S.Africa: Will Gays please stop having Sex on the plane?

Original Post Date: 2007-02-26 Time: 00:00:00  Posted By: Jan

[When I was on a plane back from visting PW Botha last year, on the seat in front of me were two Lesbians – pretty ugly looking women I must add. Normally I don’t give a crap about a person’s sexual orientation or preferences – but you should have seen the two carrying on in the seat in front of me. These were two middle-aged adult women. I was quite shocked.

Now look at this nonsense below… hands in the other’s pants, etc.

Are these gays trying to “display love” in front of all of us?

I frankly cannot stand men kissing each other. Really. It is something I’d rather not be watching. To me its unnatural. I wish they’d keep it in their bedrooms.

Now these gays want to take the airline to court. How ridiculous. Jan]

A British businessman and his South African partner have brought sexual discrimination claims against a major airline to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) after they were ordered by an air hostess to “cover up” while on a domestic flight earlier this month.

Jamie Robertson, the managing partner of Odgers Ray & Berndtson, which is affiliated to a global recruitment firm, told The Sunday Independent on Friday he and his partner, Francois van Tonder, were on a flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg on February 11 when they were insulted by the cabin attendant over their alleged “amorous conduct”.

Jody Kollapen, the chairperson of the rights body, confirmed that the commission was investigating the incident on flight BA6410 on February 11.

“During the flight he [Van Tonder] had his head on my shoulder and I had my arm around him.

‘I certainly did not have my tongue down his throat or my hand down his pants’

“About 20 minutes before the end of the flight, one the stewardesses brought me a blanket and asked me if we would mind ‘covering ourselves up’. I was outraged and told her to go away,” Robertson said.

Robertson, who moved to Cape Town two years ago to head the South African operation of one of London’s biggest recruitment firms, said the cabin attendant said some passengers had complained that he and Van Tonder were getting “too touchy feely” and that “there are children on board”.

“I explained to her my boyfriend was upset and needed comforting. I certainly did not have my tongue down his throat or my hand down his pants. She then asked what was wrong with him at which point Francois also asked her to go away. She then offered us a drink.

“However, we do not drink alcohol. She then explained that she was ‘only the messenger’ and that we were not to express anger to her,” he said. Robertson said giving comfort and showing affection to anyone was a basic human right.

“I would have behaved and have behaved exactly the same with my brother, girlfriends, boyfriends and mother on numerous flights with you and other airlines and never been asked to ‘cover it up’.”

‘If we were heterosexual, would this have happened’

“I interact with the media, company chief executive officers, chairmen and senior politicians in South Africa and the UK. Given the level I operate on, I certainly know how to behave on a plane,” he said.

Robertson has complained in writing to Willie Marsh, the British Airways group chief executive officer, and also asked the HRC to investigate whether homosexual couples are discriminated against on British Airways Comair flights.

“We live in South Africa where we have a constitutional right to openly express ourselves regardless of our sexuality. If we were heterosexual, would this have happened?” he asked.

He said the actions of the cabin attendant showed sexual orientation discrimination was alive and openly encouraged by the airline.

“It brings into question the values, ethics and training of British Airways Comair staff. To have been treated in such a manner was disgusting. I can understand it coming from passengers but for the airline to condone it seems unacceptable,” Robertson said.

“If our behaviour was unacceptable, why only ask us to ‘cover it up’ 20 minutes before the end of the flight?”

Glenda Zvenyika, the spokesperson for Comair, said the airline was an equal opportunity, non-discriminating company and wholeheartedly supported the constitution’s Bill of Rights.

“Our cabin crew on the said flight were called upon by passengers because they were uncomfortable with the extent of Robertson and his partner’s public displays of amorous behaviour.

“Our flight report… records the turn of events and notes that the crew member who addressed the couple clearly and politely stated she was not reflecting her opinion, or that of the airline. However some passengers were uncomfortable with what was unfolding.”

Joan Cuss, the legal officer for Comair, told Robertson on Thursday that British Airways Comair customer relations department had referred the complaint to her.

Cuss said British Airways Comair would have acted similarly if Robertson’s partner had been a woman.

“Any sensual or amorous behaviour between two or more people of whatsoever gender, sexual orientation or persuasion is out of place on board our aircraft and accordingly not condoned,” she said in the letter to Robertson.

Kollapen, the chairperson of the HRC, said there cannot be different levels of public decency for some and not others. “That is at the heart of Robertson’s complaint, especially the issue of how gays and lesbians are treated by society,” he said.

Kollapen said the claims made one wonder whether the public responds in a similar manner when heterosexuals hug and kiss.

“One hopes it’s not a problem when same-sex couples do the same,” he said.

This article was originally published on page 4 of Sunday Independent on February 25, 2007

Source: Independent Online (IOL)

URL: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click…/p>

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