Packing while Genderqueer

I had grown comfortable dressing however I wanted in DC. Happily blending a beard with lipstick or just wearing a nice dress out with my friends. But as I stood in front of an empty suitcase and a pile of cute clothes, the question struck me “would my feeling of comfort travel with me?” Dressing the way I feel most comfortable in my body places me in conflict with the norms of the cultures I move through. Something as simple as a skirt can lead to harassment or even violence. While I had gotten used to navigating that maze in the United States, I would have to learn all new codes while traveling. I always check up on the countries I’m going to travel to and investigate how they fare with gay rights and trans issues. So far I’ve only been to countries that are pretty liberal like Japan, Korea, and now the U.K. So I haven’t had to alter my fashion in any way. But for some of the more conservative countries I plan on going to, I’ll have to dress for survival.

TSA

My typical airport outfit is a comfy pair of jeans, a cute printed shirt, and a shoe that comes off easily. I’ve found international flights are chilly and they don’t always provide you a blanket, so being warm is a must. Like many trans and gender queer people, I always find going through security a hassle. Despite traveling in cis drag, I get gendered female all the time and as a plus size person my body always registers anomalies on the scanner. It’s a rare occasion that I don’t have to be patted down around my chest and thighs. Or get asked if I want a female person to pat me down, which is fine but it’s odd that even when I try and pass, my body still sets off alarms.