What the TSA screenings mean for this trans guy
Recently Jezebel posted this about the increased security measure and its possible effects on sexual assault survivors:
Among the constituencies pissed off about the TSA's new security measures: Sexual assault survivors, for whom both the body scans and the patdowns can be triggering[...]
Ironically, the most visible spokesman of this whole outcry is the guy who yelled "Don't touch my junk." As Amanda Hess noted dryly, "GROPING! It happens to straight dudes too, now, so everybody pay attention." Read entire article here.
These x-ray machines are dehumanizing and pave the way for additional discrimination and intimidation of marginalized peoples. It's important to note that transgender people are consistently targeted for additional screening at airports because our gender expression may not match the gender marker on our ID documents or ticket. Under our clothes, transgender people may be sporting body parts that TSA doesn't expect.In this climate of government-crafted terror, any difference is met with suspicion and can bring additional TSA harassment. And because the focus of harassment for trans people is the body, harassment against transgender people is sexual in nature.Additionally, while its true that some, perhaps most TSA agents responsible for viewing the body scan images are positioned in a separate room, some are out in the public, monitors in full view. (I've definitely seen nekkid pictures of fellow passengers in my travels.) I'm not comfortable with either. I don't want AA Flight 455 seat 17B to have a full view of my junk. Meanwhile, this back room process terrifies me. Yes TSA is supposed to delete photos, but after how long? And how many people are looking at my naked crotch before they delete them? I may be paranoid, but I have difficulty trusting any government agency's ability to restrict the scope of their information (hello NYPD's stop-and-frisk policies). And faceless agents stationed in a back room looking at my naked self just conjures up images of voyeuristic, frat-brat-style mocking. It's uncomfortable and frightening.This said, I opt for the pat-down every time. It's not my favorite activity, but at least I know for certain who is looking at my body and, often more importantly, who else is looking at the TSA agent touching me.