How to survive the new TSA regulations

[mavrikcms12]

I am flying across country in just a few months with my fiance. The more and more I read about the TSA's new regulations and procedures, particularly the pat downs and full body scans, the more concerned I get about my safety and the safety of all other transgender flyers. I am wondering if any of you have flown recently and been subject to these procedures. I am curious to know how to survive the pat down wearing my "groin area prosthetic".

Any help or suggestions would be greatly, greatly appreciated! I'd like to avoid any harassment and/or discrimination.

[kate durcal]

Nothing happens I went through the scanner and the patting, no even a question. Sometimes they call me sir, sometime ma'am. I do not care and take no offense. I was prepared to say I am a TS, and to have a private screening if requested.

[Ann Onymous]

I fly on a very regular basis (enough to be concerned about the increased radiation exposure).  Being post-op, the pat search is not a concern in a manner that it is for the pre-op.  It DOES concern me on Constitutional grounds but that is for another board that I frequent.

There are ways at some airports to mitigate the concerns.  A lot of airports are still using the good-old-fashioned walk-through metal detectors and will also use them at the same time as scanner lines.  Where such an option exists, a little bit of paying attention allows for self-selection. 

If one is left with only the scope or grope option, be aware that anyone with a prosthetic type device that is scoped will also likely be groped.  The groping is supposed to be done by a screener of the same gender as the passenger has presented as (yes, the TSA has incorporated this into their policies).  However, it is not at all uncommon for them to claim they don't have someone available (more frequent for the female pax who has to be patted since there tends to be a bunch of male smurfs standing around doing nothing) which can then lead to the whole 'do you want to fly today' nonsense as a means of intimidating the pax. 

If you elect for the private screening, remember that you are permitted to have a witness of YOUR choosing in the screening room. 

There are a lot of issues related to security theatre that are discussed on some of the frequent flyer websites.  The abuses and manner of targeting are also discussed at great length.   

[lisagurl]

Take the Train. If people refuse to fly they will stop violating your rights. This search is a clear violations of what it means to be an American.

[JessicaR]

  I flew several times during early transition when my ID still had my former name and an "M." That was 2 years ago and  before the body scanner hubub but I have to say that, after outing myself to TSA agents at least 10 times over the year, not once did I ever have a problem.

   Having said that, I'm also concerned about the new procedures because I'm flying to Thailand next month. I've been looking at images of what the agents in the back room see and reading about people's experiences.... here are my thoughts:

  --The body scanners are designed to show any contrast between your body and anything else that's there. Breast prostheses and packers will probably show. It might be prudent to put either of these in a carry-on just for the TSA screening line... Being trans, we're nervous enough about someone seeing through our clothes; why not reduce the stress.... just for a few minutes.... so we can get on our way? An agent is going to see you, effectively naked, for less than 30 seconds.... then move on to the next few hundred people they'll see the same way... Is that really that big of a deal?

  --If the scanner freaks you out, just opt for the pat-down... a prosthetic probably isn't going to alert an agent as much as a scan would

  --The moment an agent notices an anomaly, tell them that you're transgender in a matter-of-fact way. It would be helpful to have a letter from a therapist of doctor explaining that you're undergoing gender transition.  Agents are trained to alert when they sense someone is being deceptive. Being open and honest will get you through the process much more quickly than withholding information.

  Before anyone starts freaking out about rights and invasion of privacy and such, please consider: What would prevent someone from forming plastic explosives into the form of a packer or other prosthetic in order to get them through a screening? I, personally, feel safer on a 29 hour flight to Southeast Asia, knowing that everyone on the plane aircraft has been screened the same way as I was. Flying is not public transportation and not a "right"... These days, if you want to board an airplane you should be prepared to completely explain yourself.. by doing so you're helping to keep everyone safe.

  I'm planning on going through the body scanner. My ID and passport both state "F" but if the agent sees what I'm tucking I plan on being up front. I'll be carrying my doctor's letter just in case.

   I just don't get how this is a violation of rights... An aircraft can be used as a weapon of mass destruction!  I just don't agree with anyone who states that we shouldn't use whatever means is necessary to screen passengers for threats. TSA screening takes minutes.. Is it really that big of a deal?

[tekla]

Every time some TSA agent touches some guys balls, or a girl gets her breast felt up or a child is physically searched Ossma bin Laden laughs his ass off.  If he wanted to ruin American freedoms, he did a very good job.  Anyone who would trade freedom for security deserves (and will get) neither.

