I haven't flown much in my life, actually one time about 15 years ago before I was living full time.

I'm living full time now and have a trip planned, a flight inside the US. I have: a woman's legal name, I appear to be a woman, the picture on my legal ID matches my present appearance but my ID has sex marked M. I'm pre-op.

What can I expect from the TSA?

Curious what frequent fliers have experienced who have this same status. I'm not stealth and won't freak if I am questioned. I have no problem saying "yes I'm transgendered" if questioned, even in front of other passengers. I would hope they have seen trans people before in large airports but I no idea how this might work out for someone like me with confusing gender ID/markers. Clearly I don't want to make a scene and it would be nice to know what to really expect, not just know what the TSA says on their web site about TG passengers. Which was basically "Make sure the gender marked for boarding matches your legal ID marked gender", which I did.

I've only flown once (for FFS) since I had my name changed, but it wasn't that big a deal.  TN won't let me change marker without surgery (and depending on the clerk and orchi will or will not work)

I flew out of TRI (Tri-Cities TN/VA [Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol]) which is firmly in the bible belt.  The TSA agent just looked at my license and then did a double take, but didn't say a thing and was quite pleasant.

Now ironically flying out of ORD (O'Hare) was a bit more complex.  I was in a wheel chair and bandaged up.  Just to make sure there were no questions I went ahead and gave them Dr Z's letter saying yes I did surgery and do say this is the same person, but I also gave them my therapists letter saying I was trans.  It took 5 minutes and two supervisors before I was let through, but again I was treated very nicely.

Overall even living where I do I've found that officials must have gotten some sort of training.  I was stopped at a license check the other day and he ma'am'd me even after checking my marker.

Of course when I fly out Saturday from TRI to Detroit (DTW) and back on Monday I may have a different story.

You should be fine. As long as the picture matches your appearance, you shouldn't encounter any problem. I remember I flew once without any change to my passport and I was presenting female and my name was legally changed. I thought it was going to be  hell but I just showed them a copy of the court order from the judge and was on my way.

There's really current and helpful information here: http://transgenderequality.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/tsa-posts-info-for-trans-travelers/

I was surprised by this: "It does not matter whether your current gender presentation matches the gender marker on your ID or your presentation in your ID photo, and TSA officers should not comment on this."

There is a link on that page to the actual TSA information page.

from everything I've been reading lately, it really depends on the particular TSA agent.  There are policies in place for transgendered people to not be "outed" in regards to the gender marker.  If you have a current picture and your name change, I wouldn't expect any problem.

I am going to be flying internationally for my FFS in august, and by that time, I will have had the legal name change AND the marker on my passport and license (As florida has changed their laws....)... Interestingly enough, there was a lot of information about the body scanners on international flights causing some TG people problems...  But whatever.  I believe in when you smile, are confident, and have a good attitude, a lot more can get done with less problems anywhere.  One thing missing from these stories, is how the person themselves carried themselves, and also what the other circumstances were.  I mean, random searches really CAN be random.. lol!

I pass fairly well, but my ID is all wrong (haven't gotten to change it yet). 

I've travelled a bunch -- both domestically and internationally -- since I went full-time, and I've never had problems.  People usually don't react *at all*.  If they do react, it's a confused or bemused look.  One time, I got a dirty sort of look, but who knows what that was about.

These guys look deal with 100's -- maybe 1000's -- of people each day.  One friendly trans person isn't going to bug them too much.  Now, a large, chaotic family with tons of luggage and kids running around...?  I'm sure that makes a much bigger impression, since it makes their job tougher!


Still, I wish my ID was correct... it just brings me down to have to "out" myself.


-anna