Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Have you traveled as your female self (MTF) via airlines and thus went through TSA security?  Same for pickup up of your car rental?

Was this before getting your ID documentation and sex indicator changed, or only afterward, or both?

I have, going to and from my GCS surgery.  It wasn't TSA, but the Canadian airport security is probably pretty similar.  They send you through the body scanner. 

I had heard about the scanner, and that there is a pink button and a blue button, for perceived females and perceived males, respectively.  Just as I went into the scanner for the flight to Montreal, I whispered to the guard that she should press the blue button.  I figured that I would rather have the machine register an anomaly on my top rather than my bottom if they are going to have to do a pat-down.  As it was, the machine didn't think my boobs were big enough to register as an anomaly with the blue button.  (Gee thanks, machine!)

Coming back from surgery, of course, there was no potential anomaly to worry about.  I was in a wheelchair, since I was less than a week post-op.  I had to get out of the wheelchair for the scanner.  Everyone was very considerate.

My driver's license was up to date by that time, so identification was not an issue.

I've always travelled female since transitioning, even before documentation. Fortunately my breasts are very large.However, I've not yet had the full op below so hadn't considered that issue!

No one has misgendered me thus far. In fact, airlines have been brilliant - even the Middle Eastern carriers. I think it's probably aircrew training and, let's face it, a LOT of LGBGT representation in the male cabin crew. Plus I think it's the same sort of attitude as Thailand: if you look like you want to be called female, they'll do so.

It's on the ground in the UK now that I feel greatest threat but that's a whole different story.

xx

Yes, I travel for work fairly frequently.  I've gone to Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville, Richmond, and a few other spots.  My passport and driver's license both have my correct gender and a female-presenting photo.

I have not had issues on any of these trips.  Not with TSA, not with ground transportation, not even with restrooms in the airport.  I do think that my age and presentation help--basically everyone who sees me lets me know that I look just like their old English teacher, and that's not the look that most transphobes expect to see. 🤓

Before going full time, I flew both domestically and internationally many times as my true self. All of this with my deadname and old gender maker. Never had an issue.

Ellen
 

Maybe I should have a go at just being myself with the air travel.

What do they do, toggle a male / female switch on those body scanners if at first something looks like it should not be down there?  A woman with a southern pole while carrying a small sack of nuts may arouse the inspectors.  I just am not into making explanations with so many people nearby!

Chrissy

Several times. Been selected for "random" additional screening a few times, but never had any problems.

I just say "I'm transgender" while putting my feet on the spots on the floor. They usually ask if I want to be scanned as male or female.

Being scanned as male and showing an "anomaly" up top has resulted in someone touching a bra strap on my back and then being on my merry way.

One time I was really excited about my trip and forgot to say anything. That resulted in being patted down in the downstairs area, and it was so thorough I was disappointed she didn't send me flowers. 🤣

I've been through three residency visa processes and not had a bit of trouble with any of them.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on July 12, 2026, 03:50:51 PMWhat do they do, toggle a male / female switch on those body scanners if at first something looks like it should not be down there?

It might be worth it for you to do TSA Precheck.  No body scanners, only X-ray.

I fly a couple times a year. Despite efforts to the contrary, I am typically clocked by people as male.

In the US almost everyone is scanned. I go through in clothes I know won't trigger the scanner - no metal, no zippers, think soft fabrics. 

I've been frisked physically more than ever before. Once the TSA agent touched certain parts very firmly. I felt violated. Each time their hands slide all the way up my inner thighs. 

Now if I'm flying with a friend, I ask them to video the procedure. 

I know of no recourse to this. No one challenges TSA. 

Chrissy,

Yes, the scanners have different settings for male and female. But if you are presenting as your true feminine self and the system flags something, then a female TSA agent should be doing the physical check. Even before I went full time and had GCS I was always asked if I wanted to be checked behind a screen.

You should not have any issues,

Ellen

If you look back real quick when you exit the scanner you can see if you got green check marks or red Xs for your top and bottom.

