[source:tiktok]

A brave black woman called out the man sitting next to her on a four-hour flight after spotting his racist and homophobic texts.

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but I decided I want you to feel as uncomfortable as I do, and I want you to know that I saw your text messages and I think you’re disgusting,” she said in the now-viral TikTok video.

Without identifying the airline flying from Puerto Rico to Atlanta, the date of the flight or the passenger (class act), Taila Rouse, who goes by taila.thecreator on TikTok, documented her incredibly uncomfortable in-flight experience.

The silly man next to her may not have said anything directly to Talia, but his mind was obviously teeming with bigoted thoughts as he sat next to her, pointing to how normalised racism exists in everyday life.

@taila.thecreator Sitting next to a racist on my four hour flight from Puerto Rico to Atlanta this week. Yes I could’ve minded my own business, but why should I let him slide? I happened to glance over and see the words “big black woman” so I continued reading. He and his family went on and on about the woes of being stuck sitting next to Black and gay people. Then I see this man say he hopes airlines continue to raise prices so these people get weeded out. If you’re gonna be bold enough to pull your phone out in the middle seat of an airplane and freely talk disrespectfully about Black people, then I’m going to be bold enough to say something to you. What would you have done? #traveltiktok #racistoftheday #racistencounter #airplanedrama #travelingwhileblack #blacktravelfeed ♬ original sound – Taila • Travel Tips

Talia said she “happened to glance over” at the other passenger’s phone, and saw the words “big black woman” being texted, which encouraged her to continue reading, Newsweek reported:

“Yes I could’ve minded my own business, but why should I let him slide,” she questioned in the viral TikTok that amassed more than 13 million views as of Sunday night, just one day after being shared. In the post, which also garnered nearly three million likes and roughly 60,000 comments, Taila Rouse can be heard assailing the passenger next to her in the middle seat.

Bizarrely, someone commented, “Can’t even send texts to our family about how unpleasant you people are”, to which Talia replied rather diplomatically, actually:

@taila.thecreator Replying to @TXSM9999 ♬ original sound – Taila • Travel Tips

When asked how the rest of the flight went after she confronted the man for his terrible text message thread, she said he did not move seats and they were stuck sitting next to each other:

@taila.thecreator Replying to @mamamimi1976 He wouldn’t even think in my direction when the plane landed. #racistsinthewild #airplaneencounters #blacktravelers #embarrassed ♬ original sound – Taila • Travel Tips

It is not clear if she filed a formal complaint with the airline or FAA, but she damn well should have.

[source:newsweek]