TSA Airport Security

[Diversity]

I just found out what it is like to be felt up by an overzealous security guard. All was friendly, but he delighted in checking out every inch of the bra I was wearing and doing a double check! He said he wanted to be sure there were no metal parts hidden inside the cups . Yes it was a two handed full court press!
He asked me what I was wearing. I simply said I am was wearing a bra. He asked if it was for medical reasons, do I said yes, it helps keep my heart warm and helps prevent atrial fibrillation. The doctor suggested it before I go in for open heart surgery the day after I land. Also I told him that I wear it because I like to underdress in women's undergarments. He just looked bewildered and told me I could go. I wonder what the people behind me were thinking...,
Well, I now know that I am not going to get flustered if anyone catches me dressed en-femme. 😘
Di

[DW]

Lol! You go girl.
I've only had the nerve to wear a bra through security once. I find it less stressful to put my bra into carry-on and change into it after I clear security.

[Tracii G]

Just being honest and up front about it usually is enough to end the questions.
You owned it so good for you and who cares what the other people thought anyway?

[Lauri K]

Sounds like you got through the ordeal like many other's of us have, you did not tell us really any information on which airport you were at but if I were to guess you were in the mid-west or southeastern USA.

If you travel quite often I recommend you go get your KTN / Pre Pass so you can breeze through security without being humiliated.

Last few times I flew and went through normal screening it was just a quick pat down and no boob grabbing like in the past and then I was on my way. Now I have KTN and so far no issues.

Oh and by the way, a few on here will have no sympathy for us and will take up for the TSA.........so just be warned.

On another note, I flew from CVG to IAH earlier this year dressed in jeans, pretty blouse and nice jacket with hose/ flats, makeup, jewelry and flew through security no strange looks or comments and in fact the entire trip back was pleasant.

So my conclusion is that sometimes we just confuse people by being in tween mode

[Rogina B]

Female pic on your ID gets a female to pat you down..TSA protocol. If you are planning to fly often and are out,get your DL pic retaken .

[Diversity]

Thanks for your replies everyone!
Laurie, to answer your question I was at Philadelphia Int'l Airport. Uneven heard of s KTN, but will look into it. Thank you for this information.
Tone honest, I have now gone through one of the worst of my fears. I am actually glad that the very first time I wore a bra, and a wireless one at that, that I was met with an overzealous perverted, TSA agent. I am pleased with the way I handled the situation with a building trail of onlookers hearing him ask me what I was wearing and hearing me reply "a bra".
I know know for myself, that I can handle the embarrassment without it affecting me, and I can maintain a polite posture of self confidence, maturity, and no guilt. In fact, I feel stronger for having had this experience!!!
CD is for ME!!!!!
Di

[Eva Bella]

That's awesome - I saw you talking about doing this on the other thread! Glad that it worked out!

I think that the TSA people have also probably seen it all. As long as you're not looking indecent or acting crazy, there's probably not going to be any real resistance.

[CourtneyJamieson]

Sounds like you passed the test Di. I recently was flying back after a weekend away. I had all my Fem things packed in my carry-on bag. I made a careless mistake and packed a pair of scissors in my male shaving kit. Of course it flagged my bag and I was called over for an open search. A bit embarrassing as the TSA agent opened my bag and the first thing on top was an auburn wig. I tried to quickly direct her to the bag with the scissors. But much rummaging around was necessary as I had packed the shaving kit in the bottom of my bag. Agent saw my breast forms in clear view, makeup bag, womens undies and nightgown. Ohh..wellll.... But she was very professional and expressed her concern that she didn't want to "muss-up" my wig as she dug through my bag. A bit embarrassing but overall not that bad.

[heatherdress]

Tracy - I do not want to make this an absurd TSA rant. I did take exception to characterizing people as perverts. Of all forums, this should be a place where judgmental condemnations like "pervert" are not made. So many of us are diminished by others. We should know better. Also, I have seen countless searches. Your comment is also inaccurate and unfair. Over 8 million passengers passengers are searched by TSA. Only a relative handful complain. And we have not had a US plane hijacked since TSA was established. Crossdressers need TSA protection even if searches are uncomfortabe .

