Gender equality: security checks and toilet breaks

[Niflmir]

There are few things nowadays that remind me more of gender inequality than these two simple things: security checks at airports and public toilets everywhere.

The bell goes off when you step through the metal detector and if you are a man, a man comes over to pat your genitals (apparently) and if you are a woman, a woman comes over.

You just need to wash your hands after eating some greasy food but you have to find the picture of person wearing a skirt if you are a woman or no skirt if you are a man.

It doesn't make any sense to me. Why the segregation? If I was gay would I still get a man to come over and pat me down looking for a ``loaded gun''? If I was gay would they still have me pat down the males that set the metal detector off? If so, what is the point in separating the sexes like that, since they are clearly not worried about sexual harassment. If not, what is the point in separating the sexes like that, since nobody knows the gender of the person patting them down or the person they are patting down.

Some time I ought to dress up as a woman when I go through the airport and ensure that my bra has plenty of wire in it to be sure the metal detector goes off. I really wonder what they would do.

It is the same with bathrooms. If it is a sanity issue, who are we protecting? Men, who don't want to see the reality of sanitary napkins, or because women because men are so terribly unclean? If it has to do with protecting from sexual predators, then it is clearly the wrong idea: where else would a predator be assured of finding potential victims, and only potential victims?

As for sanity, why should women have to act like they are dirty when they have their period? If men are so dirty, what did I do to deserve an unclean washroom. I wash my hands and face every half hour. Heck, I would get rid of the urinals altogether simply to unisex all toiletries. They are a pretty clear indication that bathrooms were designed to be convenient for men but not women.

I'll leave it at that. But does anyone else see how these things are indicative of a society which does not truly believe in the equality of men and women?

 

[Ron in Regina]

What if the Airport-Security-Crotch-Patter-Downer person was a former
Olympic Athlete but a current Hermaphrodite? How would that fit into
things?

What bathroom would that Airport-Security-Crotch-Patter-Downer person
use anyway? What picture would be on that door?

 

[Niflmir]

What if the Airport-Security-Crotch-Patter-Downer person was a former
Olympic Athlete but a current Hermaphrodite? How would that fit into
things?

What bathroom would that Airport-Security-Crotch-Patter-Downer person
use anyway? What picture would be on that door?

Yeah, these are the issues that first started me thinking about this sort of thing.

It is not at all uncommon nowadays to run into offices that have had to deal with transgendered issues in the workplace. I think it could be largely avoided in washrooms by having the toilets in private rooms and having a common wash area.

With security checks, that really is all about the individual and how they perceive being patted down by someone or how they perceive patting down someone. It is a pretty thorny issue.

 

[AnnaG]

We have a few unisex bathrooms in town here. I am ok with that, although I wonder about some people when they bring their kids in sometimes. Babies are fine. I saw a pair of hands land on the floor in front of the stall I was using once, though. They looked to be about 7 years old. I stomped a foot and they went airborn quickly. I don't care who uses the wand on me at the airport. If they want to touch me, they can put gloves on.
As for the prudishness of segregation, I think it was initially a biblical thing, like most hangups about gender and sex.

 

[Niflmir]

We have a few unisex bathrooms in town here. I am ok with that, although I wonder about some people when they bring their kids in sometimes. Babies are fine. I saw a pair of hands land on the floor in front of the stall I was using once, though. They looked to be about 7 years old. I stomped a foot and they went airborn quickly. I don't care who uses the wand on me at the airport. If they want to touch me, they can put gloves on.
As for the prudishness of segregation, I think it was initially a biblical thing, like most hangups about gender and sex.

Well, I always figured the best thing was to have rooms instead of stalls. Those cracks under the partitions just give people ideas, and why don't they go all the way to the floor and ceiling, really?

They only use the wand on you? I usually get my pockets patted down, which essentially means my crotch. Honestly, I don't know why they just don't have people walk though a big version of what the luggage goes through. Then there is no problem.

 

[AnnaG]

Well, I always figured the best thing was to have rooms instead of stalls. Those cracks under the partitions just give people ideas, and why don't they go all the way to the floor and ceiling, really?

