Travel Issues

[Scottey1]

Forgive me if this is the wrong place for this post, but I'm pretty sure I'm much more than a cross dresser and probably transgendered. I haven't posted a lot in the past, but closely follow the advice/stories of others. After I met Inna, I've really started to come out more. I travel to Tampa often and have found a wonderful GID therapist who's helping me navigate the transgender highway. Anyhow, here's my question. I travel dressed and have never had a problem with airport security before today. As I gave my ID (still male) to be checked, the TSA checker called their supervisor over, who looked at me, asked me to wait, and took my ID with her to her supervisor. They both came back and said the ID I gave them did not match my appearance in any way. When I told them that was me in male mode, both did not believe me and said they thought I was female. They explained (very professionally with courtesy), they had to be able to match certain facial characteristics from my ID to me. I know my presentation/mannerisms have improved lately, but I thought as long as your ID gender/DOB matched your ticket declared gender and DOB, there were no issues. I've attached two pictures - Pic1 how I looked going down, pic 2 how I looked coming back thru Tampa when I was stopped (I like to change my look). Am I doing something wrong? Has anyone else had this problem? I'm open to any advice. Thanks so much!

[melissaK]

Sweetie, It's TSA. They make no sense; stop trying to make them make sense. Sometimes I get to keep my nail clippers sometimes I don't. Sometimes they wand my sports bra, sometimes they don't. They zealously confiscated my Victronix 1" bladed key chain pocket knife, and they let my daughter take her 6" Renaissance Fair knife back to her car after the scanner caught it in her purse!

[morgan51]

I too find it depends on the phase of the moon and the tide height. Just saying. M.

[kimdl93]

I really like the look coming back... It's a pretty, professional look and the hairstyle and color really work for you. Can't help you with TSA. A number of our members travel pretty without problems. You just hit a crew that was ill prepared for a transgender traveler. So, how was the problem resolved?

[Stephanie-L]

As others have said, It's the TSA. You could take a tip from our most seasoned traveler, Kimberly. Here in Texas, you can have both a driver's license and a state ID card, so she just has her ID card with a femme photo on it, male name, all the stats the same. She rarely if ever has problems. I don't know if you can do that in your state, but it is worth researching. Another possibility is to get one of the official looking Trans IDs that are out there. They have no legal value at all, but they do help explain to security and TSA why the difference in your look. Considering the huge difference makeup can make even in GGs, I am surprised this doesn't happen a lot more. BTW, congrats on your starting to work out who you are, I wish you much luck with it. And the second photo of you, a good look for you, looks very natural, probably what threw the agent.....................Stephanie

[TxKimberly]

With hundreds of flights under my belt, I've actually only had that happen once. Ironically enough, it was on the way to the worlds largest TG Conference - the Southern Comfort Conference. In that case, it was clearly a new TSA inspector who probably honestly did not know how to deal with me, and so she called her supervisor over. Both were very polite and respectful, and in a minute or less I was on my way. Honestly, I considered it a compliment, because on that occasion, they were both very reluctant to believe that I was a male. :)

Here is the blog I wrote about it -> http://kimberlyhuddle.blogspot.com/2010/11/southern-comfort-conference.html

[Kaitlyn Michele]

i'm not sure what the question is.

its funny because when i traveled during my transition but prior to my id getting changed, i butched up as best as i could..i wore baseball caps, oversize sweats and sneakers... i wanted to be invisible.. i was questioned twice (on the same trip) in about a dozen flights.. not having your id match your appearance can get you pulled aside (whether its gender related or not!)

i just think you have to decide why you want to dress on flights and then work it out as best you can...its interesting that crossdressers get alot of enjoyment out of traveling en femme, like its viewed as a good opportunity to dress

[TxKimberly]

...its interesting that crossdressers get alot of enjoyment out of traveling en femme, like its viewed as a good opportunity to dress

It's no where near that simplistic Kaitlyn. I've had this conversation over and over with Transsexuals and I've found that quite a few TS will assume that since we crossdressers don't transition, we must not have the same self image, wants, and needs as the TS.
That couldn't be wronger. . .
In my travels I've met countless MTF crossdressers (including myself) that essentially ARE TS, but are not willing to give up their family, spouse, and career to physically transition or live full time.
Flying "pretty" is not just about a chance to "dress up" - it's a chance to live a few hours as a female

[Nicole Brown]

I totally agree with what Kimberly has stated and have also only encountered one single occurrence where a younger, less experienced TSA agent caused me a delay. The funny thing is that this occurred on a return flight from Portland, OR which is one of the most accepting areas in the country.

Fortunately I had read a post which pointed to the TSA's website which documents the TSA's own process and procedure for dealing with transgendered individuals. I thought it might be a good idea to print out the contents of this page and carry it with me on my travels, so I did. The printed version of this page now resides in a side compartment of my carry on bag so it is always available should I ever be questioned again.

It sure helped resolve my one issue in Portland. Here is a link to that page.

