Lived Experiences
Accounts From Real People: Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Communities
The shortcomings of Transportation Security Administration’s technology as well as inadequate training of their security officers largely contribute to the unfair treatment of travelers from marginalized groups. This leads to travelers being put in uncomfortable and exposing situations such as being pressured into showing their genitals during searches so that they can be let through security. Although transgender people make up less than 1% of the total population, 5% of the publicly available civil rights complaint data on the TSA website is related to the screening of transgender people while another 15% of the complaint data is related to sex, gender, and gender identity [Waldron 2019]. Further, looking at a survey of almost 28,000 transgender adults, 53% of them have gone through airport security. Of these people, 43% reported having at least one negative experience. These experiences can range from verbal harassment to pat-downs [Aratani 2021]. It is helpful to look at lived experiences to truly understand the impact TSA policies have had on members of the transgender and gender-nonconforming communities specifically.
photo: https://jods.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/costanza-chock/release/2
photo: https://jods.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/costanza-chock/release/2
Olivia
In their article, Waldron and Medina retell many stories from members of the transgender community starting with Olivia. At the Fort-Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, after a full-body security scan, Olivia, a transgender woman, was informed that a pat down would be necessary for a yellow box over her groin. Under normal circumstances, the manual search would suffice and she would be able to move on. However, the TSA officer informed her that additional screening would be necessary and took her to a private room where she was patted down again. She informed the officer of her penis and soon after three more female TSA officers entered the room, they informed her that she would have to be patted down by a male officer as TSA rules require that you are only searched by officers of the same gender. Since Olivia refused to be searched by a man, the officers refused to clear her to board her flight and said that she would be escorted out of the terminal. Olivia pleaded with them and cried asking if she could just show them. TSA rules dictate that officers are not supposed to allow passengers to remove undergarments, however, there was no objection from the group when she pulled down her skirt and underwear. After, she was allowed go to her gate. Olivia contacted TSA and they filed a complaint under the category sex, gender, and gender identity. However, this is not a common occurrence, it is noted that of the 174 stories that Waldron and Medina received, only 14 of them filed a complaint with TSA, that is something like 8% of people [Waldron 2019].
In their article, Waldron and Medina retell many stories from members of the transgender community starting with Olivia. At the Fort-Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, after a full-body security scan, Olivia, a transgender woman, was informed that a pat down would be necessary for a yellow box over her groin. Under normal circumstances, the manual search would suffice and she would be able to move on. However, the TSA officer informed her that additional screening would be necessary and took her to a private room where she was patted down again. She informed the officer of her penis and soon after three more female TSA officers entered the room, they informed her that she would have to be patted down by a male officer as TSA rules require that you are only searched by officers of the same gender. Since Olivia refused to be searched by a man, the officers refused to clear her to board her flight and said that she would be escorted out of the terminal. Olivia pleaded with them and cried asking if she could just show them. TSA rules dictate that officers are not supposed to allow passengers to remove undergarments, however, there was no objection from the group when she pulled down her skirt and underwear. After, she was allowed go to her gate. Olivia contacted TSA and they filed a complaint under the category sex, gender, and gender identity. However, this is not a common occurrence, it is noted that of the 174 stories that Waldron and Medina received, only 14 of them filed a complaint with TSA, that is something like 8% of people [Waldron 2019].
Terra Fox
In 2018, while passing through Albuquerque, New Mexico, Terra Fox, a transgender woman, was stopped after a full body scan for a yellow box over her groin. She explained to the TSA officers that she was a transgender women and that the scanner was detecting her penis. She asked for a female TSA agent for the manual search but they refused. Following this two male officers brought her into a private room where they directed her to pull down her leggings. She complied but she had already missed her flight because her screening took so long. Terra recalls feeling humiliated [Waldron 2019].
In 2018, while passing through Albuquerque, New Mexico, Terra Fox, a transgender woman, was stopped after a full body scan for a yellow box over her groin. She explained to the TSA officers that she was a transgender women and that the scanner was detecting her penis. She asked for a female TSA agent for the manual search but they refused. Following this two male officers brought her into a private room where they directed her to pull down her leggings. She complied but she had already missed her flight because her screening took so long. Terra recalls feeling humiliated [Waldron 2019].
Jamii Erway
Jamii is a 15-year-old transgender woman. At the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, she was flagged as a "false positive" at a security checkpoint. Jamii informed them that she was transgender and asked for a rescan. The screener told Jamii and her mother, Kimberly, that she would need to have her genitals inspected in a private room. Jamii was told she would not be able to leave until she complied with the manual search. When she still did not comply, they called the police. Kimberly has filed a lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration for violating TSA policy, her daughter's fourth amendment rights as well as her state rights [Gleeson 2021].
Jamii is a 15-year-old transgender woman. At the Raleigh-Durham International Airport, she was flagged as a "false positive" at a security checkpoint. Jamii informed them that she was transgender and asked for a rescan. The screener told Jamii and her mother, Kimberly, that she would need to have her genitals inspected in a private room. Jamii was told she would not be able to leave until she complied with the manual search. When she still did not comply, they called the police. Kimberly has filed a lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration for violating TSA policy, her daughter's fourth amendment rights as well as her state rights [Gleeson 2021].
Allister McGuire
McGuire said he did not fly for five years after his experience at Saint Louis Lambert International Airport. McGuire, a transgender man, was stopped after a full body scan for a yellow box over his chest. He recalls being taken back into a private room where two male officers told him to remove his chest binder. They then lifted each of his breasts in their hands. McGuire was eventually allowed to leave but notes that he was nervous and did not feel safe. He poses the question "If I was coming through as a woman, would the officers be touching me like that?" [Waldron 2019].
McGuire said he did not fly for five years after his experience at Saint Louis Lambert International Airport. McGuire, a transgender man, was stopped after a full body scan for a yellow box over his chest. He recalls being taken back into a private room where two male officers told him to remove his chest binder. They then lifted each of his breasts in their hands. McGuire was eventually allowed to leave but notes that he was nervous and did not feel safe. He poses the question "If I was coming through as a woman, would the officers be touching me like that?" [Waldron 2019].
Megan Beezley
When passing through Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Beezley, a transgender woman, had been flagged after going through the full body scan for an anomaly on her back. She was told that because of this she would need to be searched manually. She complied but as the agent was patting down her right side she put her hand between her buttocks, she repeated this on her left side, inserting her hand again. Beezley was taken aback. She contacted TSA after her experience and they replied saying that is was standard operating procedure and that her search was preformed correctly [Aratani 2021].
When passing through Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Beezley, a transgender woman, had been flagged after going through the full body scan for an anomaly on her back. She was told that because of this she would need to be searched manually. She complied but as the agent was patting down her right side she put her hand between her buttocks, she repeated this on her left side, inserting her hand again. Beezley was taken aback. She contacted TSA after her experience and they replied saying that is was standard operating procedure and that her search was preformed correctly [Aratani 2021].
Shadi Petosky
While traveling through Orlando International Airport, Petosky, a transgender woman, went through a full body scan and was told there was an anomaly in her groin area. The TSA officers argued over what to do for her screening and she was eventually placed in a private room where she waited for 40 minutes and was told not to use her phone. After two pat downs and a luggage search. This process caused her to miss her flight [Rogers 2015].
While traveling through Orlando International Airport, Petosky, a transgender woman, went through a full body scan and was told there was an anomaly in her groin area. The TSA officers argued over what to do for her screening and she was eventually placed in a private room where she waited for 40 minutes and was told not to use her phone. After two pat downs and a luggage search. This process caused her to miss her flight [Rogers 2015].