October 22-25 (travel Update) ...

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Diane
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Morning,

I read an article on MSN on Monday where TSA is implementing an
additional information request: (The comment is by the article's
author)

Saw this in an article on MSN.COM: (By Harriet Baskas)
TSA initiated the first public phase of its Secure Flight program in
early May, asking travelers to book airline tickets using full names,
exactly as they are printed on a driver=92s license or passport.

In phase two, effective in mid-August, passengers will also be
required to list their birthday and gender when booking.

(I wonder what transgender travelers will be asked to do.)
- - -

Diane (AZ.)


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(This posting was entered by Diane, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: annie
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Well, the obvious answer if you're concerned about this is to
book your Pinkfest air before any regulations you're concerned
about take effect. :)

I booked last week and was not asked anything else other than
what they usually ask for.

> In phase two, effective in mid-August, passengers will also be
> required to list their birthday and gender when booking.

IANAL, but the way I understand these regulations, they ALLOW
the airline to maintain an internal list of birthdates and/or
gender in order to compare more precisely against watch lists.

For example, if you are Edward "Ted" Kennedy and you want to
book air for Pinkfest, your birthday would show them that you
are not the Edward "Ted" Kennedy on the watch list.

> (I wonder what transgender travelers will be asked to do.)

Again, IANAL, but the way I understand things, the additional
information is to compare you with the persons on various
watch lists. I've always understood that if the ID matches
the ticket and the face matches the ID photo, that's all that
is required. I assume then that what they will look for is for
all written information to match, meaning what's in the
airline's records for the booking needs to match what's on the
ID.

It's been about 10 years now since the infamous "Sarah affair",
and I haven't heard in recent years of anyone who was denied
boarding because the dress and presentation did not match the
gender on the ID. As long as the photo on the ID and the face
match, that seems to do it.

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(This posting was entered by annie, an external user of MyDLV.)

[External Poster]

This posting is from: Ginger
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I've been flying as Ginger for three years now and have never had any
problems. However, I do buy my fare on-line in the name of the person on
my driver's license. Funny thing is my legal name is not the one I have
ever used except on government forms and when I was employed by a very
large uniformed federal government agency in the 1960's and 70's.

I had an interesting experience returning from Chicago last fall. At
Midway Airport after showing the Homeland Security agent my Tennessee
Driver's License and being passed through as I always am with no more
than perhaps a sly, slightly amused second look, I confidently
approached the walk through metal detector and sent it off! The agent
asked if I was wearing anything metal and I replied "No" because I had
removed my watch, rings, necklace, etc., or so I thought, and he sent me
though a couple of times with the same results. Then he loudly called
out "Female hand screen." A female agent appeared and used a hand held
metal detector to scan me.

As I stood "straddle legged" with arms outreached, she promptly found a
large bangle bracelet that I had forgotten! She remarked "That's
probably it," but continued to find my bra underwires, metal pants
button, and zipper. Each time she found something, she asked if she
could "touch me" there or "pull down the waist" of my jeans. She was
very nice and professional in every way. When she finished I apologized
for forgetting the bracelet. Embarrassed to have caused such an episode,
I quietly slunk off to my gate! If any of my fellow passengers gave
notice to the older blond being searched I didn't observe it.

In a strange way it was a good experience because now I know what
happens if you are singled out for a full screen by homeland security
and it was not all that bad. They had to know I was a special woman, but
that was never part of the exercise. They just wanted to find out what I
had that was setting their alarms off and they were business like and
professional in every way. The agents who did the screening never even
examined my identification or ticket although they did have them in
their possession until I was released. It's these experiences that make
us stronger!

If I am asked to state my gender and birth date at some future time when
I buy an air fare I'm going to put them down as they are on my official
identification papers. We are way past elementary and high school and
there is no official governmental "Dress Code" for grownups.

The conservative Tennessee legislature was even forced to abandon its
efforts to pass a law curtailing "sagging" this year. There certainly is
no law to prevent anyone from wearing makeup and wigs or require anyone
to wear makeup or get their hair cut short or whatever. I suppose it's
humbling to have a driver's license and passport with the name and
picture of someone else, but I've had to deal with the name thing my
whole life. In Tennessee were I to transition the law does precude me
from changing my gender, but I could legally change my name. I don't
think my parents liked me very much because they named me one name and
called me another and it's been confusing my whole life! At this stage
of my life I really don't care who my legal documents say I am and don't
see much has changed over the years!

Just follow their rules and give them what they want and they will be
happy! If they aren't sue them! Unfortunately our British friend who was
kicked off the Untied Airlines flight in Chicago that time was forced to
give up her suit when Untied went into bankrupcy. For one I'll never fly
their unfriendly skys! Fortunatley, not all airlines are like that. I
have two good transgendered friends who are verteran flight attendants
and there are friendly skys to fly! See you in Chicago!

Ginger, Virginia Grace, Frank, or whoever!

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