[Ann Onymous]

    I just don't get how this is a violation of rights... An aircraft can be used as a weapon of mass destruction!  I just don't agree with anyone who states that we shouldn't use whatever means is necessary to screen passengers for threats. TSA screening takes minutes.. Is it really that big of a deal?

If you knew what a joke the on-ground security (ie. cargo) was, it might make more sense.  If you realized that 9/11 took place using instruments that were allowed to be carried on, it might make more sense.  If you realized that when I go out to fly a single or twin, I park my car, go straight out to the tarmac, grab the checklist and do my pre-flight and then taxi to the active as directed by ground without having EVER had to deal with the smurfs, it might make more sense. 

Oh yeah, and what happens at the airport goes far beyond what law enforcement is permitted to do without a reasonable suspicion that contraband exists. 

However, I will bite my tongue at this point lest it drift further towards the realm politic. 

[Annah]

I am against the pat downs. I find them to be a violation so I take the train now.

Im not going to go through all of that

[Robert Scott]

I recently flew to Ireland and back from Minnesota in the USA.   I didn't have any problems.  I also flew from Ireland to England and back and no problems.  It's random who is patted down -- I saw a 10 years old girl get patted down.  It seemed okay.  I think the images you have seen are the exception and not the general rule.  I wouldn't worry about it too much.

[Robert Scott]

Patting down a child is NOT okay. It is sick and there is no logic behind it. It makes me sick that people can just let it go.

Ya but there are sick individuals who use children to sneak things on or plant bombs on them.  The mother was standing next to her and they only lightly touched her arms and smoothed down her legs below the knees.  The mother was allowed to stand with her the whole time.  If a child has to be patted down - which TSA said they will continue to do -- then the way they did it wasn't horrible.

[Cyndigurl45]

When I fly, walk, live do anything that involves public interaction I have a carry letter from my therapist. It explains my diagnosis and how during the course of my treatment (RLT) I will present myself in a feminine fashion.

When I fly especially I find skirts are most comfortable, I have had the "pat down" by other female TSA agents (the skirt helped put me in the female room) and have only showed my letter twice, both times without much issue other then a brow raising.

They are there to do a job and nothing else.

[heatherrose]

The one time that I have flown since I started my transition was in '06.
I flew from Phoenix to Detroit (and boy did my arms get tired).
I did not have a problem with the TSA, they were professional and courteous
(while violating my fourth amendment rights).
My problem was with the male Southwest Airlines ticket agent, at Phoenix International Airport,
who after handing me my ticket shouted, not to me but to the hundreds of poeple in the terminal,
"Have a nice flight, Mr. [my last name].

[ToriJo]

The TSA agents see hundreds of thousands of people each in a year.  They've seen it all already.

People who have a lot of exposure to differences tend to react much better to those differences (I say this as someone with disabilities - I've never had a TSA agent not "get" my disability or react in anything other than a professional way - and I've flown a lot, all over Europe and the US).  They realize that not everyone fits the stereotypes.  And the people who see different kinds of people all day long are a lot less likely to confuse "different" with terrorist than the average person would be.  They know you aren't who they are trying to stop.

I'm sure there are lousy TSA employees.  But odds are good you'll just have to deal with people who just want to get home in time for dinner and don't like being there any more than you do.

You can ask for a private screening if you want.  Just make sure you get there early enough to spend some time in security if you might want to go that route.  I'd also advise against putting anything in carry-on luggage that you wouldn't want to be seen by other passengers, in case they do a bag search.  I'll caution that they don't know what a smooth medical dilator is, and will ask questions (a sex toy would not get the questions!).  They will also search your carry on, but that's *usually* done out of sight.  Just be confident, walk into the situation as the person you are, and don't be apologetic about it.  You don't need to explain to random people, unless you'll be more comfortable that way.  By showing confidence and being matter-of-fact about who you are, you set the expectation that you aren't someone to question about who they are.  That said, I'd probably suggest - albeit as someone who has cis-privilege - that if you are asked questions, give a short, truthful answer or ask to talk in private.  If you hesitate or waffle on the questions, that invites more questions.

If you do fly, though, make sure your identification that you use to fly matches the gender you use when you purchase your ticket.  They are required to verify a match.  If you have IDs that disagree with each other, pick the one you want, so long as it meets TSA's requirements, and don't mention anything else.

[Luc]

If you knew what a joke the on-ground security (ie. cargo) was, it might make more sense. 

I saw an MSNBC documentary last year on American Airlines in which a representative for the airline admitted only 10% of all cargo transported by the airlines was actually inspected. You could be riding with a bomb, drugs, weaponry, etc, at any time and have no idea.

