Email
Print
Comments
FeedGender Turbulence
Airlines may now need a crash-course in Gender 101. As of August 15, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implemented their new Secure Flight Program, which requires passengers to list their full first and middle names and their gender as it is stated on their government-issued I.D. in order to get a boarding pass. When asked how the TSA plans to handle transgender passengers and the laws that vary state-by-state allowing people to change the gender on their I.D., TSA publicity agent Dwayne Baird simply stated, “I don’t know that there’s a policy to handle the transgender aspect.” With today’s multiple gender identifications, they're going to have to figure one out.
Previously, individual airlines were responsible for checking passenger names against the FBI’s terrorist-watch “No Fly” list, but now the TSA has stepped in to take control. While extra identifying measures may streamline travel for some people, gender-queer passengers may run into extra snags. Though it does relieve some stress to know that your gender won’t be listed on your actual boarding pass or need to be confirmed when you pass through security, not looking like the “Alexandra” you were born as may create problems. The gender and name you report while booking your ticket now needs to exactly match your I.D., and if you want to avoid a hassle, your appearance may need to as well.
“I don’t know that it’s the gender on your I.D. so much as it’s the information on the boarding pass that we’re interested in,” says Baird. “If you know that you’re going to have some changes…try to project what you’ll be like then, to have that accurate. Because it’s all about accuracy with the No Fly list.”
While the TSA is giving you yet another reason to change that pesky I.D., for now, Baird tells us that this process is all about flexibility.
“It really doesn’t matter to us a great deal what the differences are going to be as who you are…The Secure Flight Program has to do with identifying people who are on a terrorist watch list and making aviation safe. We’re not trying to run a contest to see who looks like what, where, because that’s not our goal and that’s not our intent,” he explained. “It doesn’t have to do with looking at you face-to-face at a security checkpoint.”
Dressing in drag may get you on the plane for now, but the new program is set to become a hard-and-fast rule by spring 2010. Buckle up. We’re predicting some serious turbulence.
Do you like what you read? Subscribe to Curve Magazine »
Reader Comments:
Why are there so many trans articles on this website. It is no longer a lesbian magazine but yet a trans magazine. Can we please see more lesbian related stuff and can the trans issues for at least a week.
Trans issues are lesbian issues. As lesbians we should begin to include them as part of our community, especially as we should understand how difficult it is to be considered "other". Until all people have equal right to express their gender and sexuality, lesbians won't either. Trans issues are lesbian issues!
I don't see how a guy who wants to wear a dress or a women who now grows a beard is related to lesbians. Spin it anyway you want, trans issues are not lesbian issues.
Such nonsense... Trans issues have nothing to do with lesbian issues. Relating the two is simply a marriage of convenience for political purposes.
CURVE has a rich history as a lesbian-centered periodical. Injecting trans issues into the mix may be motivated by a desire on the part of the CURVE's publisher to increase subscriber appeal in an effort to broaden the magazine's audience. Women, lesbian or straight, are typically accepting of just about anything. So, CURVE risks very little backlash by injecting non-lesbian-related content into the periodical.
If I had my druthers, I'd vote for CURVE to stick to its roots by remaining centered on lesbian content. But, as most sensible people realize, I don't have a vote — and, neither do you.
Trans issues have nothing to do w/lesbian issues? NOTHING to do with lesbian issues? On what planet?!
They have everything to do with lesbian issues so long as there are lesbians who identify/present as butch, genderqueer, andro, boi, etc. If you don't think so, then wait until your butch friends have to use their full birthname (in all its glorious girliness) and put on some lipstick just to get through security and onto a plane. If you don't think that a boarding pass listing "Tiffany Elizabeth, F" is going to garner it's buzzcut, polo-wearing carrier extra hassles in line, well, you haven't had to deal with TSA's power-trippin' paranoia.
To those of you who are not transgender, the issue of gender identity, obviously, isn't important. To those of us who are (and consider ourselves lesbians), gender is an extremely high priority. It is our life! And, yes, I enjoy reading Curve. I enjoy all things lesbian...because, like I said, I AM LESBIAN!
I put my name and money into causes which affect gays and lesbians because we are all fighting for the same thing...remember?
What ever happened to the quest for true equality? Does it now only pertain to the non-transgendered gay and lesbians, as some closed minded people still seem to think it only pertains to heterosexuals?
Why does one group have to have a magazine and others can't share in it. Sounds like what the closed minded people on the other side of the marriage equality fight are saying. Stop and read what y'all wrote....and then think about it.
I'm totally surprised by this ridiculous nonsense about not including trans issues. Especially, from a group who can't get married in some 40-odd (no pun intended) states...
Becky
Becky Girl, you tell me how you are lesbian?
Again, we talk about trans issues, when we should be talking lesbian issues. gross misconduct Curve.
what's with all the hating on trans? the spectrum from lesbian- butch- genderqueer- to MTF is a very subtle stream of gray. gender expression is important to lesbian culture and rights. we should be more accepting and working together.
Becky Girl is a lesbian because she is a woman who (presumably), you know, likes women "in that way". Congratulations Anonymous #7 (7/3/09 1:11am), you have now stepped out of the 1980s. Pretty soon you'll be ready for the 21st century! Way to go!