passengers must provide gender...

[Bernice]

"The TSA is requiring the information for all passengers as of November 1 and customers that have not provided their full name, gender and date of birth at least 72 hours in advance may have their reservation canceled."

I'm not making this nonsense up. See http://blog.seattlepi.com/airlinereport ... 226764.asp

As if naked body scanners weren't already way too much, now they will also do a hard rub-down including a breast grope. Complain? Complaints fall on deaf ears. See http://www.prisonplanet.com/tsa-gives-f ... aints.html

It could mean Sarah West's ordeal all over again for everyone who wants to go en-femme.

To borrow from John Stossel, Gimme A Break.

My advice remains the same, post 9/11/01. Boycott ALL commercial airlines.

Hugs,

Bernice

[DonnaT]

I believe that even tickets bought in advance need to have a gender marker on them now. If not there you won't get to fly.

So check your tickets.

Air fare has gone up 59%

[Kimberly Kael]

"The TSA is requiring the information for all passengers as of November 1 and customers that have not provided their full name, gender and date of birth at least 72 hours in advance may have their reservation canceled."

Just how many devious plots do you think they'll foil because someone was traveling under the wrong gender? It's doubly absurd, because you can change your gender online with most airlines any time you want. Triply absurd because I have to! When I fly domestically I can use a driver's license, but internationally I need to use my passport - and they reflect different genders so I need to double-check my records whenever I book a flight.

As if naked body scanners weren't already way too much, now they will also do a hard rub-down including a breast grope.

This I'm less sure about, at least I don't think it's policy. If you decline to go through the body scanner they have an alternative procedure that's pretty thorough, but it's not in addition to the scan.

My advice remains the same, post 9/11/01. Boycott ALL commercial airlines.

It isn't the airlines that make these decisions, it's the federal government. The department of homeland security would like nothing better than for everyone to stop traveling since it would make their lives easier - but I don't think that's the solution. Boycotting the airlines just costs people jobs and tears down infrastructure that is critical to our economic success.

[Lydia]

How much does it hurt to check off the governmental queries the way they want it? We are a social animal, and therefore must give up some freedoms to coexist with others of our species. The U.S. happens to be among the countries with the least personal restrictions, so let's be thankful for that.

Would it be a lie to enter an "M" instead of a more truthful "F"? To paraphrase Mark Twain: "You can tell the truth all your life, but one big lie will atone for it all". Go ahead, make a TSA civil servant happy for today.

Hugs,

Lydia

[Pat]

I often laugh when I see the box marked "SEX" as I am very tempted to just print "YES"

[Bernice]

I can't find the link right now, and hate to disagree with Kimberly, but honest, I read that a significant percentage of travelers were getting both the naked body scan and the palm-to-front groping pat down.

Lydia, how do you respond if your ticket says you are "X" but your genitals don't yet, or no longer, match? How is this anything but an unreasonable invasion of your privacy? The naked body scanners make it impossible to safely present as other than whatever the scanners will presume, or what your ticket says. This is not at all American. We are not the land of the free, and we here on this forum are a new target minority to be singled out for government abuse.

Again hating to disagree, but unable to honestly agree, the TSA needs for us to fly, for without passengers, they have essentially no power, and it is the absolute power that they crave more than anything else. Yes, if I could boycott the TSA and not the airlines, I might be content with that. True, it is the TSA and not the airlines (nor even the FAA) that promotes the absurd regulations, but it does so without a whimper of protest from a single airline. In my mind, the airline's willingness to surrender our freedom is more than enough to earn them the bankruptcy they so richly deserve.

It would perhaps be different if anything the TSA has ever done did anything at all to prevent terrorism, but it does not, and has not. Yes, terrorists have been stopped, but always only by alert citizens willing to get involved. A frightening percentage of screening-test firearm-decoys still make it through airport security, as did some cell phones taped to Pepto-Bismol.

Please, if not convinced, do a little personal research, and watch some You-tube video of some of these screenings, and then decide for yourself if this would be anything less than outright sexual assault if it were done by a non-governmental stranger.

So what if things are arguably worse everywhere else in the world? Does that make it OK here in the US? I think not.

I still say "Don't tread on me".

