Berkeley's Head Basketball Coach Says She Was Questioned About Her Biracial Son by Southwest Agent
The head coach for the women's basketball team at University of California, Berkeley claims she was asked for proof that her biracial baby belonged to her.
"I'm appalled that after approx 50 times flying with my 1 year old son, ticket counter personnel told me I had to 'prove' that he was my son, despite having his passport," Gottlieb tweeted. "She said because we have different last name. My guess is because he has a different skin color."
The basketball coach was flying from Denver to Oakland, Calif., on Southwest Airlines when an employee asked for her son's birth certificate, then asked to see a Facebook post showing her and her child together, Gottlieb said.
@SouthwestAir I’m appalled that after approx 50 times flying with my 1 year old son, ticket counter personnel told me I had to “prove” that he was my son, despite having his passport. She said because we have different last name. My guess is because he has a different skin color.
— Lindsay Gottlieb (@CalCoachG) May 28, 2018
In a statement, Southwest said they were "looking into" Gottlieb's complaints.
"We're looking into this specific interaction and we have engaged with the customer directly to address her concerns," the airline said. "Our employees are well regarded for their Hospitality and we always strive for the best experience for anyone who entrusts us with their travel."
The coach called the Monday incident "demeaning and insensitive" and said she would have missed her flight if it had left on time.
“I do feel like as a white female, with a position of privilege, and a platform where someone is going to listen, it is my responsibility to say, 'Hey, this happened. This isn’t okay,'" Gottlieb told KPIX-TV. "And maybe somewhere down the line, that helps my son, who is biracial and will be for his entire life.
"I know people sort of experience things like this every single day, which is why I reached out to Southwest, and I said, 'Hey, this isn't OK,'" she added.
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