Airlines asking men to move seats because they might be molesters

[Bazaalmon]

Wow, as if flying wasn't miserable enough, now we all have to be looking out for Creepy Uncle Touchy?
I've flown as an unaccompanied minor back in the day, and they put me right up at the front of the plane, as close to that flight-attendant seat as you can get, so they could keep an eye on me. I thought it was standard practice to place unaccompanied kids where the flight attendants could be close by. If the parent is on the plane, they should be sitting next to the kid, but that's just common sense.
Also, how is some pedophile going to get his jollies off if they can barely move, what with being crammed in those planes like sardines in a can?

 

[Something Amyss]

You know what? Most Muslims aren't terrorists, but most airline terrorists are Muslim. It only makes sense that Muslims should be kept as far away from the cockpit as possible. If they're sitting up front, just ask them to move.

So what if a few Muslims are humiliated? It's nothing compared to what the victims of 9/11 felt.

I'd be interested in seeing how you'd separate out the Muslims, since "Muslim" is not something you can always identify. Did he mean (and by extend, do you mean) coloured people? Since things start to break down there....

Feminists tend to be a rather hypocritical bunch

lol no.

I would sue the fuck out of that airline, sexual discrimination is bad for business.

Of course, you forget the "Please think of the children!" card, which will likely lead to any such lawsuit being a waste of time.

Anyway, on the topic, I'm going to ask the same specious crap that gets asked to women and minorities when the discrimination hits them: If you don't like it, why don't you just not fly on those airlines? Vote with your wallet! Other specious status quo stuff because it doesn't affect/offend me!

 

[Jeronus]

I'd like to see evidence of child molestation occurring on planes before I make a judgment. If there is data that suggests that a child could be molested on a plane and get away with it and that most of, if not all, the incidents involve a male perpetrator, I would happily support this kind of rule. If you have facts to suggest a pattern or high likelihood, it's not discrimination. If you're going on unproven opinions and personal bias, that's an entirely different case.

 

[Section Crow]

okay the concept is fine, as i wouldn't want to sit next to a loud-mouthed brat as most children are.

The principle annoys me though, i know it's just for safety but seriously it's not hard to be offended by people instantly condemning you to be a child molester. Oh, and if the parents were any good, they would sit next to the stranger instead of putting the child in that position.

 

[Muspelheim]

The problem isn't the fact that we've all agreed on portraying the typical child molester as an easily identifiable complete stranger as opposed to the usual case; someone close to the family and related in some way to the child? No, it's those goshdarn feminists again.

Although I agree, it is very unfair and rather sexist, the problem could have been solved by either a better policy from the start by the airline or some basic civility. "It's policy, Sir, I'm very sorry. Thank you for cooperating", or somesuch. Anything to make sure it's simply policy, and not a case of personal profiling.

But the core problem in my opinion is that we've pretty much agreed on a boogeyman child molester image, some easy to spot weirdo stalking the playgrounds, because it's easier to deal with than suspecting old Uncle Louie, amongst other uncomfortable facts.

 

[Xanadu84]

Soooo...do a lot of instances of child molestation on airplanes happen in the passenger area, in front of all the other passengers?

I was seriously weighing the importance of protecting a child from even a potential molester, but really, there is no reasonable way to expect this sort of policy to protect any child, even if we do happen to move an honest to god molester away from a child. A molester isn't going to molest a child in a big public seating area. He is going to do it in the bathroom, a side room, or probably, realistically, in the airport when they get off the plane. How does this policy protect anyone?

Also, i understand when people are just doing their job, even if the rule is kinda stupid, but this attendant, if she had any decency, would have asked this man to move with an endless supply of embarrassment, hand wringing, and apologies. That I could understand. Not even an apology is just asanine.

 

[Asita]

Oh fuck off! If we're putting it into potential possibilities then anyone can be a molester!
You see that person walking down the street? MOLESTER
Your neighbor? MOLESTER
Your girlfriend? MOLESTER
You? MOLESTER
Nothing is safe! Anyone could rape you at any time! Don't go outside! TRUST NOBODY!

