A
female
age
41-50,
anonymous
writes:I am due to be flying in about a month's time. I really really detest the idea of this whole human body scan thing where any odd person can view my private parts and genitals. Most men don't seem to think it is a big deal, but as a woman it is a hell of a big deal to me. I do not have anything to hide, but at the same time I dont to be displaying my nude self to any old pervert sitting there (people can argue it is their job, it is for our safety etc etc but ultimately, it boils down to a stranger is seeing virtual images of my breasts, vagina, bottom etc which I am NOT comfortable about irrespective of any argument anyone can give me) Even today on the news there is a situation of an employee used the machine at the airport I am due to fly from to oogle one of his female co-workers.So my question is - do I have any rights at all in terms of choosing to not go through this? Can I refuse? And if I do, will I be submitted to more humiliation or decline my boarding? Or basically has the government taken away my human rights and submitted me to being some cheap 30 second strip dance routine for the oogling eyes at the security staff at the airport??
View related questions:
breasts, cheap, co-worker, vagina Reply to this Question
Share |
Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, tudorrose1595  +, writes (25 October 2010):
You have rights! The body scanners are completely against the constitution! Ask for a pat-down instead.
A
female
reader, SirenaBlusera  +, writes (24 March 2010):
 @Lyra Anna... I don't think it's immature!
I can understand why someone would feel violated.
But you have to understand that they're doing this to protect the passengers; to keep anything from happening to them.
God knows I don't want any more terrorist attacks and we should certainly do whatever is necessary to prevent another, but what I want to know is, why were the terrorists let onto the plane in the first place? I'm thinking what Lonely Two is thinking.
It really is a shame that there are so many psychos out there. I love to travel but I honestly hate flying now; it's no fun anymore.
...............................
A
female
reader, Angzw  +, writes (24 March 2010):
You can refuse but you will be subjecting yourself to a more humiliating hands on body search that may or may not include a cavity check. They get really annoyed with people who refuse so they are not very gentle about it. They will also go through your carryon luggage item by item. I was once subjected to this type of search in Houston because I kept buzzing and I nearlymissed my flight because it took forever. I personally think the body scanner is a better less invasive option; its over in seconds and unless you are a drug mule or strapped terrorist then you don't need to stress about it. The truth is we have to give up some of our civil rights for our own personal safety. Imagine if you had been on the flight of the underwear bomber; would you not rather have people like that searched by an abstract machine or would you rather have people like that drop your plane over Lockerbie killing all 220 of you? The way the world is now, there are lots of psychos and I will happily expose my privates if it means I will get home safely. Once at the airport in Tel Aviv Israel I and all other passengers were searched and had our privates and boobs groped so thoroughly it was a quite shocking. But we traveled safely with no incident. Jihad Barbie (the pretty blond terrorist lady) proves that nobody can be trusted.
...............................
A
female
reader, kellyO +, writes (24 March 2010):
 Hi
Are u really seriously concerned?
Those scanning themselves have bodily parts try to imagine seeing through their clothes as they scan you. That is more imaginative.
Kelly
...............................
A
male
reader, TimmD +, writes (24 March 2010):
 This isn't like a science fiction movie where you see a perfect "naked" image of somebody. These devices are made specifically to see devices, bombs, etc. There's no zooming into your nipple, or checking out your vagina.
This is for your protection. You should be more upset with the people who are responsible for us needed these precautions as opposed to the people who are trying to protect us.
This has nothing to do with males being less upset about their bodies being seen then females. Yes it's an inconvenience, but this is the world we live in today. If you want to fly, you've gotta do it. If not, take a train, a bus, or drive yourself.
What are your rights? Ask those who are purposefully trying to have our rights taken away from us.
...............................
A
female
reader, Lyra Anna  +, writes (24 March 2010):
 Omg, your problem is not a problem at all. Like someone already said, you are not Angelina Jolie to be noticed, and those scanners give oly picture of your bones with contour of your body so they can`t realy say what kind of underwear you wear of what your private parts look like.
Don`t panic about stupid things, when it comes to something important, you`ll see how immature and silly you acted.
Good luck!
...............................
A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (24 March 2010): Hi. I understand what you mean. I saw the newspaper report too and i was disgusted. To Harshbutfair. Its not the Original poster that has sexualised this. Its the security guard that took an image of a female without her consent, then made an indecent remark to her about her breasts, while he perved over the image he had taken, of her seemingly naked body. This incident left the girl very distressed.
Im not sure if we have a right to refuse to go through these body scanners. It is an invasion of privacy so there probably is something we can do to protest. Maybe consult a solicitor. In the meantime id feel more comfortable if women dealt with body scanners for female passengers and men dealt with male passengers. I have no desire to let random men view my body and if people like Harshbutfair think that means im sexualising things then so be it. They obviously dont mind the thought that strange men will be looking at their mothers, sisters, wives and daughters naked bodies.
And what does it all say about our freedom? Do we even have any anymore?
...............................
A
female
reader, SirenaBlusera +, writes (24 March 2010):
Bear in mind also that the person who can see your scanned image is in another room and doesn't ever actually see you or see your face. You are pretty much an abstract thing as far as they are concerned.
Yeah, I don't think that it's a crystal clear detailed image, it's more like an xRay.
Obama promised he would go after the terrorists... I hope he does just that. They need to be caught and brought to justice... but we can't let our guard down.
...............................
A
female
reader, k_c100 +, writes (24 March 2010):
 What would you rather have, a quick scan by someone who will never see you again and only be able to see what looks like an x-ray (rather than a graphic picture in full colour of your breasts and genitals), or to be blown up by a terrorist?
Whoever is scanning you will have seen thousands of bodies that day, and will see thousands more as part of their job. Believe me, they really would not care less about your body! Now if Angelina Jolie walked through the scanner, maybe thats a different matter. They will see so many bodies each day that it is in no way sexual at all.
It will be more humiliating to refuse and have a full body and cavity search, than just to get on with it and walk through the scanner.
...............................
A
male
reader, Kenj +, writes (24 March 2010):
 Yes you can refuse of course, but you won’t be flying.
If you want to fly then you have to go through it, simple as that. The only way is for every person to boycott these things, which is not going to happen.
In one way it is a good thing to improve security, but it’s only half a solution and requires honest and observant operators too.
Maybe it would have been a better idea to have a male and female one with male and female operators.
Only advise I could give you is try not to dwell on it, its over and done with in seconds.
...............................
A
female
reader, SirenaBlusera +, writes (24 March 2010):
I can understand why you feel the way you feel. But you're not being singled out... they do this to EVERYONE, and I mean everyone. You'll probably never see these people again. Just try not to think about it.
...............................
A
male
reader, baddogbj  +, writes (24 March 2010):
 Bear in mind also that the person who can see your scanned image is in another room and doesn't ever actually see you or see your face. You are pretty much an abstract thing as far as they are concerned.
...............................
A
male
reader, harshbutfair +, writes (24 March 2010):
 This is an easy one. If you're not comfortable with airport security don't fly. You can't "opt-out". It's not allowed.
I don't like queues or having my luggage gone through but I put up with it if it means some nutjob isn't going to blow me up mid-air.
Why do you need to sexualise everything? Some guy (or lady) is going to be bored daft looking at people's body scans. It's really your problem if you think they're getting a kick out of it.
In summary: Deal with it or don't fly.
...............................
|
