I cannot tell you how many times Ive had my hair patted down. I am so glad to see this article. Last year, my hair was touched at every airport. Its hard not to wonder if it was just our hair, as I saw other ethnicities go thru security with big hair, buns, etc, and they were not stopped. It really ticked me off because I know if I had something “hidden” it wouldve been seen via the machine that you hold your hands overhead. Its nice to know I will no longer receive my obligatory scalp massage…
Wow. Just wow. I had no idea the TSA morons had a directive… What idiot authorized this scalp search in the first place?!
Wow, I wasn’t aware that was going on. Disgusting.
Flying While Black - guess they can’t beat or tase you, or molest you sexually, out in a crowded public place like that, but they’ll humiliate you any way they can.
It’s not as big a deal as the “scalp massage”, but I also hate that “hands above your head” stance that they make everyone assume while going through the body scanners.
That is clearly a submissive pose, and associated in everyone’s minds with police encounters. Those high-tech machines would work every damn bit as well if you simply held your arms slightly out to the side.
As it goes, folks think we are making this up! I was so miffed last year traveling, that I asked a relative that works for TSA about it, because I wanted to make sure I wasnt pulling the race card or being paranoid. He said absolutely not, we should not be patting down your hair. Now Im mad at myself that I didn’t raise hell about it. Oh well, at least someone else did, and hopefully it will stop. I cant tell you how humiliating it is, as I wonder if other travelers were wondering if I was trying to smuggle drugs or some other contraband. Man, my blood is boiling just typing this out!
Just a side note… Have you noticed that the infamous X-ray scanners disappeared from the airports? I do not buy the software image remdering explanation.
Yay for the person(s) who made a fuss!
@BunsenBurner I forgot to link the article!
And Yay!for the ACLU!
I have heard of this before and it is simply outrageous. Note that the following article is from 2011!
http://jezebel.com/5831246/is-the-tsa-targeting-black-womens-hair
My daughter’s all have thick, rather long, hair and often wear it up in a quick clip if they want to. No one has ever asked them to take it down for “security purposes”. This is racism, pure and simple and nasty.
I wonder if men are targeted too?
I’m not completely reassured by the specifics of the decision. To “ensure that black women are not singled out for hair pat downs” doesn’t sound like they’ll be stopping the practice.
I wonder about that language, too.
“Oh, no, we are NOT racially profiling you. But we really need to pat down your hair.”
My mom is a white women 5’1" in her mid 70’s. Almost every time she goes through security they pull her to the side and check her over. It’s absurd. I have no idea what they think supposedly she is trying to conceal. IMO I think that a number of TSA’s pick people that they don’t think will complain.
I had no idea this hair thing was going on. Yet another appalling thing to learn.
I usually go right through the scanning machine when I fly, but last year for some reason I was selected to be patted down on two consecutive flights on the same trip.
This just creeps me out. I have very long hair and it’s always up in a big bun. It’d make my skin crawl if people just started patting down my hair. Ew
Is there a more offensive government agency than the TSA ? Oh wait…it’s almost 4/15 .
I have never witnessed this , probably because almost every time I fly I get pulled aside for a pat down. It gets old and I am wondering if MichiganGeorgia is onto something…I think I look approachable since I am often asked for help in public , whether in stores or walking down the street.
I have noticed the last few times I have flown that they select people in the line randomly that don’t have to remove shoes…I don’t get that
This is very strange. Where I live, many/most/all of the TSA folks are black. Is it likely they were told, “pat down black women’s hair, but leave everyone else’s hair alone”??? That wouldn’t seem to have flown (no pun intended).
Those who are selected for “TSA pre-check” don’t have to take out computers, shoes or 3-1-1 bags.
I get that designation every time I travel with United or their partners because I am a frequent traveler.
Even having successfully gone through a metal detector or X ray machine, I have been selected for a pat down and my breasts are touched so I don’t see any more humiliation than touching one’s hair if one has the kind of hairstyle that something could be hidden regardless of ethnicity. However, I rarely see anyone whose hairstyle needs to be patted.
This is one of those amazingly awful things that happens and I had no idea that it was happening. Yet another way that I am privileged but totally unaware of it. I have just never had an issue so sometimes have wondered what the fuss is about.