Wasn't that a South Park episode? Clearly we need to emulate it and send all the children away for fear that we shall do them harm!

 

[Panzer_God]

Parents are overprotective to the point of lunacy, companies insult people because they're too afraid of lawsuits to be reasonable and feminists are proud of their 'victory' over the impudent pig-like men who have oppressed them. I fail to see anything good or surprising here.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

(nested quote of an outside comment here, not a direct quote)

Most men aren't child molesters, but most child molesters are men. That's just a fact and whatever humiliation an adult male may feel by being asked to switch seats pales in comparison to the trauma child abuse victims face.

Most women aren't castrators, but most castrators are women. That's just a fact and whatever humiliation an adult woman may feel by being asked to switch seats away from a little boy pales in comparison to the trauma castration victims face.

Have I made this sound stupid enough yet? I'm not sure how much higher I can raise this bar.

 

[CrystalShadow]

First of all, I've never read an article from somebody on the Jezebel team that I didn't see at least one enormous problem with.

Specific to this article:
- Definitely sexism; women are also capable of being child molesters, and it's absurd paranoia to assume any man traveling alone is a pedophile.

Yeah, I agree there. The first, and most basic problem here, is how do you know the woman you just put next to the child isn't a child molester?
Less likely statistically, but it does happen.

And how do you decide who is or isn't a child molester anyway? Or... What exactly do you expect a person to do in a crowded plane with people all around them?

This can't possibly be a meaningful issue unless the plane is full to capacity, otherwise you could just make sure the child is sat by themself. So there's an empty seat (or maybe two, depending on the design of the plane) next to them? So what?

Unless the plane is full, why have anyone there at all?

- I've never understood why unaccompanied children are on commercial flights. There must be a thousand circumstances that I'm not thinking through, but if you're worried a stranger is going to make a pass at your kid, why put them on the plane? I also resent it a little when parents expect the employee of any place they bring their children to be their babysitter; in this case, air hosts/hostesses.

Having been one of those unaccompanied kids, I can tell you there's reasons.
For instance, my parents were separated, and lived more than 6000 km apart.

Being able to get an unaccompanied flight, meant my mother could put me on a plane at the airport, and my dad could pick me up at the other end.
You might ask why one of them couldn't come along, but basically you're asking why they wouldn't have either the ability to stay in another city for close to a month, and pay for coming with me, or why they wouldn't be able to take a few days off and pay for the equivalent of 6 flights instead of 2...

Parental responsibility is one thing, but that's taking things to a new extreme.

Anyway, my parents were never that paranoid. It probably would never have occurred to them to worry about this kind of thing. Then again, I walked to the corner shop, and went to and from school alone at a young age too. Something modern parents/society seem to think is some kind of huge level of criminal neglect or something.
Nothing ever happened. Hell, the most disturbing things I've ever had happen to me as a child have in many cases happened when my parents were present, or very close by.

This story is reflective of paranoia more than reality.

I've also been sat next to an unaccompanied girl of about 10 to 12 or so when I was about 20... Wasn't a big deal. (I guess they might have put me there deliberately even, thinking about it... But still)
I let her borrow my gameboy, and we talked a bit. No big deal.
In any event, it didn't seem like it was considered a problem in any way. (Nor was the child being annoying, which is another common issue people seem to feel the need to mention about children on planes...)

- A "kids only" section of the plane is a horrible idea. Seriously. One or two children with their parents are unruly on a plane, and you want to put all of them next to each other? Not in this lifetime.

[/quote]

I have to say that's not necessarily true. Unless you're really sensitive, children aren't that annoying, and the ones that are are usually very young.

Keep in mind unaccompanied children in my experience tend to be in the 8-14 year age range, rather than really young.
There's a big difference between a small child and an older one most of the time.

Aside from which, even if you did put all the kids in one place, this would make the rest of the plane quieter. Unless you're sat near it, or personally have to look after it, it's not much of an issue.

Incidentally, it's not just planes that allow this.

