I'm getting really paranoid about using ID after the last few times people have seen something with my name on (I posted a thread earlier this week) and I'm flying on Tuesday with my grandma, who I'm not out to.  It's a domestic flight up to Scotland so I'm planning to fly on my driving license as long as provisionals are accepted as valid photo ID in the same way as full licenses are, rather than my passport because I look a lot more like my driving license than my passport which is from a few years ago before I cut my hair and looked a lot more female than I do now.  I'm just really worried that they're going to think it's a fake or something and it's all going to kick off in front of my grandma and I'll not be able to try and explain things.


And although I don't look like the person (or the same gender really) on the passport I don't know whether it'd be better to use my that because in my experience they tend to just wave British passports through everything without really looking but they might be more inclined to study a driving license because they see less of them?


I'm just seriously freaking myself out about this right now :/

If they are more likely to wave you through on your passport, use that first.  If you need to prove that's who you are, use the ID.

I don't really know, I fly once a year, the last time it was with a school group so no one was really that bothered about us and before then it would of been legal for me to fly with just my grandma vouching for who I was so I don't know if that's why they've never really looked at my passport.  I'm worried that if I'm passing that day they'll see "MISS BIRTHNAME" on the booking and then a clearly female passport photo and then look at me and just not be able to add it all up, but if I take the driving license they might not think it's real or something.  Maybe I should take both..

I would take them both.

If you are not out to your grandmother, if your legal name is clearly female, and if your passport shows a girl's name and what appears to be a girl's picture, then you are covered. Anyway, isn't a passport more definitive than a DL?

Quote from: Arch on August 03, 2012, 04:06:12 PM
I would take them both.

If you are not out to your grandmother, if your legal name is clearly female, and if your passport shows a girl's name and what appears to be a girl's picture, then you are covered. Anyway, isn't a passport more definitive than a DL?

I'm just worrying they'll not be able to accept the "girl" in that photo is me.
I'm not sure which carries more weight, the airline just says that for domestic flights you can fly on pretty much anything that has your photo on, even stuff like student cards/bus passes.

I think that if you look similar and your grandmother vouches for you, you'll probably be okay. And you have the driver's license to back you up--that ID might look more boyish, but that can actually help you because the "boy" in the photo is identified as female (correct?) and has the same name and birth date and all of that.

Quote from: Arch on August 03, 2012, 06:29:30 PM
I think that if you look similar and your grandmother vouches for you, you'll probably be okay. And you have the driver's license to back you up--that ID might look more boyish, but that can actually help you because the "boy" in the photo is identified as female (correct?) and has the same name and birth date and all of that.

Yeah that's just about right.  If I can find my passport (we moved house about two weeks ago so I still don't know where anything's being kept anymore) I'll take both, otherwise I'll have no choice what to travel with.  I'm sure I'm probably worrying unnecessarily about this but for the last week or so no one's believe that anything with my legal name on is mine so I'm freaking out a little that they're gonna stop me flying or make a scene.  Thanks for all your help

Quote from: Alex000000 on August 03, 2012, 06:34:57 PM
so I'm freaking out a little that they're gonna stop me flying or make a scene. 

Arch: I'm just worried that something will go wrong and I won't get my passport.

Therapist: You submitted all the paperwork they asked for. I'm sure it will go fine.

Arch: Yes, but what if it DOESN'T? There's always that chance.

Therapist: The State Department now has clear guidelines for trans people. They know what to do. There's no reason you won't get your passport.

Arch: Yes, but what if something DOES go wrong? What if I get the one clerk who really really hates trans people?

Therapist: In that unlikely event, I'm sure there's some kind of appeals process.

Arch: I don't want to go through more waiting! I want my passport NOW! What is taking them so long? They must be suspicious or something! I'll bet they're questioning my name change! I should have submitted more supporting documentation! I'm doomed!

Therapist: Arch, you haven't even heard back yet. Give it time.

Arch: Yes, but you don't know what it's like! All this waiting! It's driving me nuts!

Therapist: I can see that. But isn't it wonderful that you overcame your fear and applied for a new passport. That took courage.

Arch: %#$$^(# Pollyanna!!!!

I also have flying-dishoria..


last time I went to fly I made 100% sure not to pack, (and I did pack regally at that time) which was sort of unconfortable when your used to pack,
and then I got the ticked and it was: mr.... bla bla bla ____ (my name)
which sort of made me happy but also freaked out cause my ID was female and on my ticked it was mr. so I was scared anyone would get suspicious.

but nothing happents, luckely, exept I got catch with a necklace I wasnt allowed to take with me.

I guess in my hamfisted way, I'm saying to be prepared, keep your head, and try not to get into a really negative space.

I believe that the binder is no problem (except the length of time you may be in a situation where you can't take it off). I think the the TSA (or whatever country you are in) would not think anything of this. People wear various types of medical vests and so on all the time.


As for packers. I have heard of weird incidents. Put it in your packed luggage. If you don't mind someone seeing what they will think is a sex toy, you can put in your carry on bag. There is always the chance they will unpack your bag. If you have an STP device that is like a Go-G**** you could carry that in your carry on. I doubt most people will know what that is.


The TSA is supposed to handle these things well but there are incidents. They actually have rules about how things are supposed to be done.
They aren't looking for you, if that's any conciliation at all.


This guy doesn't follow any of this, with some humorous or sad results depending on how you look at it. It's kind of priceless, esp the end.


Fun With Airport Security






--Jay Jay

Arch: I hope your passport gets/got sorted out and I'll try and stay calm and rational, hopefully I'll not get time to think about anything before it happens, I find I deal better that way than having time to dwell on all eventualities which I've kinda been doing.


Natkat: I don't actually regularly bind/pack even though I've got a binder because my parents just ignore it and I don't want to cause hassle for me by bringing it up when we're getting on okay for the first time in a long while so I don't want them finding it in the wash or anything, and it doesn't seem to make much difference to my passing whether I'm wearing one or not as long due to my thankfully small chest.


Aleon:  I very rarely watch videos but I'm pretty glad I watched that one.  I wish I had the balls to be able to do something like that!