TSA Releases New Guidance For Transgender Airline Passengers
by Richard D'Ambrosio
Transportation Security Officer (TSO), Steve Chao, reviews baggage at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) last week released new guidance for its agents and travelers to improve the airport screening process for transgender fliers.
A video posted on YouTube attempted to recognize transgender traveler needs, and offered answers to questions and concerns about screening procedures, after the agency received a barrage of criticism over how it treats LBGTQ passengers..
Last year, the National LGBTQ Task Force said the TSA had codified “discrimination against transgender people” by leveraging widespread use of body-scanning technology that identified passengers by their perceived gender.
The new video asks passengers to ensure their boarding pass information matches the information on their government-issued ID, and advises they can choose not to be screened by a full-body screener or walk-through metal detector, but instead undergo a pat-down conducted by an officer of the same gender they present, in private.
Travelers are also reminded that they can request to speak with a supervisor or opt for a private screening.
The video is apparently the first of a series the agency will be posting focused on helping passengers with special needs.
