Airport Security Pasties: If Everyone Jumped…

If you were living anywhere but under a rock during Janet Jackson’s infamous Superbowl incident, you know Pasties are strange, but a man from Las Vegas named Michael Luongo believes he has found a practical use for them – hiding private body parts from the TSA scanners that U.S. and international airports are rapidly acquiring. {WSJ, The Huffington Post}

Luongo recently created Flying Pasties to be worn under clothing in airports with full body scanners, and he claims they are not a typical Pasty or sticker. The product’s website says they are available in four designs with different sets for men and women so “you can keep your dignity in style.” Some simply say the word “Private” while others feature catchy sayings like “Only my husband sees me naked” or trendy symbols like the peace sign. Sets of 2mm thick, 100 percent rubber pasties start at $16.99.

A press statement from Flying Pasties, Inc. said, “Some religious groups and the ACLU have condemned the use of airport scanners. Flying Pasties now gives everyone the peace of mind to enter these scanners without embarrassment.” {The Huffington Post}

Flyingpasties.com says the products can give the right to privacy back because full body airport scanners see through clothing but not plastic or rubber materials that are similar to skin. However, Scott McCartney at The Wall Street Journal wondered in a recent blog post whether Flying Pasties would really work.

“If they do, you likely are buying yourself a lot more trouble at the screening checkpoint,” the post said. “If your body scan shows any sort of object hidden under your clothes, TSA will conduct a pat-down search. And you probably don’t want your breasts and genitals patted down by screeners.”

He also wrote that the X-Rays and radio waves used in full body scanners might be able to see through the Flying Pasties anyway, so they would be a waste of money.

Luongo’s Flying Pasties Web site says the products have no adhesive but slip into clothing so they can be easily pulled out and presented to a scanner should any problems arise at the airport. If they don’t actually stick to anything, we’re not sure they qualify as Pasties. Plus, we doubt they actually stay perfectly in place without any sort of adhesive.

TSA full body scanners are invasive, so we give Luongo credit for recognizing a problem and making a decent attempt at a solution, but we’d like to see the answer to handling security and maintaining privacy come from the airport security professionals. Wearing a pasty that says “Only my boyfriend sees me naked” or getting stopped at the checkpoints for a pat down because of a piece of rubber under your clothes might be just as embarrassing and inconvenient as being seen totally naked.

You can visit The Huffington Post to check out which U.S. and international airports have full body scanners.






The Latest