Breast forms in carry-on luggage, good experience with TSA

[susiej]

Hi, Girls,

I'm on my way to Puerto Rico for a working vacation. I was planning to check my suitcase, since it contained a number of things that wouldn't pass security. When I arrived at the airport, I discovered it was a total zoo -- long lines at security, longer lines at bag check. I'd already checked in on-line, so I decided if I was going to get on the flight (still 90 minutes to go) I was going to have to scrap the prohibited items, and carry on my bag.

So, I squatted next to a trash can and tossed out all the "bad" stuff, including a spray can of Hollister medical adhesive, and a bottle of the remover for same (which I am going to miss next week!). But, I didn't throw out my breast forms!

This was a big moment for me, one I'd anticipated/dreaded all my life. Would the TSA x-ray screener see the breast forms ("D" size, of course) and think it was plastic explosive? Would I be held up to ridicule? Would the screeners snicker? Would I be delayed and miss the flight? Would someone else in the crowd who I know see the forms?

Well, the breast forms *did* capture the screener's attention. She reversed the conveyor belt and looked at my bag twice, then looked at me quizzically. She asked, "what is that, a rock?".

I told her no, it's a pair of silicone breast forms. She didn't bat the smallest eyelash -- her reaction was sort of, "oh, right, I get it, interesting". But, she was baffled what to do. She called over a supervisor, who looked at the image, and conferred with the screener (I could lip read "breast forms" between them, but absolutely straight faced).

The supervisor decided to inspect my bag. He took it to a relatively sheltered desk and cracked it open, pulled the forms out of a side pocket. "Are you a doctor," he asked. "No," I answered, "I'm a transgender." Straight face again. He pulled out a paper swab and rubbed the backs of the forms, put it in the bomb sniffer, which bleeped happily.

The forms had been clumped together in a ball, but he laid them out flat in my bag, zipped it up, and took it back to the x-ray. He and the screener peered at the monitor again -- probably looking for detonation wires .

The supervisor brought me the bag, smiled, and wished me a good day. I thanked him for treating me with respect.

So there you have it. Lessons learned:

1) Breast forms in your carry-on bag are going to get the screeners' attention, and they may not know what to do with them. Your bag will probably get hand searched.

2) My small sample of one TSA screener and one supervisor yielded a 100% professional attitude. A-plus.

Hugs,
Susie

[LeannL]

honesty is the best policy once again. Thanks for the update.

Leann

[PretzelGirl]

I am with Leann. It sounds to my uneducated ear that they handled it as they should for something they were unsure of. And unless you are friends with TSA agents, what does it hurt to be upfront with them. I did wince when reading that you threw out the Hollisters and remover. That had to hurt unless they were just about empty.

[susiej]

The Hollisters and remover were just about gone, and are not all that expensive (compared to missing a day of my vacation, that is), but I doubt I can find them anywhere in San Juan!

[Cynthia Anne]

Well, it's good they didn't find them loaded! But then again the next time you wear them your bra will be!

[Eryn]

Concerning the number of women who have had mastectomies I really doubt that screeners are unfamiliar with breast forms. You probably added a bit of spice to an otherwise routine day of staring at people's stuff.

[april_lynn]

Thanks for posting! I went through once with silicone enhancers without any problem but am going to Florida later this month and want to take my full forms. At least I'll be prepared for questions. What about eyeshadow and powder makeups? Do they need in with the liquids?

Thanks,
April

[Tina B.]

OK, I could accept they didn't understand breast forms in a guys luggage, it confused my wife the first time too. But harry Potter, whats the world coming to when you can be questioned by a government contractor about your reading habits, that goes to far, and I won't explain my copy of Vogue!
Tina B.

[Jenniferathome]

Susie, I thought I'd add my experience as well. I have traveled with my breast forms three times. So far, only once has my bag been opened. It was in Denver, for my return flight. As the TSA agent was searching my bag, I told her I had breast forms. She said, "I thought that's what they were." It didn't phase her and surprisingly, didn't phase me. I'll never she her again.

Now, I made the mistake of packing my in the bottom of my bag so she had to remove dresses, skirts, my wig, my purse fill of make up, all of it. Next time, I place them right on top. TSA agent was fantastic. She had seen it before....

[CindyT]

Yes I'm sure they have seen them before, I go with the idea of leaving them in an easy to access area so they don't have to rummage thru all your stuff!