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-   -   Menstruation Arouses TSA Suspicion (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/checkpoints-borders-policy-debate/1152887-menstruation-arouses-tsa-suspicion.html)

BearX220 Nov 25, 2010 12:03 pm

Menstruation Arouses TSA Suspicion
 
Seen this one yet? Good God. Woman subjected to invasive genital search because TSO was curious about her panty liner.

http://blog.gladrags.com/2010/11/24/...ruating-woman/

It's like the friggin' 19th century out there. Where do they hire these idiots? Oh, that's right. Pizza boxes.

exbayern Nov 25, 2010 12:19 pm


Why? Because of my flannel panty-liner. These new scans are so horrible that if you are wearing something unusual (like a piece of cloth on your panties) then you will be subjected to a search where a woman repeatedly has to check your "groin" while another woman watches on (two in my case - they were training in a new girl - awesome).

So please, please, tell the ladies not to wear their liners at the airport (I didn't even have an insert in). I'm a strong, confident woman; I'm an Army vet (which is why those camo liners crack me up), I work full-time and go to graduate school full-time, I have a wonderful husband, and I don't take any nonsense from anyone.

I don't dramatize, and I don't exaggerate. I'm trying to give you a sense of who I am so you won't think that this is a plea for attention, or a jumping on the bandwagon about the recent TSA proposed boycott. I just don't want another woman to have to go through the "patting down" because she didn't know that her glad-rag would be a matter of national security."
So now that makes panty liners, incontinence pads, and adult diapers we have read about in the last few days, all of which had to be shown, felt numerous times, or even removed. :mad:

But then again 'it never happened'. :rolleyes:

gojirasan Nov 25, 2010 12:20 pm

Pathetic sheeple. She doesn't have a problem with the TSA for doing their invasive patdowns. She says: "So please, please, tell the ladies not to wear their liners at the airport". IOW it was her own fault for wearing the thing I guess. Those things don't look like they could absorb much blood. Maybe that is why the TSO was suspicous. "Miss, what is the purpose of this pad?". Could a used panty-liner be used as a weapon somehow? I hope she gets groped even more next time.

exbayern Nov 25, 2010 12:22 pm

I honestly don't understand the many posts in the last few days blaming the victim. :confused:

gojirasan Nov 25, 2010 12:27 pm

This woman was no victim. She fully supports what the TSA is doing, fully believes in their right to do it, and disparages our efforts to protect people like her. Her only point was to warn other women not to wear panty liners. Read the article.

whitearrow Nov 25, 2010 12:28 pm

I am absolutely not defending TSA here, but just to be clear -- this instance involved a flannel, reusable liner. These are worn by a fairly small minority of women -- most feminine hygeine products are the disposable kind and made of different materials. I don't know if the flannel product threw up some kind of flag that a disposable one wouldn't. Not that that's an excuse, but it might be an explanation.

halls120 Nov 25, 2010 12:33 pm


Originally Posted by BearX220 (Post 15283685)
Seen this one yet? Good God. Woman subjected to invasive genital search because TSO was curious about her panty liner.

http://blog.gladrags.com/2010/11/24/...ruating-woman/

It's like the friggin' 19th century out there. Where do they hire these idiots? Oh, that's right. Pizza boxes.

Come on, now. Why do you continue posting these traitorous posts? Don't you understand that TSO's are more American than the rest of us, and their actions should never be questioned? :rolleyes:

essxjay Nov 25, 2010 12:50 pm


Originally Posted by gojirasan (Post 15283826)
Those things don't look like they could absorb much blood.

Granted, the assortment of feminine protection products is seemingly unfathomable and mind-numbing at times, but how is absorbency relevant here? :confused:

gojirasan Nov 25, 2010 1:33 pm

I'm sort of wondering why she is wearing it at all. I have my suspicions, but I'm not really sure. And if I'm wondering then maybe a TSO who doesn't use them might wonder as well. Sort of a comment on the TSOs being overly suspicious and nosy about everythiing.

tanja Nov 25, 2010 1:58 pm


Originally Posted by gojirasan (Post 15283826)
Pathetic sheeple. She doesn't have a problem with the TSA for doing their invasive patdowns. She says: "So please, please, tell the ladies not to wear their liners at the airport". IOW it was her own fault for wearing the thing I guess. Those things don't look like they could absorb much blood. Maybe that is why the TSO was suspicous. "Miss, what is the purpose of this pad?". Could a used panty-liner be used as a weapon somehow? I hope she gets groped even more next time.

