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Black Woman Searched Over “Poofy” Hair

A woman filed a complaint against a Seattle Airport after she says she was discriminated against during a pre-flight pat down because of her “poofy” hair.

Laura Adiele, who is African American, was singled out of a security checkpoint line after passing through the Advance Imaging System and told she would need to be patted down.

“When I first heard her say, ‘We’re going to have to pat you down,’ I thought she was talking about my body. I was turning around and putting my arms out and she said, ‘no, we’re going to have to examine your hair,’ and I said, ‘no, we’re not going to do that today and you’re going to have to get security or your supervisor,’” said Adiele.

 

Adiele says she was angered further after looking in line and noticing women whose hair stuck out more than hers.

‘Why am I the only one being singled out here for poofy hair?” Adiele said.

 

Adiele eventually relented to the search and says she was notified by a supervisor that airport policy requires them to check anything that “poofs” from the body.

“It’s just totally a violation of my personal space and my biggest question is if I’m going through a full body X-ray what more do you need to find, after that? Adiele said.

 

She has since file a complaint about what she feels was a discriminatory search.

As of press time she has not received a response.