FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - HuffPo article: Why I Hate the TSA (Flying while butch)
Old Feb 27, 2013 | 7:44 am
  #10  
studentff
20 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS and vicinity
Programs: Former UA 1P
Posts: 3,730
Originally Posted by The article
The passenger behind me was lucky that he was all lined up as a man. The woman operating the machine hit the "male" button.
I always opt out so I don't see this part, but do the NoSs really have "male" and "female" buttons? Jeesh.

The bigger point, way beyond issues with gender perception and presentation, is that our body compositions are none of TSA's friggen business. Breasts--large, small, or absent. (Do overweight men with "man boobs" have issues with the gender-specific NoS? I would expect so.) Same with genitals (ask Rolano Negrin). Or missing limbs. Why does *any* of this matter for screening for WEI? It doesn't, and screening with this level of fine resolution is ridiculous when there are much less invasive means of screening for credible threats. (i.e., WTMD, ETD, and simple visual inspection for odd/large bulges.)

This woman's experience is part of the same problem that caused Rep. Sharon Cissna to have to take a boat back to AK (mastectomy scars). And has resulted in delays and harassment of amputees, those using medical devices, etc. I personally don't care how she presents herself, nor do I have a problem with the high likelihood I would misidentify her actual gender at first glance (which IMO she should accept/expect based on choosing to present in a non-conforming way), but I fail to see why TSA should be involved at all.
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