect has begun a sharp decline, I'm afraid of where the world is going to go without public shaming for being a d-bag.
We don't want anybody getting any big ideas that this type of disrespect is the new-normal.

anyways...

Example: My neice has a very A type personality, might make a good pilot some day but she's probably too smart for that. At school, on the playground, and at home she often gets called bossy. When was the last time someone called a boy bossy? Why is leadership considered unladylike?

Mwah! That's so been me!
Hi unkie ahramin!!!!!

On a serious note.
Shout out to Kirsten B. @ The Sky's No Limit - Girls Fly Too!
sweeeeeeeeet! Love what you're doing.

K, anyone sick of winter yet?!
~so long~
'Van

[ehbuddy]

hmmmmm........lets see now.........if he was that concerned of a female flying the aircraft that would have been his first question to the Flight Attendant as he entered the aircraft who was probably a female...........or the gate agent.............or the CATSA employee........the CSR at the ticket counter.............the gal at Tim Hortons.........etc etc.

My guess he just wanted to see how far his little note would go and it went viral so it worked for him. I am surprised Wolf Blitzer does not have 24 hour news coverage on it.

[MacStork]

This has to be one of the dumbest posts that I have seen on Avcanada for quite some time. Personally ..... I think some dumb ass with a lot of time on his/her hands is still laughing about all comments from the shit storm that was created. This should be put in the same category as Rob Ford. Why are we subjecting our collective intelligence on such bullshit people??? We are so much better than that.

[crazy_aviator]

Just as racism and sexism is alive and well in Canada,, SO IS Favoritism!
Putting people into jobs they are not equipped for to satisfy a quota is foolishness.
Positions of employment and advancement should be based upon performance, ability and a good fit, regardless of race, sex or beliefs etc !

[Stu Pidasso]

Captain Two Names should turn the sensitivity knob down a bit. Some illiterate clown leaves a note, toss it in the trash where it belongs.

Or is it really....all about ME?

[Sleeve of Wizard]

Just as racism and sexism is alive and well in Canada,, SO IS Favoritism!
Putting people into jobs they are not equipped for to satisfy a quota is foolishness.
Positions of employment and advancement should be based upon performance, ability and a good fit, regardless of race, sex or beliefs etc !

Care to explain this?

[AirFrame]

Interesting rumour from the Lower Mainland this week... This "complaint" was a setup, intended to drive media coverage and highlight an event being held at the Langley (BC) airport this weekend... "The Sky's no limit - Girls fly too", targeted at all females in the area with an interest in aviation. If it is, it's worked... Every news story i've seen on the "complaint" letter has been published or aired side-by-side with coverage of the event this weekend.

http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/rsvp/langley/
https://www.facebook.com/SkysNoLimitGirlsFlyToo

Seems it would be trivial to find out if "David" exists or not, and prove one way or another if this was a hoax.

[Sleeve of Wizard]

Interesting rumour from the Lower Mainland this week... This "complaint" was a setup, intended to drive media coverage and highlight an event being held at the Langley (BC) airport this weekend... "The Sky's no limit - Girls fly too", targeted at all females in the area with an interest in aviation. If it is, it's worked... Every news story i've seen on the "complaint" letter has been published or aired side-by-side with coverage of the event this weekend.

http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/rsvp/langley/
https://www.facebook.com/SkysNoLimitGirlsFlyToo

Seems it would be trivial to find out if "David" exists or not, and prove one way or another if this was a hoax.

I knew that timing was too perfect.

[Rowdy]

I was thinking the same thing, isn't it women in aviation week?

[snoopy]

@ 'CauseTheCaravanCan.... thanks for noticing!

FYI 1353 girls and women of all ages signed up to fly so far! The entire event, including the flights for eligible girls and women (can't have flown in a small aircraft before - previous airline flights are ok) is FREE! Courtesy of local sponsors, and many people who have graciously donated their precious time, energy and resources to this awesome community event. People are coming from all over the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley to participate.

@ AirFrame .... you got me - how on earth did you figure it out? Yes I took some time out from all the free time I have while organizing the largest event of it's kind in Canadian history - in less than six weeks of lead time. I frivolously spent gobs of spare $$$ (from my lucrative career no less) hopped on a WestJet flight across Canada (and back) in order to plant a fake note with the hope that it would further advertise my event which has already received overwhelming support and coverage.

Seeing as you're in Langley you're welcome to volunteer! kirsten@girlsfly2.ca

@Rowdy it's actually Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/

Cheers,
Kirsten B.

[Bede]

Interesting rumour from the Lower Mainland this week... This "complaint" was a setup, intended to drive media coverage and highlight an event being held at the Langley (BC) airport this weekend... "The Sky's no limit - Girls fly too", targeted at all females in the area with an interest in aviation. If it is, it's worked... Every news story i've seen on the "complaint" letter has been published or aired side-by-side with coverage of the event this weekend.

http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/rsvp/langley/
https://www.facebook.com/SkysNoLimitGirlsFlyToo

Seems it would be trivial to find out if "David" exists or not, and prove one way or another if this was a hoax.

