I suggest that for our next national airport Act-Up, we have a National Pad Day. Women can wear sanitary pads, wherever in their cycle they happen to be. Men can do their part also, even with different anatomy--they can purchase and wear a Depends. A long checkpoint line of every gropee wearing a pad...this is an interesting mental image. Also, we must not forget the national media coverage.

I have to fly on the 23rd and I've been going back and forth between the no underwear or bra route and extra layers and pads route (and I'm a reusable pad kind of woman).

My action is to be prepared as best I can be under the circumstances. I agree that menstrual cups can be a great alternative, and I may look into them again in the future.

However, essxjay brings up a good point. This is once again me changing my behavior to make their lives easier and does nothing to actually address the problem, that these devices and pat-downs do nothing to improve our safety and create more problems.

It almost reminds me of the things we as women do to avoid getting sexually assaulted or harassed in our normal lives. We try to dress appropriately, not show too much skin lest we are "asking for it", avoid going out alone to a club, or avoid drinking too much when out. The problem isn't how we are dressed or how much we drink, the problem is the people who harass or assault.

Here we are again, trying to dress so that we aren't wearing bulky clothing (to avoid pat-downs), avoid wearing sanitary napkins (so that the scanner doesn't pick them up and necessitate a pat-down). Again, the problem isn't how we are dressed or what product we use to deal with our menstrual cycles, it's the process, the scanner and our methods of security that are leading to unnecessary and intrusive touching and potential embarrassment.

I would like to take this opportunity to also suggest that men wear jockstraps to get through screening. You know. Because changing your behaviour to suit them is the best way to do things, even when it's ridiculous.

For the record, I would like not to get blood all over my hands and potentially my clothes, and I don't mean during wearing. Wearing a menstrual cup to get through screening means:

1. Wearing the menstrual cup before I leave my house
2. Keeping it on all through security/screening
3a. Taking it off once past screening, potentially creating a mess in a public toilet (and if I put bloodstains on my clothes what am I going to do?)
3b. Keep it on for a 10+ hour flight and suffer TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome, for those not in the know).

Plus I don't know about most of the ladies out there, but I have super heavy flow that threatens to overwhelm the heaviest pads I've got if I don't go to the bathroom to change out every 2.5-3 hours. (I may have inadvertently dirtied a seat on United, as I discovered when I hit the bathroom immediately upon disembarking--and that was a 2-hour flight.) I apologize sincerely--I had no idea.) I'm not sure I want a cup for that.

Re: 3b: As I understand it, since there is no airflow, TSS is not a concern with menstrual cups. Unlike tampons, there have been no cases of TSS associated with menstrual cups. Also they are supposed to be able to hold more liquid than tampons or pads, and safe up to 12 hours.Totally agree with your concerns in 3a, especially for new users. Regular users report being able to use them w/o spillage or leakage once they get it right.

Don't forget kilt, skirt, sari, and Hammer-pants day. Downside is, authentic quality kilts are expensive (know someone who got married in a kilt, and he never failed to mention how expensive they were).

I would hope not. Otherwise, anybody who wanted to hide something there would just say that's what it was and nobody would check. In my opinion, that's the whole problem with the scanners: how do you resolve this sort of "alert"?

AMEN!

If someone really wants to inspect a bloody pad, I suggest letting them have it, as loudly as possible.

"WHY YES I am on my period!! WANT TO SEE MY BLOODY BITS?!?!?!"

Embarrass the living hell out of them. Even better if their male comrades are standing close by. So many men are squicked when it comes to female "issues". Take control of the situation from the start.

We are women - there is no shame in that. Those silly little $#!+s wouldn't exist if it wasn't for us.

I used to find a cup really easy, and not a huge amount of bother to empty etc. I always wear a carefree panty liner when travelling so I guess I have a few gropes to come!

Chaos, you're a girl after my own heart!

For the best coverage on National Pad Day--media coverage, anyway--participating travelers might consider wearing the items--sanitary pads, Depends, etc., on the OUTSIDE of their clothing as a special eff you to the horrid, degrading, un-American invasion of privacy that is the TSA NOS and grope down.

There's definitely a learning curve. I find that if you wear it overnight at home at first it helps you get used to the cup, and then if you make a mess, it's in your own bathroom and you can shower.

I've made it well past 12 hours; though I prefer reusable pads, the cup is a good alternative. Just don't be me and go rock climbing whilst wearing it when you're still getting used to it. I know I'm not always the brightest person, but that was definitely not one of my prouder moments.

I'm not very good at elevating my voice in awkward public situations but if someone suspected that my sanitary pad is something that can take down an aircraft, I would just offer it up for inspection. Flat, straight and without sarcasm: "Would you like to examine it?"

:-) Good point, take control of the situation from the start. Don't just lie back and let the world happen to you.