It seems a good marketing opportunity for a bra maker to make under"wires" with a stiff plastic which wouldn't set off a metal detector. And I can't imagine I'm the first person to posit this. Heck, if I were in the biz, I'd make an ad campaign around the product.

It seems a good marketing opportunity for a bra maker to make under"wires" with a stiff plastic which wouldn't set off a metal detector.

They would be difficult to launder, and probably wouldn't support larger breasts, but I applaud your thinking. There has to be some technology that will make my boobs look good without providing probable cause to the thugs at the TSA.

Have you considered the possibility that these TSA agents are homosexuals who get off on being allowed to publicly fondle people with no possible penalty?

Would not be the first time that someone used a position of authority to hide their desire to commit sexual abuse.

I'm beginning to wonder if the TSA isn't starting to engage in some kind of divide-and-conquer tactic, by putting pax into "frisk" and "don't frisk" groups. They may figure that people who are put into the "don't frisk" group will stop complaining, and that will reduce the pressure enough that Congress will back off. Then, they can continue to assert their authority by frisking the selected group, while a person in the don't-frisk group won't raise too much of a fuss lest they get put into the frisk group.

My first flight since the new procedures began was a month ago. I was not frisked at all at my origination airport. At my return departure airport, I did get felt up, but the guy who did it was very careful: he put on fresh gloves, very politely asked my permission, and then when he felt up my thighs, he only made the slightest contact with my balls. I didn't have to take off my belt and he didn't make any effort to feel inside of my pants.

I was rather surprised at all this, considering the stories I've heard, but looking around I noticed that some people were getting more of a workout than I did. And guess what: of the ones I was able to observe getting the third degree, most of them were women. I don't know if this is the general trend, but I'm beginning to wonder.

@Beth -
A return to whalebone?

I dunno. I just looked at the Wikipedia entry for underwire bras and saw that there are several reported instances of the underwire deflecting knives or bullets from the woman's heart. Maybe it's breast ... best! to leave well enough alone.

They already DO make under"wire" bras with plastic under"wire".

I flew from LAX to NY in January. In LA, the woman tried to pat me down and I just glared at her,and she sort of withdrew. The other TSA person asked me if "there was a problem" and I said "not yet". Flew Jet Blue back, no fondling.

I don't think they're perves, I think they're undereducated, rather dull people who think that a poly-cotton uniform means something.

I think that the next time I have to fly -- I'll show up about three to four hours early.

I'll have my bag layered with tinfoil. I'll wear a Fourth Amendment t-shirt and make sure that I'm carrying enough medications and vitamins that the agents will have to hand search that they'll just look a me and say "fuck it".

Now what I really need is a camera/recorder that is permanently attached to my prescription glasses that they can't be separated. They would be hosed about me going through security and not "filming" it.

Amy, thanks for the shout-out.

Everyone, a few things:

In 30 years, my underwire bras have never set off a metal detector. Doesn't mean it hasn't happened to other people, just means the metal detectors usually aren't that sensitively set. But doesn't matter anyway. This is a red herring.

Wire, plastic, whalebone, whatever, the point is that the TSA may grope you at whim. Thousands of people have attested that they've been singled out for gropefests even when they didn't set off the metal detector. Even after they went through the scanner. I keep trying to get this across to people. The TSA has absolute power. And what's that saying about absolute power?

Until I stopped flying entirely, I used to dress well for my travels. Always a pretty dress. One, simply because I like to, and two, because in general you get better service, or help, should you ever need it, if you don't look like a slob.

Last time I got searched for insubordination -- refusing to go through the stripsearch scanner -- was in September 2010 at BWI. They deliberately made me wait -- and wait, and wait -- but this was before the gropefests had been initiated. At that point they were only "testing" them in Boston and Las Vegas (something I had written about repeatedly, warning people that they were coming nationwide).

Anyway, after being yelled at and made to wait, I was finally wanded and searched, even on my bare arms and bare feet, to within an inch of my life. But the TSA woman was respectful, in both word and demeanor. She was nothing like the woman who yelled at me and like so many other TSOs who've been reported all over the country. But I was simply lucky.

Pennsylvania seems to be latest state - now four (NH, NJ, Texas) - joining the TSA resistance movement, in attempting to help solve this problem via state legislatures:

http://pennsylvania.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2011/03/pennsylvania-legislature-joins-the-tsa-resistance-movement/

A person "… violates this section if he contacts another person’s genitals or breasts in the course of conducting a body search. A Federal, State or municipal government employee shall not be immune from prosecution under this subsection, even if the violation occurred while acting within the scope of employment…"

Encourage your local state politicians to get on board!

The widespread outcry and protest against these searches is, in my view, evidence of a broad lack of consent to be violated in this manner by the TSA.

Well, this picture should show you what's wrong.

That's an American, dropping his pants for wanting to travel on an airplane.

In case you don't have a clue - you should be disgusted.

Start.

Radwaste, yep. That one, and these others. Take a look:

http://www.cogitamusblog.com/2011/02/life-in-the-usa-a-photo-album.html