Upon returning home from Chicago through ORD in early March, I was directed to go through the full body scanner. There were no signs informing me that I could opt out, but I did so. I was detained for several minutes while they looked for someone to perform a "female assist", which they shouted across the security area multiple times at top volume. I was offered a private area for screening, but declined as I had been through the enhanced pat down before, and knew what to expect - or so I thought. Note that during this time (more than 15 minutes for the wait and the pat down, my luggage was out of my possession and even out of my sight.) I was wearing a dress with tights and a belt. The agent asked me to remove my belt, and I responded that the belt was attached to the dress. She gave me a dirty look and told me to unbuckle it. She then proceeded to perform the "enhanced pat down", but this time it was different, and very uncomfortable. She seemed to get a perverse sense of pleasure in touching my breasts (moving the backs of her hands around them almost as if she was fondling them) and sliding her hands up my legs and touching my crotch. Again, with the back of her hand, but very firmly and inappropriately. Since I was only wearing tights, this was very different than the last time I got a pat down wearing pants. She in fact touched my thighs so firmly that my tights slid down on my legs, and by the time she was done, they were almost below my hips (they'd started at my waist). The entire experience was very upsetting, and as a survivor of rape, extremely unsettling. I am afraid that now I shall have to go through the scanners, since I really don't think I can take another "enhanced pat down" - even though I really object to their use at all.
Jenny

Barack, Janet and John: Your ridiculous solution is worse than the problem you’re trying to solve. Just cut it out already.

I would like to share a personal experience that happened recently at the Ft. Lauderdale airport. On March 11, 2011 I was subjected to a body scan without my consent. Going through the security check, I realized the officer had directed me to the line that required passing through the body scanner. I prepared my carry on, removed my shoes and said to the TSA officer, "I do NOT give my consent to a body scan", thinking he would direct me to a pat down area. The officer not only ignored my request, he physically "guided" me to the scanner while explaining how to position my feet, hands and head. I noticed a female officer so I turned to her and stated that I did not give my consent to a body scan. In unison, both officers said, "turn your face forward and keep your head still". The scan was performed and as I stepped out of the scanner the same female officer said she was going to perform a pat down from the waist up. I was extremely upset and said something like, "Oh my God, this is unbelievable". She then asked if there was a problem. I said, "I did not want a body scan". Unbelievably, she asked me why I hadn't mentioned it before the scan !! I said I told male officer four times, and her, at least twice. She replied, "I will take this up with the other officer later".....whatever that meant. I highly doubt that either officer ever gave it a second thought. After this experience I learned that those claiming to be our protectors, in reality, are the predators.
Deb

It’s very easy for inexperienced travelers to get suckered into going through the scanners. We’ve gotten multiple similar reports. Do TSA employees not care to inform people or respect their choices? Is it just a cattle car setup where it’s all about moving people through as fast as possible? I don’t get it. What happened to our dignity?

Is there any way to know how many women vs. men have been put through the scanners? On a recent trip, it appeared there were a disproportionate number of women made to go through this humiliating experience. I'm particularly tired of TSA men standing there grinning at you like you should be enjoying this invasion of your personal privacy.
Brenda

This is an excellent question and thanks for asking it Brenda. The only stats I have seen from the TSA are about how many people, when selected for the scanners, choose to opt out. I think the TSA owes it to us to break down this information on gender lines. What do you think?

Last week there was a flurry of news stories about a new “study” on the safety of the TSA’s x-ray scanners.

“New Health Study Finds Airport Scanners Safe.”

Airport Scanners Appear Safe, Study Finds

Radiation from airport scanners very low: study

Airport Scanners Radiation Risk ‘Extremely Low,’ New Research Shows

But these headlines are complete bullshit!

Oh sure, there was an article published in a medical journal. But it wasn’t a study. No original testing of anyone or any radiation was mentioned in the article. No original research was done.

Pratik Mehta and Rebecca Smith-Bindman just got figures and estimates from other people and did a little math. That is all. That is why these headlines are fake. Read their short and very accessible article and decide for yourself.

In fact, the first comment on their article (from another doctor) notes this point:

… it seems that the authors did not collect any data of their own or do any experiments. It is very easy to measure the effects of the radiation of these scanners on cells using methodology that my laboratory and other laboratories have developed (for example, Schultz et al., Journal of Cell Biology 151: 1381-90, 2000). The amount of DNA damage induced by these scanners could then be accurately determined. Why not do these studies?

This biochemist has written about how these kinds of calculations can be misleading. It has been noted over and over again that a chest x-ray is a *hard* x-ray, most of which passes right through the body. The TSA x-ray scanners, on the other hand, use soft x-rays. These are more easily absorbed by the body, especially the skin, testicles and corneas.

The bottom line is that this article presents nothing new, can not honestly be called a study or research and definitely does not conclusively prove anything about the danger or safety of the TSA’s x-ray scanners. What a waste of newsprint!

I don't normally fly. but had to go to Hawaii on family matters. The TSA guy barked at me to come forward to walk thru the metal detector and then freaked out because I had on my wrist braces. "Step aside miss, you must remove those" I tossed them over at my bin, so that must have irked him. He barked at me again to step aside miss and remove my gloves, when he had failed to notice it was my sleeves. I said in the same tone he used on me " they are not gloves, they are sleeves and pulled them back so he could see my wrists. Rude asshole. This is why I never fly. If you have any kind of disability they mess with you.
Yvonne

We receive story after story about TSA employees being rude or mean or insensitive to people with disabilities. Can’t these people be given some sensitivity training, John? Are you even aware of this problem, Janet?

I just spent a few hours with an airline employee who works at the ticketing counter for a major airline at a large international airport. He said that the airline employees bypass all security lines and have their own entrances with codes to enter. He also said that he does not even go through security when he flies on his own time, even at other airports. He mentioned that he can bring pretty much anything he wants into the terminal, and even on board a plane. So there you have it. Regular passengers are being pointlessly scoped and groped when there are gaping holes everywhere else. If you really want to sneak something on board a plane, just get a job with the airlines, apparently.
Paul

Can anyone confirm this?

Recent Comments

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  • Dee: My comment was meant for Deb: “I did not want a body scan.” I clicked comments on her post & somehow it...
  • Dee: April 8, 2011 at 10:24 am I think one has to be extremely careful & watch what is going on. I try to hang...

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