Well some people besides me just would not wish to put up with this travel situation, and just decide to avoid the potential TSA experience!


A TSA Agent Stopped Me After Seeing Something On Her Screen. Humiliated, I Was Floored By What She Said Next.

In the Huffington Post

By
Caragh Donley
Apr 28, 2026, 12:04 PM EDT

Excerpt:

" I recently flew to San Francisco for the vocal feminization surgery I wanted in order to get customer service reps to stop calling me "sir." When I got to front of the security line at Newark Airport, I walked through the TSA scanner and expected to head to my gate.

Instead, the TSA agent stopped me and asked me what I was hiding in my, um, "groin area." Apparently, as you step into their scanner, an agent pushes a button based on your perceived gender. If the agent marks you as a female and a red dot appears on their screen near your crotch, you get stopped.

The TSA agent explained she needed to pat me down to make sure I wasn't carrying anything dangerous. (This was, by the way, the first and only time my ... "situation" has ever been accused of being dangerous.)"


Note:  The author talks about more experiences than the TSA screening.  Some may be disturbing to read about.  She has another article linked to within this article titled, "I Hid My True Identity For Decades. Here's What Happened When I Finally Revealed Myself At 63."   Look for it.


This Article' link:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tsa-screening-trans-woman-transgender-flying_n_69f0da45e4b0e475dfdca70e 🔗

I haven't flown femme before because I'm not really out.

I did notice last time I was scanned that my ribs lit up on their scanner due to all the titanium there.

I hadn't clicked that the last 4 times I went through that what I thought were random searches were actually me lighting up.

Hmmm. This could be an issue later

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on July 13, 2026, 05:43:37 PMInstead, the TSA agent stopped me and asked me what I was hiding in my, um, "groin area." Apparently, as you step into their scanner, an agent pushes a button based on your perceived gender. If the agent marks you as a female and a red dot appears on their screen near your crotch, you get stopped.

Chrissy,

It is true that an agent pushing a button based on your perceived gender. But this situation has never happened to me. I traveled for business about every 5 weeks or so while traveling as my true self before my SGS. This also includes before I transitioned.

Ellen

I have been pulled for extra screening post scanner as a post-op on a business trip ... but for a different reason... I had lost a LOT of weight (~180lbs) and have a lot of hanging skin down there... which the scanner could not deal with, so i got patted down.

- Karen

Hi Everyone

Reading through the experiences here, it is clear that air travel can present a number of different issues.  Some members have encountered problems with the older male or female body scanner settings, while others have noted difficulties because their identification documents had not yet been updated.  Others have travelled without any problems at all despite their own individual circumstances.  It really seems to depend on the scanner technology being used, the documentation presented and sometimes simply the circumstances on the day.

Airport security has three basic scanning methods.  Conventional X-ray systems are used to examine baggage and are unrelated to passenger body scanning.  Earlier millimeter wave body scanners required the operator to select either a male or female mode before the scan.  Their method of attacking this problem was fraught with complications because the software relied on one of two expected body templates.

If the selected template did not closely match the person being scanned, perfectly normal anatomy could be flagged as an anomaly, resulting in additional screening.  More recent scanners use a universal algorithm that no longer requires a male or female selection, reducing many of these unnecessary alerts.

My own experience happened to be rather different.  I did not realise at the time when I changed my life around that what I did would decisively circumvent nearly all of the issues being discussed here.  I changed my name immediately, followed by updating my driver's licence, Medibank, Medicare and other important documents.  Later in the same year I also updated my educational transcripts.

I do not remember exactly when I first started flying after those changes, but I never experienced any problems.  In fact, because I was travelling as a female, the airlines ensured that I was not seated next to male passengers.  Looking back, I realise that the particular sequence of events in my case meant that I happened to avoid many of the difficulties described here.

"Those were the days, my friends."[1]

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
PS I'm showing my age and I loved the song at the time.
[1] Mary Hopkin (1968). Those were the days, my friends. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnxTT7XXMPA)

Dear all, thank you so much for your insights and experiences.
I am learning from them for when the moment comes.