I'd prefer separate little rooms instead of stalls, but I think it has to do with the idea that it's cheaper and easier to install little metal partitions with a few screws than it is to install walls with bolts

They only use the wand on you? I usually get my pockets patted down, which essentially means my crotch. Honestly, I don't know why they just don't have people walk though a big version of what the luggage goes through. Then there is no problem.

lol We only fly in BC sometimes and that's only in Dash 7s as far as public transport goes. Security is likely a bit lighter at small rural airports than big international ones (unless you are a little old lady with knitting needles or an old man with fingernail clippers).

 

[Ron in Regina]

 

[Niflmir]

I'd prefer separate little rooms instead of stalls, but I think it has to do with the idea that it's cheaper and easier to install little metal partitions with a few screws than it is to install walls with bolts

lol We only fly in BC sometimes and that's only in Dash 7s as far as public transport goes. Security is likely a bit lighter at small rural airports than big international ones (unless you are a little old lady with knitting needles or an old man with fingernail clippers).

Actually, at my workplace there is only about an inch above and below the partitions, so it works quite well. I would still vote for rooms, though.

I fly a lot with my work and it is rather annoying after a while. One thing I have learned is that those Airport metal detectors must have a sensitivity setting. Some days my favorite pair of pants set them off, some days not. Some days my sneakers set them off, other days not.

 

[Niflmir]

That is exactly what we need.

 

[AnnaG]

Actually, at my workplace there is only about an inch above and below the partitions, so it works quite well. I would still vote for rooms, though.

I fly a lot with my work and it is rather annoying after a while. One thing I have learned is that those Airport metal detectors must have a sensitivity setting. Some days my favorite pair of pants set them off, some days not. Some days my sneakers set them off, other days not.

Our stalls have large gaps under and over them. I could scramble under or over with relative ease let alone a 7 yr old. lol
As far as I can tell, the wands do have settings. They must be on a really short range setting when the security people check out people in wheelchairs or with walkers, for instance. When I flew to Vancouver a few years ago, what made me wonder was how could a security person tell from just looking at a laptop whether it was a weapon of some sort or other, though. That just seemed odd to me. But it's another subject anyway.

 

[AnnaG]

That is exactly what we need.

Sniffer dogs would be just as good, I think. Definitely nicer to look at than some grey or stainless bit of machinery.

 

[Niflmir]

Sniffer dogs would be just as good, I think. Definitely nicer to look at than some grey or stainless bit of machinery.

I have only come accross drug sniffing dogs in three places. The Greyhound depot in Vancouver, the Pisa airport in Italy, and the American border when crossing via a Greyhound bus. I find them a little disconcerting, if they happen to like the smell of my lunch or something, would I get in trouble?

But you are probably right, my squeamishness be damned.

 

[Ron in Regina]

I have only come accross drug sniffing dogs in three places. The Greyhound depot in Vancouver, the Pisa airport in Italy, and the American border when crossing via a Greyhound bus. I find them a little disconcerting, if they happen to like the smell of my lunch or something, would I get in trouble?

But you are probably right, my squeamishness be damned.

For me is was a Beagle in Cuba. He was pretty interested in my suitcase.
I don't own anything that's upholstered that isn't covered in Dog & Cat hair
though. Whatever signal gets passes from Dog to Handler didn't happen
thankfully. :lol:

 

[AnnaG]

I have only come accross drug sniffing dogs in three places. The Greyhound depot in Vancouver, the Pisa airport in Italy, and the American border when crossing via a Greyhound bus. I find them a little disconcerting, if they happen to like the smell of my lunch or something, would I get in trouble?

But you are probably right, my squeamishness be damned.

lol Greyhound? People expect someone to want to hijack a greyhound while strapped up with explosives and demand to be flown into the Calgary Tower or some US building or flown to an Afghanistan Al Quaida camp? How very odd. Security people sure are weird.
Anyway, those dogs are awesome, they can avoid cats, rabbits, lunchboxes, etc. and do their jobs better than most people can do theirs. lol