32 House Democrats are pushing for TSA screening processes regarding transgender passengers to be reformed after last month when Shadi Petosky was held for 40 mins in Orlando (I mean come on Florida — you are always at the epicenter of asshole) and missed her flight because the scanner detected an “anomaly.” To ask “How fucking rude is that” is a serious understatement to the complete disregard it takes to use the word “anomaly” when describing a person’s body.
Petosky brought much needed attention to this issue when she live-tweeted the event and has been public about the experience. Since then, many transgender people have come forward with their horror TSA stories.
Executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality Mara Keisling said that many transgender people faced no-win situations while flying.
The TSA Guidelines state that a person must travel under the “name and gender that appears on their government-issued ID.” So when a person walks up to the scanner, the TSA agent running it sets the scanner based on whether they view the traveler as a man or a woman. But then if the scan doesn't match the gender set-up it becomes an ordeal. FIX IT TSA. The people running the scanners could perhaps do with a little training I would think? Perhaps we could update those procedures? WE CANNOT TREAT PEOPLE’S GENDER IDENTITY WE LIKE WE TREAT TERRORISM. It is NOT to be flagged and scrutinized. The TSA is in place to protect people. All people. Not humiliate and disrespect them.
Check out the video featuring D'Loco Kid above to learn more about how easy it can be to make this a better, safer world for trans* individuals.
