travelling en femme

[ricci]

Hi All

Sorry to say it's my first post in too long and I hope all is well with everyone. I am out on an almost full time basis and am contemplating travelling dressed. Has anyone had that experience, eg; Id issues. I know it's a small thing but I wear stockings always and wondered about going through security...metal garter clips etc. Any experiences or thoughts would be great!!

Love to all

Ricci

[Robertacd]

I have not traveled extencively or anything like that but the few times my wife and I have flown since 9-11 her metal underwires have never set off an airport metal detector.

I do believe these things are tuned more twards detecting brass, lead, and large amounts of metal that could be a gun or explosive device.

But who knows, better to err on the side of saftey and just wear pantihose and a soft cup bra.

[MsEva]

The only travelling I have done en femme was a trip to PA from VA to see my folks via car. I planned it pretty well with clean up kit. Had nice dress on with face made up. Loaded up in garage, then hit the door opener. Had on had and glasses over a sweat suit. Got to the main road near VA beach RT 13. Went through drive in to get a drink and a sandwich at a McDonals. Got a few looks from the girl at the window. Got underway. Had to pay the toll at the Bay Bridge..a few more looks but ok.. Got to the other side of the bridge to change out of the sweats and reveal my nice long dress. Travelled all the way to DE en femme. It was really a rush. Really scarey travelling en femme. I was dreading a break down or being stopped by a cop. Along the way I really had to go potty. SHouldn't have ordered the super sized iced tea! There was a rest area along the way.. it was a bank of porta potties. Went in did my business and there was someone waiting as I exited. Grabbed my purse, took out the keys and held the door open for this nice young man, he said hi and thanks, I smiled and got into my car! My heart was racing like a rabbits. I then calmed down and became just another female driving this road. After it was dark I pulled off the main road and changed back into male mode. I didn't want to show up at my folks as their new daughter..they are too old for such a shock! :rolleyes:

[Shelly Preston]

I have never heard of any women (GG) setting of the security alarms

So I imagine it would be ok

[Krystal Lee]

Ricci,
Two years ago I put my son on a nonstop(he was still under age then) and I had a pass to accompany him to the gate. As I went through, the detector it went off.

I was wearing an underwire bra and girdle with metal tabs. The nice young man that then wanded my picked up the underwire, the metal hooks on the back band and the tabs on my girdle (it was a pull on so no hooks on it).

I just told him what I was wearing and he was very professional about it. He even asked me if I would prefer going into a private room for the check. I told him unless he wanted me to disrobe we were fine as no one else could tell anything except that I was being checked.

This young man rubbed the back of his hand against all the corresponding beeps from the hand wand to insure that the source was what I had told him it was and then sent me on my way.

I should have thought things out further but I was not flying so my brain disconnected. All in all it was a fun experiance, in hind sight, but somewhat stressfull at the time.

I would recomend a sports bra without any wires or hooks and a girdle or garter without metal tabs. That way no possable way to set off the machine.

I beleave the security people are trained to deal with us but doubt if all are as nice and professional as the one I delt with so I have taken my own advice the last two times I have been through the experiance.

Hope that helps. Hugs Krystal.

[JoAnnDallas]

Traveling by car would be normally OK, I have done it myself, but a trip that requires the airlines would be another matter, since they would require a PICTURE ID and 99% of us don't have a picture ID of our fem selves.

John Donaldson

[CD_Jan]

Last year i set was wearing stockings and my suspender had metal tags, and i set the metal detector off Newark ariport :(

Told the security man, i was wearing 'support' stockings because i'd had a DVT a few years ago. My wife did not set the detector off, so next time i'm wearing pantyhose also LOL.

Jan

[Rachel Morley]

The nearest I've come to it yet was in the spring of this year (I wasn't a member here then). My wife Marla and I went to New York City for a week. We were at the airport in the line to put our stuff through the x-ray machine when I had a massive panic attack because (believe it or not) I had completely forgotten about the metal detector arch and I was wearing a bra!

I whispered in Marla's ear that I was wearing one, she looked a little shocked and said why didn't you take it off?....I said "I forgot".

But guess what? Nothing! Despite the metal in my bra, and my obvious nervousness, the machine didn't go off and I didn't get frisked. I was sure the worried look on my face would have got me stopped and checked.

I agree with others, don't over do the "metalwork" i.e underwear, jewelery etc and you'll be fine :D

[Marlena Dahlstrom]

In other forums I've heard from other girls who've flown en femme, including post 9/11.

In theory, TSA agents are supposed have been trained to be sensitive in dealings with transgendered folks. In reality, this seems to be mostly (but not always) the case. I know one girl who had to firmly remind one TSA yokel that it was in his and the TSA's best interests to do a private screening, since all that the public would see is a male agent doing a pat-down search of an apparent female passenger.

Obviously you do need to show ID to both the airport screeners and airline personnel to board the plane. Generally I've heard the TSA folks don't care unless they think you're shifty and that the airline employees tend to go a little wide-eyed, but are more interested getting the plane boarded on time.

Aside from dealing with security, airports are actually great place in terms of passing. People of all shapes and sizes are dressed in all manner of styles, so it's hard to stand out, plus most people are preoccupied and/or tired, and not paying a whole lot of attention.


So it's doable, but personally unless it's really important to you, it's probably not worth the potential hassle that could result from some less-than-understanding airport/airline staff.

[Bernadina]

Depends on how you plan to travel. I woudn't recommend being dressed while traveling by air.

I don't know about the US, but in Canada they've increased the sensitivity of the airport walk-through magnetometers to the point where they pick up almost any metal including the filings in your teeth. I even remove my belt, any metal piercings etc just to get through without being beeped. The metal eyelets in shoes in my shoes set the things off. My wife always gets beeped because of her underwire bra and wedding rings.

I suggest that if you are going to travel enfemme by air, no-metal at all if you can.

I'd probably keep it simple and dress after I got to where I'm going and avoid the added complication of having the photo id not match what you look like.

[DawnRodgers]

I have traveled extesively while wearinf bras, garterbelts, nylons or pantyhose. Often in womens flats too and also kept my toenails polished all of the time. . This was mostly before 9-11 so I am not sure I would do it agains unless I was comfortable travelling fully dressed. The worst I ever encoutered was when my garters set of the metal detector and a hand wand was used that went off when it passed over my garters. Frankly it wasn't even mentioned and I was passed through. Don't know if I waould do that now though - what with tighter security and having to take your shoes off and all. I would love to travel fully en femme though. I love being a girl.
Dawn