air travel

[SheriM]

This past week I've been traveling. For the first leg, I went through security and then want to the rest room to change into underthings (bra, hose, girdle) for the rest of the trip. However, the first leg was cancelled because of maintenance issues and we were told to go back out to the ticket desk for rebooking. I did that. Got booked on a later flight and headed to security. After waiting in a long line I suddenly realize that I have on a heavily padded sports bra. I've added some padding into the pocket for some, not a lot, of roundness and projection. I don't worry too much about the girdle but this airport is in my hometown and I have always put on the bra on after security. Well, I looked at the long line and if I go back to the rest room, I could be cutting it close to make the flight so I decided to see what would happen. I was, of course pulled aside for a pat down by a gent. The scanner targeted my right breast and the back. He patted and patted, felt and felt over my right breast and back about 10 times and then, very politely said have a nice day. Not sure I want to risk that again, but this time, it went fine. But I wonder why the GG's don't get their boobs patted down when wearing a padded bra as most now do.

[Lauri K]

Since you did not mention how you were presenting, I am just making assumption that you were underdressed only and presenting as male / tween mode ?

If that is the case, I can tell you that the software of the scanner is half the issue as it looks for certain things male / female depending on what mode it is told to scan.

I had a similiar experience in 2015, and what reminded me so vividly was you commenting about being patted down 10 times and that you were wearing a padded bra. In my case I had no padding, but the same patting down until the guy got tired I suppose and decided he had enough patting for his liking. I am still sore thinking about it.

What I do remember also was that after the 4th or 5th time, I asked the officer after he was done patting my breasts if he was satisfied, and he smiled and smirked to me I suppose, and said to me you can go now.

But to your question on why GG's don't get patted, they do but not very often since the software / and operator are accustomed to seeing the image of bra's on GG''s due to the software program not looking for contraband but more looking at what sex you are first, really makes no sense what a persons sex is as it has nothing to do with security / or finding contraband items.

In another thread I mentioned flying enfemme and went through security at high speed with absolutely no issues, but at that time I attributed it to possibly they had been trained better to handle trangender travelers or it was possibly more obvious visually that I was female and they made a conscious decision that my bra was not a security threat since I was presenting as female.

[Lynette]

I guess I would rather have the security guards check someone dress in male mode wearing a bra than not checking them. Its a chance we take wearing bras and girdles while in male mode.

[Linda E. Woodworth]

If I'm in the country I'm underdressing 24/7 and that includes air travel. That being said, I've never been patted down traveling as such.

I admit that I very seldom wear a bra while underdressing. Unexpected hugs from daughters put the fear of God in me on that one.

However; all the threads on air travel lately have given me the bug to fly "pretty" some day.

[Richelle]

My experience flying pretty is that when I am patted down they use the back or side of their hand and always infom me of what they are doing. This has also been the case when flying in drab.

Richelle

[ReineD]

But I wonder why the GG's don't get their boobs patted down when wearing a padded bra as most now do.

Generally speaking, women have breasts and men don't. Generally speaking, women wear bras and men don't. So a woman with a padded bra is not a surprise. A man with a padded bra is a potential red flag because he might be trying to get something past security. That's why your chest was padded down and women's chests generally aren't. If they are, it is done by female security.