Hugs,

Bernice

[Rony]

Personnally, I think TSA is one of the government bigest welfare efforts ever.
while some I'm sure believe in what they are doing is a government service, must are just taking a free ride.
I'm sorry, I travel a lot and see so much wasted effort. and the US is the only place I've had to remove my shoes to get on a plane.
All please don't take personal offense this is just my opinion.

Ronnie

[Lydia]

Davita says:

Lydia, how do you respond if your ticket says you are "X" but your genitals don't yet, or no longer, match?

Just make sure that the "X" and your genitals match, and avoid the hassle.
Yes, I agree that much of the TSA procedures are an invasion of privacy. What is worse is the lack of any creditable evidence that any of these searches have actually caught a true terrorist.

Fighting the TSA or blaming the airlines is missing the "enemy". The place to fight is at the ballot box Ultimately, it is ourselves to blame. In the words of Pogo:"We have met the enemy and he is us."

Hugs,

Lydia

[DonnaT]

Davita says:

Lydia, how do you respond if your ticket says you are "X" but your genitals don't yet, or no longer, match?

Just make sure that the "X" and your genitals match, and avoid the hassle.

Actually, genitals don't matter. The "X" must match your government issued ID.

[Ralitsa]

So, since I've been through this procedure quite a few times, I can assure all you ladies that it is in fact sadly true. When buying your tickets, you generally need to provide your gender, bra size, color of panty hose (OK not really). But they do require you to tell them your gender. Now I think the only thing they do about it is assign the correct security person to pat you down. Many times (really every time) I've been through security my passport says "male" and I'm wearing a dress or skirt and blouse. I never wear pants on a plane if I can help it, it's disgusting. They've never checked my genitals for a match, only sent over the corresponding flunkey to wave the wand at me.
It's rather amusing really, seeing these guys deal with such a problem.

[Kimberly Kael]

I can't find the link right now, and hate to disagree with Kimberly, but honest, I read that a significant percentage of travelers were getting both the naked body scan and the palm-to-front groping pat down.

Hmmm. Do let me know if you find a reference, because every time I hear about it the person in question has refused to be subjected to the body scan. Would I be surprised if the policy was implemented in an inconsistent fashion? Not really, especially in the early going, but I'm pretty sure the policy is you need to submit to one or the other.

Lydia, how do you respond if your ticket says you are "X" but your genitals don't yet, or no longer, match?

As others have stated, you absolutely must book your ticket with the same gender shown on the ID you will be using to fly. Your appearance is irrelevant.

How is this anything but an unreasonable invasion of your privacy? The naked body scanners make it impossible to safely present as other than whatever the scanners will presume, or what your ticket says.

I agree with the former to a large extent, but I think that we'll find the level of safety and freedom we demand are irreconcilable. It's like demanding the freedom to have a high standard of living without wanting to work. Demanding the impossible is the American way but it doesn't mean we'll get it.

The last part of your statement, however, I don't see. How can you not safely present as another gender? I've never been hassled even when it was blatantly obvious I was presenting opposite the gender shown on my ID and so has virtually every trans person at one point or another. Having some stranger in a closed room aware of your anatomical shortcomings doesn't make you unsafe. Or prevent you from being accepted by others as the gender you prefer.

It would perhaps be different if anything the TSA has ever done did anything at all to prevent terrorism, but it does not, and has not.

There's a lot of security theater that goes on, no question. Perhaps most of it is well meaning but it is pretty clearly inept. The problem is we insist that the government do something, and elect idiots who appeal to the lowest common denominator. When we insist on electing folksy common-sense touting bible thumpers we shouldn't be the least bit surprised that they're inept when it comes to anything that requires sophistication or subtlety.

[Bernice]

Hmmm. Do let me know if you find a reference, because every time I hear about it the person in question has refused to be subjected to the body scan.

On further reflection, Kimberly, the story I heard was from travelers who opted for the naked body scanner, and the TSA goons thought they saw something they term "an anomaly". Thus, TSA felt compelled or emboldened to force these same passenger candidates to also undergo the full rigorous sexual assault and battery.

There are lots of relevant stories at http://www.prisonplanet.com/ .

