This past summer I went on vacation and was subjected to a "pat down" due to a groin anomaly. It happened twice, on the way to and on my way to my return flight. I opted for the public pat down rather then the private screening because I wanted to ensure my rights were upheld, rather then risk the chance of a private screening behind closed doors where I'd have less control of the situation. It was incredibly embarrassing with people staring at me and well I just don't know what to make of it. My anxiety of course sky rocketed and its just frustrating honestly. Another reminder that I'm pre-op, another reminder that I'm still not complete, I'm tired of this... I still haven't made my complaint to the TSA but I will so soon. I kind of just wanted to vent. What made me post this is that I recently read of a similar situation happening with a fellow trans woman. Initially when I went through this I just shoved the whole ordeal to the back of my mind, which is what I do to cope. But this is really bothering me now, especially since I'm traveling again in the near future.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I haven't had to fly yet, but I'm definitely concerned about it when I have to fly in less than three months for SRS. At least it will only happen in the one direction thankfully. Hugs
Mariah

One of the delegates to the Democratic Convention said she was made to remove her panties in a private patdown.  Also a friend said last week when she flew out of Jacksonville, she was taken to a private room and was made to strip down to bra and panties before another TSA agent came in and stopped everything.  This is all in violation of the TSA's own website which under Pat-Down Screening states, "You will not be asked to remove or lift any article of clothing to reveal sensitive body areas."

I forgot a FtM friend here in Atlanta was getting a pat-down every time he flew, even after he got top surgery, until he got the TSA PreCheck.  It's getting to where it's just pure harassment.

Oh great... Ill be flying this weekend for the first time since I started hrt 5 months ago. I will be traveling rather androgynous but I have some quite obvious breast tissue so I believe it will be up to the scanner operator to classify me as male or female and I assume both options will most likely find an anomaly.... Great...


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Thanks for the heads up on the TSA pre check. I'm so going to get that done as soon as possible. Hugs
Mariah

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on July 28, 2016, 09:02:35 PM
One of the delegates to the Democratic Convention said she was made to remove her panties in a private patdown.  Also a friend said last week when she flew out of Jacksonville, she was taken to a private room and was made to strip down to bra and panties before another TSA agent came in and stopped everything.  This is all in violation of the TSA's own website which under Pat-Down Screening states, "You will not be asked to remove or lift any article of clothing to reveal sensitive body areas."

I forgot a FtM friend here in Atlanta was getting a pat-down every time he flew, even after he got top surgery, until he got the TSA PreCheck.  It's getting to where it's just pure harassment.

Quote from: JessicaSondelli on July 28, 2016, 11:11:11 PM
Oh great... Ill be flying this weekend for the first time since I started hrt 5 months ago. I will be traveling rather androgynous but I have some quite obvious breast tissue so I believe it will be up to the scanner operator to classify me as male or female and I assume both options will most likely find an anomaly.... Great...

Jessica, go to the TSA's website and read about screening so you'll know what they are and aren't allowed to do.  I would even go so far as to print out the page on screening and have it with me.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening

Quick question for those of you who have flown. Have you gone through a legal name change yet? I have to fly in a few months as well, though I did have a legal name change. As my ticket will show "Brooke" I wonder if that's enough to nor get the pat down.

No fun!


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@lady_oracle sorry you were subjected to that.

I was subjected to an obscenely thorough screening with frisking in Pittsburgh because I was flying with a temporary driver's license. There had been no problem whatsoever on the trip from Boston and I was extremely angry that even though I had backup documents better than TSA asks for (3 forms including an expired us passport), I was subjected to the extra screening. I don't pass and the agent asked a fairly stupid question about my bra.

My complaint was supposedly forwarded to Pittsburgh bit I heard nothing after that, I'll look forward to hearing if you get any acceptable resolution.

I highly recommend TSA PreCheck/Global Entry.  I have never had an issue in the dozen+ flights I took prior to surgery.

Whether you are subjected to a pat down is determined by the anomalies picked up by the millimeter wave scanner.  It simply shows a generic outline with yellow patches where the anomaly is located. I travel male, but have substantial breasts. Once, and only once, I got an anomaly on my left breast. They TSO briefly touched my left breast and sent me on.

The TSO sets the machine's sex according to the way you present.  They could care less about your transsexualism.  They have seen it all. The pat down will be conducted by a TSO of the same gender as you present.  Procedures for the pat down are rigidly defined and the TSO will tell you in advance exactly what they will do.

You have a right to refuse the millimeter wave scanner, but doing so will result in a pat down.

As far as identification goes, the TDC (travel document checker) examines your ID and boarding pass and is only concerned that you are who you say you are and the ID and boarding pass match.  The operators of the millimeter wave scanner do not see your ID or boarding pass.