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/transgender-travelers

[Kaitlyn Michele]

what you are saying is "essentially" no different from what i said......traveling "en femme" is a very common adventure for crossdressers and my buds that are dressers do it all the time and love doing it.
WHY its an opportunity to dress is secondary...

i would never say what a person is or isn't, or what another persons needs are, but when you say "essentially are ts" its not a very meaningful concept to someone that is TS...

I know there are lots of transsexuals that don't transition
that's no skin off my nose whether a person is or isn't anything, but for travel it really is a very simple question...if you want no chance for hassle...don't dress.. if you want to dress pls dress, i personally view that as a wonderful thing... but then you might get hassled...nothing complicated at all...but its still just a few hours...and you can pick any hours in any day to choose to dress..from my perspective IF there is a concern about getting pulled aside for travel for dressing, then don't dress...
Patient...hurts when i do "this"....doc...then don't do it..

that's why our needs our different...I "need" to do it every hour of every day...I "need" to change my body regardless of whether i pass, lose my job or my family...i could not survive as male...you can..how is that not different?

you don't have to justify something you enjoy and get value from to me...perhaps you are transsexual..if you are, then over time your needs will likely change, and you will realize that what i'm saying is direct, sincere and honest.

[docrobbysherry]

Think of the TSA this way:
Many think of themselves as the "elite, in charge" individuals. Sort of like university professors.

They think of us, the passengers, as undergrad students if we're lucky. If we're NOT so lucky, they think of and use us, as LAB RATS!

Remember, their REAL job is not to catch terrorists. It's to keep people flying. They do that by intimidating the public so that they r less afraid those dreaded terrorists will get on their flite!

[Miranda-E]

but I thought as long as your ID gender/DOB matched your ticket declared gender and DOB, there were no issues. I've attached two pictures - Pic1 how I looked going down, pic 2 how I looked coming back thru Tampa when I was stopped (I like to change my look). Am I doing something wrong? Has anyone else had this problem? I'm open to any advice. Thanks so much!
you also need picture ID, not just a ticket/id gender match. Get your id pic updated. Playing games about changing your look is just going to cause you problems. While the biometrics have no problem IDing facial characteristics, it raises questions as to why you are doing it.

male ID, male ticket, female look, pic that matches the look, no problems. Same with a passport.

[Rogina B]

It is too bad that "The REAL ID ACT" now prevents states from issuing ID cards with your girl pic/legal male info on them.It is a federal law that states have to comply with.As always,you can have your girl image on your DL,and use that for ID.We can't even change the address on the Florida ID cards.The lady at the DMV office said that if they get their hands on it,they are suppose to keep it!!! The war on terrorists goes on!

[Miranda-E]

real ID and WHTI in no way shape or form prevents a fem pic on a male ID.
having multiple IDs containing different info isn't allowed

[Rogina B]

Yes Miranda,that is exactly what I said..The REAL ID act prevents multiple forms of ID..No state ID card as well as a DL allowed. For your girl pic to be the one on your DL,is simple,go to the DMV for a new pic.

[Miranda-E]

federally there is no ban on multiple state issued ID's, most states don't allow it anyway but all the ID's have to contain the same info.
An ID card may not be valid for a specific purpose but it also has to contain all the info on any other issued ID

[TxKimberly]

I have no idea what the federal law is, but as of the last time I looked into it, Texas had not bought into the "Real ID" act. For better or for worse, Texas HAS been known to be a tad difficult when the feds try to shove stuff down it's throat.

[Rogina B]

Mine is still good for another 5 yrs.Florida bought into the Fed thing probably because so many terrorists are here...Because my girl pic was taken after my DL pic,it is the "picture of record" when "they" run your license! Every time the officer comes back and asks my middle name.[as he really looks me over]..lol I seem to get mostly warnings!

[TxKimberly]

Just did some home work regarding the Real ID act and Texas. It looks like it will probably be implemented here in 2013. I do NOT know if this means that I will no longer be able to get both - a DL and an ID, or if it just means that these ID's must both meet the standardized format of the Real ID act.

[Starr]

Question, can you get a passport with transgender box checked on it.. heard that you could but do not know that for sure... if you could you not get a passport for id when you fly in fem...? Would that work or would that cause a problem too

[Miranda-E]

Question, can you get a passport with transgender box checked on it.. heard that you could but do not know that for sure... if you could you not get a passport for id when you fly in fem...? Would that work or would that cause a problem too

there is no trans gender marker for passports in the US. The data is for a passport has to match the SS info, but the picture is taken separately for the passport.
Using a passport only for ID raises questions on domestic flights, so you're back to having all the ID pics match.

[Scottey1]

Thanks so much to all for the feedback. Great advice on just changing my DL pic - will go for a more androgynous look, or go full out female...

[Kaitlyn Michele]

the problem with having a female picture on your id, is that if you are usually in male mode, any use of that id will be problematic...

want to rent a car? get into a govt or office building? use your credit card where id is required? etcetc....

In NJ, they force us to make a blank stare...they are digitizing all of us...so unfortunately although the world in general is tipping in favor of crossdressers being accepted, the world of id's is not...

if your plan is to go back and forth, androgynous sounds like a good idea if you can get the right appearance