by
Portia
Last week, CNN commentator Angela Rye went public with a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pat down in a Minnesota airport that she described as a violation. The video of the ordeal has been viewed countless times and has been discussed heavily. In the video, Rye can be seen being patted down by a female TSA agent at the airport. The agent glides her hands over areas that she feels Rye could be hiding anything. This included intimate areas like Rye’s thighs and vagina. The video ended with Rye in tears.
When it comes to how genuine Rye’s reaction was to being patted down, people’s opinions seem to be split down the middle. On one hand, it’s clear that Rye was being patted down in areas that no one wants a stranger to touch. Here are some of the tweets in response to the video that was posted by Rye on Twitter.
In the letter written for CNN to the TSA, Rye states that the agent went too far when she touched her labia. According to Rye, the touching was intrusive and unnecessary, considering there is no way she could be hiding anything in her vagina. She also said that what was described to her and what actually happened during the pat down, was completely different.
“If there was anything in my vaginal cavity, them going all the way up slicing me is not going to find it anyway.” Rye said.
As a result of the event, Rye believes that there needs to be a change in how the TSA searches people. However, the question still remains…Was Rye’s reaction appropriate? Was she being overly emotional or are TSA pat downs truly a violation of travelers? Here are 2 reasons why pat-downs may be traumatizing for some travelers.
Sexual Abuse Victims
To most, a pat-down may not be that big of a deal, but there are other people to consider – those who are victims of sexual abuse. You may be surprised at what can trigger a memory of a horrific event. A smell, a touch, a look, etc. can be triggers for those who have been touched without their consent. It’s not surprising that some become emotional during and after a TSA pat-down. Rye even mentions this in her open letter to TSA.
“I began to think about friends of mine who are victims of sexual assault. I worried that if they were subjected to the same kind of search, it could have disastrous and emotional impact,” she said.
General Violation of Someone’s Body
I’m all about my personal space. If I’m standing in line at a store and someone is too close to my body, I have no problem with kindly telling them to give me some space. I have that right because it’s my body. I decide who is allowed in my space and who is allowed to touch me. However, when you are being patted down because someone thinks that you could possibly be smuggling in some kind of weapon or illegal substance, that right is gone. This can be jarring and difficult for an individual to process in a matter of seconds. You instantly go from having rights over your own body, to having none at all.
“Of course we want America to be safe and protected, but we should not violate the emotional and physical safety of our nation’s citizens at the same time. Things don’t change unless we ask questions and demand answers. We don’t have to do something because it’s always been done – that does not make it right,” Rye wrote.
Since the video was released, TSA has reached out to Rye to address her concerns and to apologize for any distress they may have caused. Rye is hoping her video brings awareness and that TSA can find another way to protect United States citizens.
Ladies, what are your thoughts?
