Originally Posted by Ari

You can ask anything you want.



You can always ask for a supervisor; I imagine some would be flexible and do it himself or find someone else to do it. I imagine others will just cop the standard D Y W T F T line.



People thought about it long before the patdown procedures were changed 11 days ago (you can google some Christian-type anti-gay nut who voiced his opinion on the topic). It doesn't seem to have come up in any practical sense, though. Perhaps the new procedures will be cause for alarm in some-- I don't know.

I think the TSA should change their procedures and have patdowns be gender neutral. The new procedure should be that both male and female TSOs can pat down both male and female pax-- there will no longer be any "MALE ASSIST" or "FEMALE ASSIST" and it will speed things up. Before the patdown begins, the passenger should be informed that he or she can request that a different TSO or a different gender of TSO than the one assigned do the pat down (but that the pax cannot choose the specific TSO who does it). Those who are comfortable with either gender (which would be the majority of men, I believe, and possibly women in the USA, also) will help everyone get processed more quickly while those who care are given an option. It would be just like the option for private screening-- some request it but most don't. Since either gender pax can ask for a TSO of the other gender than the one assigned, it would be totally gender neutral. The only unintended consequence would be that there would be more female TSOs doing pat downs though the TSO should be able to opt out of one (either) gender of patdown duty if he or she so choses. Most wont care, I believe.