Having TSA precheck is not always an advantage.  Sometimes, due to staff shortages the pre-check line is closed.  One time I was handed a red card that said "I've been expedited" and sent through the regular line.  When the precheck line is operating you go through a metal detector instead of the millimeter wave scanner.

Randi

Quote from: Brooke on July 29, 2016, 01:31:42 AM
Quick question for those of you who have flown. Have you gone through a legal name change yet? I have to fly in a few months as well, though I did have a legal name change. As my ticket will show "Brooke" I wonder if that's enough to nor get the pat down.

No fun!


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Quote from: Randi on July 29, 2016, 12:07:48 PM
Sometimes, due to staff shortages the pre-check line is closed.  One time I was handed a red card that said "I've been expedited" and sent through the regular line. 

When this has happened to me, they usually also have the older metal detectors for PreCheck people to go through right next to the newer machines.

One other thing to note about PreCheck, it's not available at all airports or with all airlines.

Maybe I am a bit pervy, but I LOVE to be felt up!! And I love the shock on their face when they discover my boy bits! What I hate is standing in lines.

I suffer from intense genital dysphoria and its just unnerving going through this. It sucks because I had my dysphoria at bay for awhile now. I'm doing my best not to fall into my depression again but its crap like this that just makes me so frustrated and numb.

@Mariah
Thanks <3 wish you the best!  Omg I wish I was three months away 

@Starfire
Unfortunately not every one of us has the funds for that tsa pre-check membership so thats still not a fix to this issue plus with the recent attacks, most airports have ramped up security. I definitely will purchase it once I'm able to and hopefully I wont have to deal with that situation ever again. Also Starfire is one of my fav characters  I so hope they bring her into the DC movie verse or the CW DC verse

Quote from: Jin on July 29, 2016, 03:53:51 PM
Maybe I am a bit pervy, but I LOVE to be felt up!! And I love the shock on their face when they discover my boy bits! What I hate is standing in lines.

Um..no  like if you suffer from genital dysphoria and anxiety, its not fun by any means.

Quote from: Brooke on July 29, 2016, 01:31:42 AM
Quick question for those of you who have flown. Have you gone through a legal name change yet? I have to fly in a few months as well, though I did have a legal name change. As my ticket will show "Brooke" I wonder if that's enough to nor get the pat down.

No fun!


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Yep I've had everything changed, like my social/legal transition was done forever ago. They determine which gender to scan you under by how you present hence the issues this brings up. So for any of us who are non binary, pre-op or non-op, there's always going to be a problem. I'm hoping more of us continue to file complaints because there needs to be an alternative where we're not treated like as if we're criminals, as if we're trying to hide weapons/contraband.

There is something I forgot to mention in my OP. I think I might have found a way to bypass this problem, sort of I guess. Its not an absolute fix but it might work. When I traveled last year for the first time since fully transitioning, I didn't have any issues at my city's major airport. I think it was because I was wearing my skinnies. Despite not tucking and because I've been on hrt for so long now, it looks like I just have big labias/camel toe when I wear tight clothing. So when I went through the scanner I passed it no problem. This year on my way to my destination I wasn't wearing my skinnies, just my shorts which aren't nearly as tight. On my return flight I wore those same pants and had the same issue of the genital anomaly come up but when I went through the scanner a 2nd time, I pulled up my pants and passed it. Fyi Those skinnies do not fit me at the waist so they sag but that just further confirmed my suspicion as to why I passed the scanner last year without issue. Its not the ideal fix to this problem but its something I guess.

Quote from: BeverlyAnn on July 28, 2016, 09:02:35 PM
One of the delegates to the Democratic Convention said she was made to remove her panties in a private patdown.  Also a friend said last week when she flew out of Jacksonville, she was taken to a private room and was made to strip down to bra and panties before another TSA agent came in and stopped everything.  This is all in violation of the TSA's own website which under Pat-Down Screening states, "You will not be asked to remove or lift any article of clothing to reveal sensitive body areas."

I forgot a FtM friend here in Atlanta was getting a pat-down every time he flew, even after he got top surgery, until he got the TSA PreCheck.  It's getting to where it's just pure harassment.

That's horrible and yeah I read about that delegate you mentioned, its pretty ridiculous. I was terrified they were going to take me by force to the private screening.

Quote from: SadieBlake on July 29, 2016, 08:33:06 AM
@lady_oracle sorry you were subjected to that.

I was subjected to an obscenely thorough screening with frisking in Pittsburgh because I was flying with a temporary driver's license. There had been no problem whatsoever on the trip from Boston and I was extremely angry that even though I had backup documents better than TSA asks for (3 forms including an expired us passport), I was subjected to the extra screening. I don't pass and the agent asked a fairly stupid question about my bra.

My complaint was supposedly forwarded to Pittsburgh bit I heard nothing after that, I'll look forward to hearing if you get any acceptable resolution.

Thats really ridiculous, hugs!!  I'll post in this thread if they respond.