[Hellen]

Sorry, I will disappoint you. But TSA doesn't add security at airport. Random checks which were done in 2013-2015 years showed 95% failure to detect a weapon or a bomb during the security check. So it's more about spending money for bogus security. Many former field agents said that intelligence work gives much better results.

[Eryn]

we have not had a US plane hijacked since TSA was established.

Correlation does not equal causation.

The simple fact is that passengers learned that hijackings were fatal. They started fighting back. Every subsequent attempt has ended up with the hijacker subdued by angry passengers. The farce that is TSA has nothing to do with that,

[taylormercedes]

I have a brother in law and friend who work for the TSA, they've said that normally they assign a person to pat you down based off of the gender you're presenting rather than the sex on your ID; i.e. Female for female presenting and male for male presenting. But I've never flown enfemme, was wondering if anyone had this experience. I really wanna travel en femme next month to New Orleans but I'm afraid of getting stopped and heavily scrutinized.

[Michelle (Oz)]

While not relevant to your forthcoming trip, my experiences in Australia accord with a female security person being assigned when I present female and a more thorough search is required, e.g. wearing a steel boned corset.

[Sarah Beth]

So I don't want to get into the middle of the whole argument over TSA and the good and bad of that. If I read what your wrote correctly you were not presenting as female when you went through security that you were merely underdressed and wearing a bra. I would for that reason think that the TSA agent would have a reason to be somewhat suspicious of what you were wearing underneath and why and maybe what was being concealed by that.

I haven't flown anywhere in years, one of the reasons being that by the time I drive to an airport I can get somewhere from on a major airline I've driven far enough to be there. The last time I flew though there was a discussion about the random check of people and a lot of people were saying how they didn't want that to happen to them. Then this one guy spoke up and say because of his name he got picked a lot and it didn't bother him because he ones who got picked for the random thing got boarded first and got their choice of seats.

[heatherdress]

Heatherdress, you might have felt differently had you experienced the 'pat downs' and cup squeezing that I experienced.
Di

Diversity - Your pat downs were most likely done correctly, even if you thought you were groped or inappropriately touched. I have seen countless TSA pat downs and they are typically performed courteously, with supervision, and with sensitivity by requested gender. They unfortunately add a necessary measure of security and must be conducted across all genders and ages to be effective.

There is a price to pay for security. Deterrence resulting from TSA searches (although inconvenient and uncomfortable), electronic personal scanning, baggage checks, luggage screening, dog teams, enhanced pilot cabins and other policies move terrorists to softer targets. It is naïve to believe that untrained passengers deter airline hijackings. The flight on September 11 (RIP) that crashed in Pennsylvania demonstrates how successful dependence on the reaction of passengers can be. A few overly-publicized instances where passengers helped subdue threatening individuals are not an appropriate counter-terrorist paradigm. The TSA also protects 450 airport infrastructures, our railroads, our subways and our highway systems with security policies, inspections and procedures. And once again, to date, the US fortunately has not experienced a terrorist attack in these venues - but we most likely will.

If you don't want to be searched, don't fly. If you don't want to risk a pat down, don't wear bras or extraneous clothing items which will require appropriate attention. Make no mistake about it - we live with the threat of terrorism - continually. I attended many funerals of people killed by terrorists and know victims who were seriously injured and maimed, to include a member of my family who innocently lost a leg in well-known cowardly attack.

I apologize for feeling strongly about this topic but my duties have provided experiences and beliefs that I cannot ignore or forget. I also still resent the use of word "pervert", which many of us have been called, to describe TSA people who are performing their thankless duties to keep us safe.

[scarlett]

Then this one guy spoke up and say because of his name he got picked a lot and it didn't bother him because he ones who got picked for the random thing got boarded first and got their choice of seats.
So, what airline would that be that even knows that you were searched? There is no communication between the airline and TSA . Where did this privilege that you allege come from?

[Lauri K]

Everyone has made a lot of great points on this matter, and to address Heather's hurt feelings I never called all 47 K TSA agents perverts, but you cannot tell me that they do not have numerous folks with other agendas working for them.