OK, Let's say you are pre-operative M2F, and your ID has been changed to show female. You present as female, and accept the naked-body scan. The naked body scanner reveals you have male genitalia. This genitalia would be termed "an anomaly". Now, as a result of being transgender, you also get the full body sexual battery with no option to abort, either, because now they think they've found "a device" attached to you. Try to abort at this point, and they threaten you with a civil fine of $10,000. (It happened in San Diego a few days ago.) Chances are you also get some very stern questioning about if you really are in fact the person whose ID you presented, and/or if that appendage is actually some kind of bomb. Either of those alone could get you bumped from your flight (and possibly all flights for the rest of the day/week), and you could also possibly be arrested and charged with criminal impersonation. Remember, the average IQ of a TSA agent is about 60, and they are always out to prove how much power they have over you. Innocence is not a valid legal defense, and you cannot win an argument with an idiot. Trust me... I've tried.

OK, I guess people have the right to think the world will somehow be safer if we humiliate and/or lock up all the trans-gendered people who dare to try to fly commercial, but I don't agree with them. Furthermore, I don't agree that any of this nonsense passenger screening does anything at all to reduce the likelihood of another terrorist attack on an airliner. Passengers stopped 100% of all domestic airborne attacks since 9/11/2001, and TSA was a futile gesture in both cases.

Personally, let me openly carry my .357 Magnum on board, or just forget it and I will drive my car.

Hugs,

Bernice

[Kimberly Kael]

There are lots of relevant stories at http://www.prisonplanet.com/.

I do think things have gone far enough that people will push back this time around and we'll see policy changes. This has not been a popular move, but it's more likely ineptness at work than anything particularly targeted.

OK, Let's say you are pre-operative M2F, and your ID has been changed to show female. You present as female, and accept the naked-body scan. The naked body scanner reveals you have male genitalia. This genitalia would be termed "an anomaly". Now, as a result of being transgender, you also get the full body sexual battery with no option to abort, either, because now they think they've found "a device" attached to you.

While it's absurdly invasive and shouldn't be necessary, I think referring to it as sexual battery is a bit over the top. I'll be flying in another three weeks and will let you know how it goes, given that I fit the profile described.

Chances are you also get some very stern questioning about if you really are in fact the person whose ID you presented, and/or if that appendage is actually some kind of bomb.

Nonsense. I've travelled en femme with male ID numerous times and have never had any problems. It's a common enough situation I suspect TSA agents have specific training because they've generally been quite courteous. In fact I had far more problems when presenting male. Now it seems I don't fit any kind of threat profile.

Either of those alone could get you bumped from your flight (and possibly all flights for the rest of the day/week), and you could also possibly be arrested and charged with criminal impersonation.

I could also be crowned the queen of England but I'd be similarly surprised.

Remember, the average IQ of a TSA agent is about 60, and they are always out to prove how much power they have over you. Innocence is not a valid legal defense, and you cannot win an argument with an idiot.

The effective way to fight something like this isn't to make the lives of the screeners difficult – they're simply doing their job. The challenge has to be taken to the people in charge through political channels, or through the courts. Arguing with an authority figure isn't a helpful move. They're trained not to put up with it because it undermines their authority in everyone else's eyes and the whole point of putting them in a position of authority is to ensure that the policy is followed.

OK, I guess people have the right to think the world will somehow be safer if we humiliate and/or lock up all the trans-gendered people who dare to try to fly commercial, but I don't agree with them.

I assure you that plenty of transgender folk are flying every day and that this policy has nothing to do with targeting us. Nothing whatsoever. You and I probably agree on the ineffectiveness when it comes to increasing safety, but that really is the intended purpose.

Personally, let me openly carry my .357 Magnum on board, or just forget it and I will drive my car.

Speaking as a fairly frequent flyer, I'm glad they'll be keeping you and your firearm off my flights. Drive safely.

[Absaroka]

There is no reason to be insulting the folks who work for TSA. Bernice why don't you get a job where you deal with annoyed irritated people all day for low pay and then see how pleasant you are after a year or two. Especially when you have a boss whose idea of CYA is for them to make your job unpleasant.

[DonnaT]

We have a number of men and women fighting to preserve our freedoms.

I think the public can do their part as well to preserve our freedoms by accepting this type of scrutiny is necessary these days.