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A transgender woman claims she was left distressed and humiliated after being held by airport security staff - because her penis showed up as an 'anomaly' on a full body scanner.

Shadi Petosky said she was pulled aside by Transportation Security Administration officers and subjected to a 40-minute pat-down, inspection and explosive material scare that caused her to miss her flight.

The writer and producer had queued in the female line at security at Orlando International Airport when the 'anomaly' appeared on the scanner calibrated for women.

She says she informed TSA agents 'That's my penis' and explained she is transgender before being told she would need to go through a full body scanner as a male.

Petosky documented her ordeal via Twitter, where she shared tearful snaps as she was held in an interview room by officials.

Speaking to the Daily News, she said: "I’m embarrassed about it.

"It is just a coincidence that I got a pat down for my genitals, then I had the worst agent and then I tested positive for explosives."

Petosky says she repeatedly asked the TSA agents if they were properly trained on transgender policy, but claims she was told by one officer: “I know what I am doing.”

She was eventually cleared to continue with her journey but by that point had missed her flight to Minneapolis.

TSA sent a statement to transgender activist Jenny Boylan and acknowledged its awareness of Petosky’s plight.

In a tweet, officials said: “TSA takes all potential civil rights violations very seriously. We are looking into the situation now for further information."