Example: You do not need rub and touch a GG ladies nylon covered feet for weapons, happened to a lady friend of mine.

The pat downs are not supervised with any scrutiny I have found, as the other agent is often buddies with everyone else working the check point.

The TSA to date is still struggling with publishing a guidline for screening trangender passengers, most airports are doing things ad hoc if you will I have found.

The TSA does find a lot of things that as travelers we would not want in the cabin (so good job there), there is blog that shows what's found each week by airport. A lot of the information regarding the TSA is often classified and almost impossible for the average person to see.

But I still struggle with why a persons gender and undergarments are in any way a security threat, they are not and they know that.

Urge your congress to get tough and force the TSA to publish very detailed guidelines for how they will handle transgender screening.

I do not need anyone to tell me to take a train or ship instead of flying, as I will still be flying despite some unfortunate screenings that have occurred in my travels.

I have my KTN pre pass now so for the most part I breeze through short of being called out randomly.

LK

[grace7777]

Female pic on your ID gets a female to pat you down..TSA protocol. If you are planning to fly often and are out,get your DL pic retaken .

Also, if you present en femme, you will be searched by a female officer.

[Eryn]

The terrorists won with the express help of our governments. They managed to cause us to suspect each other. They made us hamstring ourselves with a huge, expensive bureaucracy that produces nothing but more fear.

Ben Franklin had it right. "Those who give up essential liberty for a small amount of security deserve neither."

[Lorileah]

First slamming people here who cannot defend against your accusations won't be tolerated. They did their job, I am sure it was within the requirements (You are probably lucky they didn't take you into room.)

Next, while you feel violated (and if you feel that strongly, contact TSA) they were professional. You were a male with something that didn't fit the profile of what a male would wear. Just be calm, explain your situation and usually that will let it go. Anyone here want to watch 12000 people a day file by and miss the ONE that would be a problem? It's part of our lives now.

Next, no politics...it's in the FAQs

The TSA has a statement and it reads "Transgender Passengers

TSA recognizes the concerns that some members of the transgender community may have with certain security screening procedures at the nation’s security checkpoints. TSA is committed to ensuring all travelers are treated with respect and courtesy. Screening is conducted without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability." If you feel they violated that, there is a way to file a complaint.

To me the questions sounded simple. Why are you wearing that? (Not within the norm of a typical male passenger) and his reasons were sound enough. I fly now as a woman. I was stopped both times at TSA in September (Radon check...not a bad idea They found something like 7 bags of drugs on a flight attendant last week that way). I knew I had not broken any rule, I was early for the flight, no problem. On the return trip, with an ID that said "F" and my name and photo, I too got stopped. Realize that agent DIDN'T see you photo or your ticket, an earlier agent did. I am sure the screen saw something that screamed "Male" yet there were undergarments that didn't match. So 5 minutes of feeling the bra and the waist cincher and me offering to go with the agent to a room and undress settled everything.

Most the time, you go through no problem. I am considering the ClearMe pass. That doesn't mean I won't be stopped but hopefully will speed things up.

So we got the rules right? Be nice. Treat people not on the boards with respect. Don't throw your political views into the mix. Thank you for your time and have a nice flight

[Nadine Spirit]

But I've never flown enfemme, was wondering if anyone had this experience..

Hi Taylor-

Yeah, I have flown while dressed as a woman, but all of my ID is male. I was supposed to fly out of Fresno, CA but the flight was canceled. But I did go through security. Did they feel around portions of my bra? Yes they did. It was a female. Was it odd to have some stranger touching my bra? Yea, it felt strange, but it did not feel as though I was getting groped. The person seemed WAY more uncomfortable than I was.

Next leg of the trip I flew out of Las Vegas. Again, I was dressed as a woman. Again after the full body scan, I was given a pat down by a female TSA agent. Did she touch around my bra again? Yes. Was it like being groped? No. Again she seemed more uncomfortable than I was. This time they also felt around the back of my hair as I had a hair clip in.

The next leg of the flight I flew out of O'Hare. Again I was dressed as a woman. Again after the full body scan, I was given a pat down by another female TSA agent. She touched my bra again, but again I did not feel violated.

