An academic who criticized the airline Qantas for one of its flight attendants calling her Miss instead of Doctor has ignited a heated online debate about whether the airline should be blamed.
Dr. Siobhan O’Dwyer, an Australian psychology researcher based in Exeter, UK, tweeted on Friday, Aug. 31, about the way she was addressed when boarding a flight.
She wrote, “Hey @Qantas, my name is Dr O’Dwyer. My ticket says Dr O’Dwyer. Do not look at my ticket, look at me, look back at my ticket, decide it’s a typo, and call me Miss O’Dwyer. I did not spend 8 years at university to be called Miss.”
Hey @Qantas, my name is Dr O’Dwyer. My ticket says Dr O’Dwyer. Do not look at my ticket, look at me, look back at my ticket, decide it’s a typo, and call me Miss O’Dwyer. I did not spend 8 years at university to be called Miss.
— Dr Siobhan O'Dwyer (@Siobhan_ODwyer) August 31, 2018
Her tweet received over 8,000 likes and sparked a fierce debate, with some saying O’Dwyer should “check her ego” and others expressing solidarity with her.
Twitter user Rob Hood said he supported the airline attendant: “Try saying ‘hello’ to 150-350 people in 20 mins and get all the names and titles correct. All whilst checking the flight number, departure & arrival point, date, and seat number on every boarding pass. Oh and ensuring nobody is too sick/drunk to fly. Mistakes happen. Sorry Doctor.”
Try saying ‘hello’ to 150-350 people in 20 mins and get all the names and titles correct. All whilst checking the flight number, departure & arrival point, date and seat number on every boarding pass. Oh and ensuring nobody is too sick/drunk to fly. Mistakes happen. Sorry Doctor
— Rob Hood (@kaffeinenvino) September 4, 2018
British man Tim Almond said he had two friends who were nonmedical doctors who didn’t use their titles on aircraft because they would be “asking for trouble.”
“A passenger gets stuck and they’ll ask you for help,” he tweeted.
I have two friends who are non-medical doctors. I didn't find out for years. Outside of professional conferences they don't use it.
You're asking for trouble on an aircraft. A passenger gets stuck and they'll ask you for help.
— Tim Almond (@timalmond) September 2, 2018
One person said that airlines regularly called her “wheelchair” because she was disabled.
Victoria Jones tweeted, “When I was a Miss I wasn’t called Miss, I don’t get called Mrs and I doubt I’ll ever hear Dr. I’m in a wheelchair and every airline literally calls me “wheelchair”. Like I’m an object.”
When I was a Miss I wasn’t called Miss, I don’t get called Mrs and I doubt I’ll ever hear Dr. I’m in a wheelchair and every airline literally calls me “wheelchair”. Like I’m an object.
— Victoria Jones (@VictoriaJonesSP) August 31, 2018
Many people debated the merits of being a medical doctor versus a doctor of philosophy.
One tweeted, “My PhD (that makes me a “Dr.” in Germany) took three years of full-time research, yeah. During that time, I supervised over a dozen medical doctors who got their title within three months working after hours.”
My PhD (that makes me a "Dr." in Germany) took three years of full time research, yeah. During that time, I supervised over a dozen medical doctors who got their title within three months working after hours.
— Antje (@amiasmatics) September 3, 2018
There have been almost 2,500 replies to the original tweet, prompting O’Dwyer to post a follow-up tweet saying that she was “copping so much flack” for what she wrote.
She tweeted, “This was not about my ego. It was about highlighting one of a thousand instances of sexism that women encounter every day. It’s not about the title, it’s about the fact that this wouldn’t have happened if I was a man.”
Copping so much flack for this tweet. This was not about my ego. It was about highlighting one of a thousand instances of sexism that women encounter every day. It’s not about the title, it’s about the fact that this wouldn’t have happened if I was a man. https://t.co/1XHvQIb2iZ
— Dr Siobhan O'Dwyer (@Siobhan_ODwyer) September 2, 2018
However, in a photo posted to her Instagram account—since taken private—O’Dwyer displayed a boarding card that reads “Mr Siobhan Odwyer,” leading to speculation that the attendant may have made a simple mistake when addressing her as Miss.
A Qantas representative told Daily Mail Australia, “We are extremely proud of our cabin crew who respectfully serve our customers day in and day out and play a vital safety role.”
O’Dwyer said she had turned down all requests for interviews because the response to her tweet had been so “vitriolic.”
“I don’t want to provide further opportunities for attack,” she tweeted.
Hi Jaimee, thanks for your message. I’m turning down all media invitations because the online response has been so vitriolic & I don’t want to provide further opportunities for attack. Thanks for your interest though, it’s most appreciated.
— Dr Siobhan O'Dwyer (@Siobhan_ODwyer) September 5, 2018
From The Epoch Times