That is nobodys buisness if "you" were a pad ot a tampong when you ahve your monhty "friend" visiting.

Not everybody uses a tampong. A lot of women, especially over 30 wears a pad.
If it was me I would have taken it out in public and thrown it in front of them.

SICK !. Now TSA is going to make a rule what you cant use when you have your "friend".

And so what that they can be washed. That is the time now to recycle and for the earth.


Originally Posted by gojirasan (Post 15284584)
I'm sort of wondering why she is wearing it at all. I have my suspicions, but I'm not really sure. And if I'm wondering then maybe a TSO who doesn't use them might wonder as well. Sort of a comment on the TSOs being overly suspicious and nosy about everythiing.

If it is a male TSO he wouldnt have a clue and not wear one. But who knows.

sobetraveler Nov 25, 2010 2:03 pm

i could understand going to these extremes if there had been a lot of "chatter" about an imminent attack by women wearing explosive maxipads and men hiding explosives in their scrotums... then i could understand the need for being so careful, but this isn't that... this is just policy.

tanja Nov 25, 2010 2:08 pm


Originally Posted by sobetraveler (Post 15284899)
i could understand going to these extremes if there had been a lot of "chatter" about an imminent attack by women wearing explosive maxipads and men hiding explosives in their scrotums... then i could understand the need for being so careful, but this isn't that... this is just policy.

Yes. And I have also read that TSO agents are discusted by body fluids. They cant if it both ways.. plus they cant look "inside" it. That was I was told by Sattso on an other trhread.
So they are just going to "feel" around? Guess what then the "body fluids" would go every were. especially if the woman is "heavy bleeder.

Nice work TSA and TSO agents.
Dont these TSO female agents have periods?

slsdi Nov 25, 2010 2:19 pm


Originally Posted by tanja (Post 15284953)
Nice work TSA and TSO agents.
Dont these TSO female agents have periods?

No, menstruating females are restricted items.:rolleyes:

But seriously, she was examined by female agents, and evidently this is just another case of TSOs getting a little too into their jobs. I am not surprised by this at all. I figured at some point someone was going to be thoroughly checked after going through the scanner for a hygiene product anomaly.

The thing is, hygiene products could be used to transport explosive materials, but I doubt the TSA can/will actually be able to check them out enough to determine that (contents would need to be examined - not exterior). This puts us back again the the fact that we need to use information from our intelligence agencies so we don't harass a relatively harmless segment of the population.

maradydd Nov 25, 2010 2:30 pm


Originally Posted by gojirasan (Post 15284584)
I'm sort of wondering why she is wearing it at all. I have my suspicions, but I'm not really sure. And if I'm wondering then maybe a TSO who doesn't use them might wonder as well. Sort of a comment on the TSOs being overly suspicious and nosy about everythiing.

Many women who have heavy periods prefer to wear two forms of absorbent material to protect their clothing. Tampons, menstrual sponges and menstrual cups can fill up and leak, so a pad or panty-liner worn in the underwear is extra insurance against stains.

The flannel panty-liners mentioned in the original article are a reusable (and often DIY -- they're an easy sewing project) alternative to disposable panty-liners. Many people who wear washable pads also use reusable alternatives to tampons, such as menstrual sponges (natural sea sponges) or silicone/latex cups like the Keeper or Diva Cup.

So I can understand why a woman in that situation might be nervous -- imagine having to think about what you'll say if you're interrogated about something as private as what you do to manage your period!

zitsky Nov 25, 2010 3:39 pm

Isn't it incredible that here we are in 2010, arguing about panty liners, menstruation and security? Doesn't this strike people as so incredibly bizarre? Would a time traveler from 2002 even believe that this is happening? :(

If the TSA decided on cavity searches for everyone, would some people stand up and defend TSA as "protecting our safety"?


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