A viral video has given travelers something new to worry about when they go through airport security. TikTok creator Lindsey Gurk was a bit surprised when she set off the full-body scanner during the TSA screening on a recent trip. She assumed maybe she was wearing jewelry that she had forgotten to remove before walking through, but lo and behold, it was actually her crotch area that the body scanner flagged. Turns out, her period panties seemed to be to blame.
In some ways, the humorous anecdote functions as a PSA for other women who menstruate. At the same time, the realization that period products might cause issues at the airport has left some women feeling pretty frustrated and extra stressed.
In her video, Lindsey explained what happened to her.
“I went through airport security today and after I did this scan, they were like, ‘Alright ma’am, we’re going to need you to step aside.’ I was like, hmm, that’s interesting; must be my necklace or something,” she recalled. When she noticed that her crotch area was the problem area, she didn’t know what to think at first.
“I’m thinking, do I have a necklace down there?” she said. “And then I thought, ‘Oh no, I have a diaper on.’ I’m on day two of my period. For real, this is my only option on day two.” She was referring to her absorbent period underwear.
According to Lindsey, the TSA agent speaking to her said, “I’m going to go up and down your legs and inside, I’m gonna go over your buttocks, anything I should know? Any explosives? Any dangerous items?” She responded, “Well, I got my period panties on.”
The TSA agent asked her if she’d like to go to a private room for the more thorough check, but she said, “Oh, we can do it right here. I just… there’s a whole diaper situation going on right now, and I wanted to let you know what you’re getting into.”
She said the TSA agent “frisked me up real good” after that.
@lindseygurk Maybe everyone else knew this. But it was a big surprise to me. 🤷♀️😆✈️
♬ original sound – Lindsey Gurk
“In public,” she added. “Which I requested. And I’m thinking, ‘This is probably normal. You don’t need to feel weird about this. This is totally normal.’ But when she excused me and gave a little chuckle, I realized this might not be.”
And while it might not be the most relatable story ever, some people in the comments said something similar actually had happened to them before. “THAT HAPPENED TO ME TOO I WAS SO HUMILIATED,” one commenter wrote. Someone else said they believe they were flagged because of their DivaCup. And another person who didn’t state the reason they got pulled aside for an additional check said, “I got flagged in the same area. The lady asked if I wanted to go in a private room. I said no ma’am I want witnesses.”
So, some other commenters found this pretty terrifying, actually. “New fear unlocked,” one person said. A few people genuinely could not believe this — not because they doubted Lindsey’s experience, but in a how is this really a thing? sort of way. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY PERIOD CAN SET OFF THE DETECTOR 😭💀” someone said. And another person wrote, “this is f—ing unbelievable there are so many inventions, many technology development and this is not an issue to solve…?”
Lindsey is not the first person to talk about this.
For years, people have been sharing similar stories online, claiming that their menstrual products or even period blood triggered the body scanners at the airport. Some people seem convinced that it’s merely a coincidence, though several reports have suggested that some menstrual products technically can show up on the scanner. According to Fodor’s Travel, items that are padded (such as period underwear) might get flagged.
After Lindsey’s story went viral, Tyla spoke to Daniel Hurley, COO & Founder of Global Charter, to figure out whether this is something we actually need to worry about when traveling. The travel expert said body scanners do not pick up on body fluids like blood, but might flag “entirely benign things that happen to sit on the body,” including some menstrual products like period underwear or pads.
So, several women who watched Lindsey’s video thanked her for the important PSA. “Honestly, thank you for the info,” one person wrote. “My anxiety already goes through the roof when I’m on my period. Now I’ll know what to expect if this happens!”
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