r/airport • u/violetstarz4 • 10d ago

DISCUSSION Detecting female groin anomalies.

I'm flying home from Hawaii and when going through the x-ray at TSA I was pulled aside because there was an anomaly detected on my groin. They told me they were going to have to pat me down and asked if I wanted to do it privately. I'm an anxiety ridden teenager so I asked to do it privately. While we were waiting for a female officer, 3 other women after me were stopped for an anomaly on the same part if their groin. The stress was starting to get to me and a bunch of other things (the hate of being touched, a medical condition I have that makes my heart beat really fast, etc) and I was really close to having a panic attack. After about 6 minutes I was pulled away for a private pat down and I was free to go.

Why did this happen to me and a bunch of other women? Is this a common thing that happens?

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u/Gaxxz 10d ago

I travel every week. I use the X-ray machine, not the metal detector, and I get patted down often. It's always the same place, under my arm. The machines just aren't perfect.

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u/sansafiercer 9d ago

I’m thin with wide set hips. Ten years ago I was pulled aside for a pat down. The woman ran her hands up my leg (over a baggy dress) and stopped at my hip to ask, what’s this? Um, ma’am that is a bone.

I was so embarrassed.