So three different times at three different airports. Each time I presented male ID and was dressed as a woman. Each time after the full body scan I was patted down a bit. They did touch my bra, but it was generally in the back. I think maybe once one felt around the sides and maybe the under-wire. But I never once felt they did anything inappropriate. My wife was flying with me. She also was patted down each time. Again, nothing weird. The most interested the TSA became was when we were carrying three blocks of Wisconsin cheese in a small cooler we carried in our carry on. Apparently it looked like explosives! The agent teased us that he was going to confiscate it and go on lunch break!

Honestly, I think if you are male and are under-dressing I would expect to have a bit more scrutiny while going through security. Wouldn't we all prefer that? And if you are dressed as a male, with a bra on, and you don't want a male agent to touch your bra, or investigate what is going on there, then dress as a woman, then you get to have a female TSA agent touch your bra.

[Sometimes Steffi]

In boy mode:

I've been caught with the block of cheese. They said it looked like explosives on the Xray.
Had an argument with a TSA agent about Yogurt. He said it was liquid. I said it was solid. I lost my breakfast.
I lost a scissors at the Denver Airport. It was over 5 inches. I was headed to the tower to do a site suvey. I needed the scissors to cut tape to mark the spots where my equipment would go. I evn showed him my FAA badge. Still lost the scissors.

Rules are rules.

[Lauri K]

I don't think anyone here is disputing the written rules, policies and procedures that the TSA has in place we get it, got it

The issue at hand here is the TSA states that "Screening is conducted without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability."

Ok fine and fair they have a blanket of language there that is standard as with Title IX..................

What the TSA is lacking here though is a written policy and procedure on how to screen transgender travelers. It doesn't exist I have looked today, all you know is you are getting screened per Title IX

However the software they use in the scanners does not align with their statements, since the software has the ability to look at sex and the operator of the scanner can input one sex or the other prior to the screening by the scanner

On the other hand if the lines are getting long and they start pushing passengers thru the metal detectors in lieu of the scanner, sex is no a factor at all

So how is that fair and consistent with TSA mission statement, it's not because the scanners are not set up to discount sex / gender.and there is the Achilles heel of what is causing the stir

We understand everyone is going to be screened just as every luggage will be

It was pointed out by the mod here that even the person doing the pat downs has not even seen the persons ID as that was checked by someone else............seems like a flaw to me

Everyone want's safe travel, but no one want's to try to navigate unwritten policies and procedures and that is where I feel like the TSA could improve by having some transparency for transgender security screening.

Given the low thread count maybe there are not many travelers on the this forum.

Travel safe and know your rights, be calm, be polite and ask to see a policy and procedure when in doubt.

[Tracii G]

I am sure there is plenty we don't know about how the TSA really works.
Oh sure you have rules and guide lines employees are supposed to follow but we all know not all employees follow the rules no matter where they work.
To post a blanket statement like "they are just doing their job" and "would never not follow the rules" seems a bit daft.
There is the human element in there too and some jerk agent might hate trans people and just want to make a big scene trying to embarrass a trans person.
They can't all be lilly white perfect employees.
The one neighbor I have that seems to have a problem with me lives up the street happens to be a TSA agent and he is a racist white supremacist skinhead.

[Amy Lynn3]

Tracii, you have hit the nail on the head. We are over regulated to begin with and when the human element is added we have thousands of incidents like Di spoke of. I know, because I have been treated rude and inconsiderate by TSA agents and I was in male mode all the way.

Yes, we need rules and security, but rude and inconsiderate employees should be brought in check or hire employees who will treat ALL people with respect. The condescending attitude of anyone in authority should always be pointed out and dealt with.

[heatherdress]

I am sure there is plenty we don't know about how the TSA really works.
Oh sure you have rules and guide lines employees are supposed to follow but we all know not all employees follow the rules no matter where they work.
To post a blanket statement like "they are just doing their job" and "would never not follow the rules" seems a bit daft.
There is the human element in there too and some jerk agent might hate trans people and just want to make a big scene trying to embarrass a trans person.
They can't all be lilly white perfect employees.
The one neighbor I have that seems to have a problem with me lives up the street happens to be a TSA agent and he is a racist white supremacist skinhead.

