I don't think men have any frame of reference for this female anatomical issue. It's a measure of how low we've sunk, and how stupidly deferential we've become to an intrusive government bent on humiliating its citizens, that we are even holding these explicit, personal conversations about airline passengers' bodies.

Pardon the reference, but as a sympathetic yet completely-unable-to-relate male, this reminds me of ancient religious laws that regulated this part of female anatomy to ridiculous levels by today's standards. Women had to provide special sacrifices to the priest to be certified clean and participate in societal and religious functions. They could not associate in certain ways with "normal" society while the were menstruating. Otherwise, they had to announce that they were so people could take special precautions. There were many more but this is a representative sample. It was considered a curse and a cause of separation and women were ostracized in some societies.

4000 years of history, understanding and learning and in one fell swoop we take this giant step backwards for totally unnecessary and nonsensical reasons.

Thanks :-). I work in a male dominated field and have learned to deal with the various quirks that entails. Fortunately, I never travel with co-workers and it hasn't been an issue on work travel (yes, just what I always needed, a reminder to my co-workers that I'm female and I have bodily functions like a menstrual cycle). It's not so much embarrassing for me as it probably would be for my male co-workers as they probably wouldn't know how to react.

You're right, we are planners. I would really like to be able to plan ahead and minimize the aggravation. Let's put it this way: my bags are always nicely packed with packing cubes, so if a part shows up funny, they can just rerun the individual cubes and my bag can be repacked quickly. My liquids are stored at the top of my bag so that they are easy to access. I wear shoes with zippers so that they are easy to remove. Everything in my pockets goes into my purse after the ID check so that nothing can get lost. I purchase my laptop bags based on design and ease of getting the laptop out and then back in w/o having to open the entire bag, just a separate pocket or section. Even traveling with two laptops, I can separate everything out into bins in less than a minute and myself back together on the other side in less than a minute again.

I am a seasoned traveler, and have learned how to get through security with minimal pain or fuss. However, I cannot do a thing about my body's natural functions (and no, I'm not going to load my body with hormones to stop or change my cycle) and there appears to be nothing I can do to prepare or make the pat-down while I'm on my menstrual cycle easier for everyone. *sigh* Guess, I'll just hope that I'm not selected for the scanner. So far I've done pretty well with the self-directed opt out, but sooner or later, I imagine my luck is going to run out.

JennyElf, what about a menstrual cup? Or a diaphragm worn for fluid retention rather than fluid exclusion? Would that solve the problem long enough to get through the scope-and-grope?

My flight is tomorrow. No way am I going to be able to get one and figure out how to use it and be adjusted to it in time. Diaphragms require an GYN exam to get properly fitted. Also, would prefer not to have to figure out the mechanics of one in a public bathroom (once on the other side of security). I understand some people love their menstrual cups and they aren't too difficult to work with, but they strike me as something I should get used to inserting and properly positioning. Last thing I'd want is to do it incorrectly (and get fluids everywhere) when I don't have easy access to spare clothing and a private bathroom.

It is something I have thought of in the past, but I was never all that enthused about them in the first place.

Good points, and well taken, but this is an extraordinary situation thrust upon us, and it strikes me that a cup is your best solution FOR THESE PURPOSES. Just to get through screening.

I'm taking the opposite approach about sanitary pads. I rarely use them but I'm wearing a sanitary pad every time I fly whether I need it or not. I don't want the hands of strangers getting into places they shouldn't, and I'm going to provide a small physical deterrent.

Don't get me wrong, I resent having to even consider something so silly as wearing a sanitary pad when I don't need one...but if I have to be prepared for the hands of strangers in my private areas, then this kind of silly behavior becomes fair game.

Except, again, I'd still would want to wear the napkin just in case of mis-positioning of the cup so that I don't get fluids on my clothing. So I'm right back where I started. I agree that if I already had one and was accustomed to it and had already figured out how to wear one correctly, a cup would be the best solution. But given that I don't have one and don't know how to wear it correctly and not have a leak, I'm not sure that it is the best solution.

Me too.

OK, all you ladies of childbearing age who are reading this thread, if at any point in the future you think you might be flying, for business or for recreation, now might be a good time for you to learn how to use this alternative hygienic solution. Consider it a part of your emergency travel wardrobe.

One of my guiding life principles: Be an Actor, Not a Victim.

Best wishes for your flight tomorrow, JennyElf.

Menstrual cups like the keeper are great but do have a learning curve. You'd want back up the first few times. I'm curious as to what the "official" policy is on pads as well.

I would be interested to know how this is dealt with by the TSA because, of course, they don´t know if it is a pad or underwear bomb by touch or whole body imaging alone. Let us know your experiences, if you are unlucky enough to have them.

I never thought anyone would be willing to do a job requiring that they grope the private areas of strangers in the public areas of an airport, so maybe there ARE people who would be willing to inspect the Kotex Ultra Overnight pads of strangers outside of a medical setting?

But I'm hoping that the pad gets the grope instead of the hooha and that's where it stops.

The *problem* is not with one's natural bodily functions.

I'm mystified why any woman should drop extra dime on alternative sanitary devices when it does nothing to advance a real solution here?

Me, three. And the firmest, most padded bra in my arsenal. :)