Consider this promotional video from the german railways: (DB)


It's aimed at children, and it's in german, but it's basically a story about two children taking a train by themselves.

It also shows why; (and similar to my own experiences, it's because they were visiting relatives; the girl and boy in this story were dropped off by their grandparents, and picked up at the other end by their parents. - a fairly simple idea that saves a lot of hassle, but does rely on the staff to keep an eye out a long the way.)

 

[Darkmantle]

What? Men don't face discrimination!! It's impossible for men in this society to be discriminated against! PATRIARCHY!!!!!!

/mocking

Sigh, unfortunate effects of portraying every woman as a victim, and every man an aggressor. We reap what we sow.

 

[Padwolf]

This is over protectiveness to a level of sheer lunacy. This is discrimination against men who have not done anything wrong. Women can be child molesters too!

 

[FalloutJack]

Just explain to the airline people "I LIKE WOMEN MY AGE!" and they should immediately leave you the hell alone.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

Wait...why the fuck wasn't the minor with a parent/guardian?

That's what I was wondering, but according to someone I knew its fairly common in Amerika.

 

[teqrevisited]

Well it wouldn't be pretty. Being accused of something that I haven't done yields a similar result to someone approaching a gorilla, twisting its nipples and kicking it firmly in its monkey nuts.

I'd refuse to move unless they offered an upgrade, an apology and free food & drink.

 

[Dags90]

(like dude I was talking to yesterday who doesn't like male nursery nurses)

No male nursery nurses? Why not? Is baby rape really that big of a problem? Is he going to eat the baby? I'm seriously confused.

 

[thesilentman]

Multiple airlines reserve the right to force any man sitting next to an unaccompanied minor to switch seats with a woman. They say the policy is due to "parental concerns," but it's probably mostly due to the airline companies wanting to cover their asses; parents have sued airlines over child molestation incidents in the past.

The most recent case took place on Qantas Airlines, when a flight attendant asked a 31-year-old male nurse sitting next to a 10-year-old girl to switch seats with a woman on the opposite side of the aisle. The nurse said he was "humiliated" by the switch. "After the plane had taken off, the air hostess thanked the woman that had moved but not me, which kind of hurt me or pissed me off a bit more because it appeared I was in the wrong, because it seemed I had this sign I couldn't see above my head that said 'child molester' or 'kiddie fiddler' whereas she did the gracious thing and moved to protect the greater good of the child," he told The Age.

http://jezebel.com/5934753/should-airlines-be-allowed-to-forbid-men-from-sitting-next-to-unaccompanied-minors

Jez is typically a very feminist site and never tolerates discrimination against women. But suddenly many of their comments are ironically cheering on the very discrimination they rally against. Comments like;

Most men aren't child molesters, but most child molesters are men. That's just a fact and whatever humiliation an adult male may feel by being asked to switch seats pales in comparison to the trauma child abuse victims face.

So what is your take on the airlines issues? Here's mine, quoted from someone who pretty much said exactly what I would've.

You know what? Most Muslims aren't terrorists, but most airline terrorists are Muslim. It only makes sense that Muslims should be kept as far away from the cockpit as possible. If they're sitting up front, just ask them to move.

So what if a few Muslims are humiliated? It's nothing compared to what the victims of 9/11 felt.

Any discrimination should not be tolerated, it's not magically okay since it happens to men less.

Fuck them. Does this mean that every time I've accidentally looked funny at a person of the other gender, I want stick my penis in their anus? No, cause I got standards. Even then, this just irks me. I'm no feminist (hate'em with a passion), but what the hell have airlines been smoking? Molesting someone in a public place is going to get you in trouble true, but sitting next to a woman is going to mark me as a molester? I hope they realize that women molest males, it's not one sided.

I can't even properly articulate this, THAT'S how fucking angry I am. Good, now calm thyself and meditate. I'll be fine

FYI, I'm an Asian (Indian really) teenager who looks a good 5 years older than he is. So now people are going to discriminate based on the fact that I have a Y chromosome. What's next, discriminating by my genetic characteristics?