Tracii - Just because you seem to have a problem with your neighbor, you should not demonstrate personal bias against an entire department and judge 47,000 people based on your experience with one. Last year, the TSA inspected over 721 million passengers and airline employees. Only a fraction of a percent made complaints. Most people are treated respectfully and recognize the need for security in a world vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Most rudeness, condescending attitudes and inconsiderate behavior in our airports are demonstrated by passengers who are non-cooperative, hostile or intoxicated, not TSA agents, federal marshals or law enforcement officers.

TSA has successfully deterred or prevented any hijacking in our 450 US airports since 4 aircraft were easily hijacked on September 11, 2001. Last year, at airport screening alone, they intercepted over 2,600 firearms (almost 7 a day) as well as countless knives, explosive devices and hazardous materials. This in spite of well-publicized screening procedures and warnings.

The TSA does, in fact, have detailed policies and procedures, most of which are transparent and well-publicized. They do not yet have published transgender policies, as Paula points out. The people I know who have travelled en femme have had no problems going through security, but most people do not feel comfortable going through intense screening in heels and a dress. If pat downs are required, however, all passengers can request a search by a gender-specific agent as well as a search not in public view - always with additional agents, typically with supervisors present.

TSA does dismiss employees for performance. If your neighbor, or any other TSA personnel, treat passengers poorly for any reason, they should be disciplined and are subject to dismissal.

[Tracii G]

Well my neighbor (8 houses up) has been an a hole to everybody since he moved in 7 years ago and only last year did I find out he was a TSA agent.
I hate flying so there is not much chance I will have to deal with them.
I would rather see terrorists dealt with on their own soil than have them allowed to sneak in our country and cause problems.
How is it people are on a no fly list and still enter? TSA is dropping the ball on that one.

[heatherdress]

Good question Traci. If someone is on the No Fly List, they are not able to be issued a boarding pass. System works but is not infallible. One problem is false IDs. There are others.

Sounds like your neighbor is a jerk. Sorry about that.

[Sarah Beth]

It was about 10 years ago I was flying on Southwest out of Albuquerque when the guy in line said this. I guess since you weren't there you don't know what the conversation was. Although I guess you are world's leading authority on what goes on between TSA an airlines so from now on everyone should just ask you when they have a question

[Eryn]

How did we ever get to a state where a nameless and faceless bureaucrat can prohibit an American citizen from traveling with no real oversight or due process? Some people are fine with this until they find out that they are in the list as well. Only then do they realize that secret procedures and secret courts are not consistent with a free society.

The fact that there have been no successful hijackings is no indication of effectiveness. No matter how much they would like you to believe it, every nail file and bottle of shampoo confiscated at the airport does not represent a hijack attempt. At 8:47AM on 9-11 the first airplane hit the World Trade Center. It took only 20 minutes for news that the rules had changed to reach Flight 93 and for passengers to mount an attempt to retake the plane. That hijacking was not successful and no hijacking attempt since has been. Every attempt since has ended with the would-be hijacker subdued by passengers. That knowledge is what has discouraged hijacking.

The question now is whether the bureaucracy that is supposed to make us more secure is actually using fear in order to increase its status and power as well as silence those who would question it?

[Genifer Teal]

I just had a successful flying experience and it was my first tsa experience too. Yes it's been that long since I flew anywhere. This was a domestic flight in the US.
Going they had to check for two anomalies in the chest and groin area. I was scanned a second time then patted down. It took her more time to explain how she would do it than actually doing it. At one point I just said just do it, I don't need the explanation. She was still concerned and asked her boss if it should be escalated. I think she was new and going by the book. He said something like, we could do that but what do you think is reasonably going here. At that point she let me go. Going home I did not even get a pat down. For any concerns I may have had, it was basically a non event. Everything was fine. I will say I am confident when out and I was not nervous in the least except for that flammable pressurized canister of glue. Hollister's. It's sized right and there is an exemption specifically for mastectomy prosthetics. I asked a tsa guy before I got on line. He told me not to even mention it. It wasn't a problem. I supposed if I was nervous I might have triggered more concerns.