I’m saddened that so many choose anger instead of understanding. It’s true, freedom of speech allows us all to stay in our little bubbles of resentment rather than reaching out to each other to find a better solution. If delays in the security line make you this angry, perhaps there’s a policy change you could suggest.

Ultimately, though, all of this has got you angrily pointing your finger at someone who wasn’t carrying a bomb, and had no ill intentions at all. A country divided by fear and hatred is truly a country defeated.

I totally support your right to pack, but there is a TIME and a PLACE and airport security is NOT IT. I really don’t think you have any right to feel indignant about airport security in this instance. In fact, I’m pretty pissed at you because you’re creating delays, stress and drama where none is required.

This has nothing to do with your gender or trans identity, and everything to do with acting selfishly and irresponsibly.

My wife takes her nipple piercings out and I yank off my cowboy boots – both forms of self expression – when we pass through airport security so we do it QUICKLY and EASILY.

Airport security staff have an immense capacity to be assholes – believe me, I know better than anybody – but ultimately they’re doing a VITAL job to keep us all safe. It’s idiots like you which explain why they have to be so cautious and humorless about it. Shame on you, and shame on you for whining about it. You’re doing the trans community NO favors.

I respect your right to be judgmental and offended but I take exception to you accusing me of selfishness and irresponsibility. Honestly, I’ve been packing long enough that I mostly don’t think of it as a foreign object stuffed into my briefs, I think of it as part of me. So you can choose to be judgmental about what I did and go about your business. Next time I fly, I will pack and I will be prepared for the delay.

Oh I see.. it’s only ok to wear a prosthetic if I’m willing to go all the way and claim only my male identity? I reject that narrow view that I must choose between the two genders in order to fit in and make everyone around me comfortable. I’m not a trans person, but there’s a lot in your comment that shows you haven’t actually taken a lot of time to read my post, follow-up comments or blog to find out who I am. I’m glad it’s easier and easier for trans people to get official identification that corresponds to their true genders, unfortunately, they don’t have one for mine yet.

I do not see this post as feeding hysteria. I was telling the story of what happened to me as a way of getting first hand information out there. We all have the right to choose how we present ourselves. I wasn’t doing anything illegal, nor was it against any written and published guideline about dealing with airport security. I’m not going to cower in a corner or stop living my life my way just because I might get some extra attention at the airport. I’m also not going to conform to what you or others might think my proper behavior should be.

The scanner officer cannot see your ID but the gate officers can. So when the signal comes it is the gate officers who make the call on what to do. If you had male ID and were looking male then male TSA would have talked to you and so on. Considering how freaking easy it is for transitioning people to get state issued Federally compliant ID in target gender its your own hubris and idiocy in motion here.