Airport Redux: An amusing mis-gendering

[Sean]

A while back, I posted about how I had a bunch of upcoming travels and asking people how they felt about being groped by male or female TSA agents.

I am writing now to report back that after half a dozen flights (maybe more - I lost track), I have not had the "pleasure" of being groped even once.  Or being at an airport that was using the new scanner machines (machines were there - no one was using them). This week, I did have an amusing encounter with security, though.

I have been pretty obsessive about flying with multiple pieces of ID, my carry-letter, etc, because I knew I'd have to book my ticket in my female name, in case other documents didn't come through in time. So I was flying on F name, using passport as my ID, and had my M temporary (non-photo) driver license wtih me too. Also brought certified court name change with me. But forgot my carry-letter. I look far more M than F these days, thanks to an (almost) goatee and my voice is in limbo.

On my trip, I had been getting sir'ed a lot, mostly because in the region I flew to, they use sir/ma'am more than where I live & they don't see as much "alterna-" appearances in the first place, including gender bending.

Handed the agent who checks ID and tickets at security my ticket and ID (both in F name).  He starts to say to me, as I hand the documents, "Good morning, Sir!" and as he is finishing his greeting, he opens my ID and sort of...tries to hide the fact that he said Sir. I said good morning back and thanked him and took the documents. He didn't act weird or awkward or anything, but you could tell that he was catching himself from having read my correctly RIGHT and then seeing the documents, and thinking HE had misgendered ME. I felt a little bit bad for him. I didn't say anything though. Afterwards, I was kinda amused about how I was all worried that my mismatched appearance and ID would create hassles for me, and instead, it wound up being that the TSA agent acted sheepish about it, thinking he had been mistaken (when he really WAS right). 

Looking forward to getting my male photo ID to fly on any day now...

[Arch]

Heh. One benefit of having ID that does not match: occasionally you can wind up with an amusing story to tell people. All the same, I'll bet your new ID can't come soon enough.

Many years ago, at the Sav-On checkout:
Cashier: How are you today, sir?
Me: <grin> Fine, thanks.
Cashier: MA'AM! I'm so sorry!! I thought--
My partner: Don't worry, it's intentional.

And at one of our favorite gay restaurants:
Waiter: What can I get for you boys today?
My partner, to me: You've been promoted!

[insideontheoutside]

ha.

There was an era I got that a lot. Even on the phone. Like I'd call some place like the phone company or something about my bill and they would say Sir first then I'd give the name and all and they'd be all, "er ..." and then usually use ma'am the rest of the time.

The last time I flew was last summer, down to San Diego (just months before all the machines went in down there). When we were flying out of there I got stopped at the first security point (where it was just a guard sitting behind a podium that checks your ticket and ID). My other half went by first so it was just me stuck there and the guy looked at my ID ... looked at me ... looked at ID .... looked at me ... meanwhile I'm going like, wtf, standing there by myself with no one else around. Finally he says to me, "you really don't look like your ID picture" and let me go.

Needless to say, when I got back home I did go to the DMV and get a new picture that did look more like me. The previous one I had short spiky brown hair and was making a stupid face (seems to be a curse whenever they click the photo I'm making some inexplicable stupid face). So at least I look like my ID now. Never mind the fact I still look more like a dude than the name or sex on my ID.