I've read plenty of rumours in the last 12 or so years that I've been on this forum. That one has to be about the dumbest one I've read so far.

[Tom H]

FYI 1353 girls and women of all ages signed up to fly so far! The entire event, including the flights for eligible girls and women (can't have flown in a small aircraft before - previous airline flights are ok) is FREE! Courtesy of local sponsors, and many people who have graciously donated their precious time, energy and resources to this awesome community event. People are coming from all over the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley to participate.


Cheers,
Kirsten B.

Thanks for doing the event Kristen!

The Alberta weather and now lack of a runway is making our event less exciting than previous years so I am glad to see that others are making great headway....

That said March 8th is Free to all Girls, Ladies, Women at the Alberta Aviation Museum as we have 5 speakers, all women and all tied to aviation presenting.

As the Dad of a 21 year old with both Glider and Advanced Ultralight licenses its great to see the effort being put into getting a whole new generation involved.

Thank you again

Tom Hinderks
Alberta Aviation Museum Association

PS

Now what can we do to get more events like this?

[altiplano]

March 8th is Free to all Girls, Ladies, Women at the Alberta Aviation Museum

I'm feeling a little disadvantaged and sensitive about this. When is the free day for guys?

[Tom H]

March 8th is Free to all Girls, Ladies, Women at the Alberta Aviation Museum

I'm feeling a little disadvantaged and sensitive about this. When is the free day for guys?

Patience, patience...we have those too and they will be coming up

Tom Hinderks
Alberta Aviation Museum

[altiplano]

March 8th is Free to all Girls, Ladies, Women at the Alberta Aviation Museum

I'm feeling a little disadvantaged and sensitive about this. When is the free day for guys?

Patience, patience...we have those too and they will be coming up

Tom Hinderks
Alberta Aviation Museum

Good as long as we're keeping everything equal. In this day and age we can tolerate no less, everything has to be down the middle or there is sure to be a Human Rights Tribunal proceeding to sort it out.

[Rowdy]

Seeing as you're in Langley you're welcome to volunteer! kirsten@girlsfly2.ca

@Rowdy it's actually Women of Aviation Worldwide Week. http://www.womenofaviationweek.org/
.

Sorry for getting that incorrect!

I've sent a couple of friends your way Always good to see new people get involved in aviation

[B52]

Yep, its a "Publicity Stunt".

She made it public, thru her face book page.
Now she will be the darling of every raging feminist around the world.

At the same time, thousands of dedicated male pilots are treated
as unfit parents because they were born with testicles.

97% of all support payers are male in Canada.
You almost never hear of a "single dad" and
in the feminist world, a full time dad is like a red rag to a bull.

This "note" was a publicity stunt.
The pilot could have done the world a favour by ignoring it.

No offence intended to the several west jet female pilots I used to fly with.

[NeverBlue]

its possible they weren't educated period.

..."its" should be spelled "it's" when using as a replacement for it is...

...just say'n

[winterwarmfront]

Reading the comments on this thread, in particular the ones that were removed, illustrates perfectly the reason why she likely chose to respond publically instead of “brushing it off”. Because it’s still an issue.

She’s a Boeing 737 Captain with 17 years of flying experience- I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that she’s been subject to more than her fair share of offensive remarks and off-colour jokes. Just a hunch. As a sweet young thing, perhaps she was able to laugh them off or ignore them like a good girl but here’s the thing about time and frequency- they make you grumpy. The whole conversation about whether or not she should have kept it to herself completely misses the point- it’s not a decision she should have had to make in the first place.

I say good on her for having the courage to out this guy and start a national conversation on the subject. And good on Westjet for backing her up. What an embarrassment that some of her fellow pilots and colleagues here on AVCANADA can’t do the same.

@ Stu Pidasso- if “Captain Two Names” was only thinking of herself, she would have thrown it in the trash instead of going public and subjecting herself to the kind of backlash witnessed here. As for the “who cares?” crowd- if you don’t care, then don’t post.

[Old fella]

Idon't know why a person(female) would post such commentary on her personal FB site........... nobody pays attention to the musings of a so-called bible thumping evangelical male, this is 2014 not the late 50’s, 60’s era that I grew up in. The opposite gender is equal in all respects, we all know that.

[complexintentions]

I'm just tired of the culture of victimhood and endless whining in the media, social or otherwise. Gender issues aside. But I suppose the public airing of slights (whether perceived, genuine, or contrived) is the new normal in the Age Of Oprah.

I don't agree with the sentiment on the napkin, but it's just silly - like the tantrum of a child or the ranting of a simpleton. You can't reason with that mentality. The correct response is to shrug and ignore it. Anything more is only giving it the credibility - through attention - that it craves.

All this captain has done is shown that such things get to her, which will only encourage more of it. Hardly a strategy of strength and inspiration, to broadcast your insecurity to the whole world. My admiration goes to the individuals that laugh in the face of those who try and put them down. Not this woman, this time. The note didn't diminish her. Posting it did.

[BTyyj]

Well said complexintentions,

Unfortunately, the individual who made this note likely got the exact response he was hoping for from his remarks.