So, really... if I know that, I'm sure plenty of would-be nogoodniks know it as well. Would you rather be on a plane with someone who might have a tiny bomb in his/her pocket, or a "weapon of mass destruction" in the cargo hold?

Personal searches, imo, are just another way of stripping us of our right to privacy.

[Ann Onymous]

I saw an MSNBC documentary last year on American Airlines in which a representative for the airline admitted only 10% of all cargo transported by the airlines was actually inspected. You could be riding with a bomb, drugs, weaponry, etc, at any time and have no idea.

So, really... if I know that, I'm sure plenty of would-be nogoodniks know it as well. Would you rather be on a plane with someone who might have a tiny bomb in his/her pocket, or a "weapon of mass destruction" in the cargo hold?

Personal searches, imo, are just another way of stripping us of our right to privacy.

Most people have NO clue how UN-secure the underbelly of the airport operations really are.  They also have no clue about what one can do from the general aviation side of things if a person really wanted to be nefarious in their actions...

People also forget that the TSA has YET to detect or apprehend anyone with terroristic intentions...catch some peeps with dope or worse, a snow globe, and yeah, they have some numbers.  But people also forget that 9/11 took place using instruments that were NOT prohibited as carry-on items on that fateful day...

If people really want to look at some of what is going on related to TSA, take a look at the Travel Safety and Security section over at Flyer Talk.  Also found there will be discussions of what each airport is running as a mode of security at the present time...

[tekla]

You could be riding with a bomb, drugs, weaponry, etc, at any time and have no idea.

Well bombs doubtful, weapons yes (and what's it matter if they are in the hold?) and drugs for sure, though most are transported by truck like everything else people buy in the US - but if you're on a plane in the US it's a good bet that at least one of your fellow passengers packed a gun, and a few others have some contraband on them.  The odds are over 90% that if you have any large bills on you, $50s, $100s, that they will test positive for drugs, so for sure the plane you're on has some.

It's security theatre, it's not really security but it looks a lot like it.  Most people have NO clue, well you could have stopped there pretty much.  But what they have no idea what's its like is what is required for real security, and even more-so, they sure are not going to want to PAY for what real security would cost (money and freedom, but mostly it would be the cost that gets them upset).  I watch ships come and go from the Bay all the time, HUGE SHIPS (really, if you're landlocked, it's hard to imagine how large the super-tankers and huge containerized cargo and cruise ships really are) and they are not inspected before coming into the Bay,  Then they are parked right downtown, or at a major port, or at an oil refinery.

[jessman3]

to those of you taking the train now instead - TSA now has mobile groping units ('cause I'm sure thats what they call 'em lol) that arrive randomly at train, bus, subway and stations; basically any mode of mass transportation. Now, they can violate people on the run.  just sayin'.

[straightedgechris]

I had a very, um, intimate pat-down (which is not patting at all, but rather a sliding of the hands) in the Fort Lauderdale airport a couple months ago. The guy referred to me as "sir" but I wasn't wearing my packer; ugh. His hand definitely touched my vag.

Soooo yeah that was nervewracking.

While I understand some folks are going to carry weapons in their skivvies, I am pretty freaked out about these pat-downs (feel-ups) not just for us trans folks, but for everyone;  I recently read something a woman posted telling how not only was she felt up, but her child as well.

Not everyone responds well to being touched in this way; rape & abuse survivors, etc. I know some people say, "well then don't fly!" but this sort of "security" measure is being implemented on other forms of public transportation as well.

The little bit of privacy we still have is disappearing! F*** Government.

[tekla]

Ya but there are sick individuals who use children to sneak things on or plant bombs on them.

Ya know, if that is true (and it is in some places, but we're not the Middle East) and I guess it is, though I can't seem to dig up a single incident of a child being found caring high explosives onto an airplane.  Anyway, IF it's true, then...too bad.  There is some risk in life.  And there are other lines that shouldn't be crossed.  If the world seems a bit more riskier and dangerous because of that (and I assure you it's not, you're the number one safest person in the entire history of safe people) then we all will have to live with it.  And maybe work toward a solution to the problem that causes this crap to happen in the first place.

I haven't been patted down yet, but I hope to be sporting a hard as steel and still getting harder boner when they touch me there.  And his daughters panties.

[Taka]

in norway they will now pick out 1 out of 10 for a random pat-down. which means i've been picked 2 out of 2 times that i've flown. wasn't unpleasant for me, i don't care much as long as they don't grope my breasts. but the whole security thing is seriously just a bad joke. they're terrified of a bottle which obviously only contains coke, while they allow on lots of other things that can be really dangerous if the user has some imagination