TSA Screeners Leave Passenger A Note About Her Vibrator

**witchcurlgirl** · October 25th, 2011, 08:06 AM

When blogger Jill Filipovic unpacked after her most recent trip, she noticed that TSA screeners had found her vibrator. And they'd left her the above note.

Filipovic told BoingBoing that she'd been traveling with a "Silver Bullet" vibrator from Babeland. Screeners apparently discovered it and decided to add a helpful comment. Filipovic's reaction, which she posted on Feministe:

Total violation of privacy, wildly inappropriate and clearly not ok, but I also just died laughing in my hotel room.

It's nice that Filipovic has a sense of humor about this, but she's right that the note is not okay — especially for an organization that's already come under fire for its invasive search practices. Given that "groping" leaps to many people's minds the minute the TSA is mentioned, it might behoove agents to exercise a little discretion when going through people's stuff. At least agents didn't take the vibe, but Filipovic says "I'm unsure if they handled it. Given that uncertainty, it's definitely being retired." Wise move — but it's pretty sad that an agency that's supposed to keep us safe from terror is instead forcing people to throw out their sex toys.

TSA Screeners Leave Passenger A Nice Note About Her Vibrator

**baked_tater** · October 25th, 2011, 08:10 AM

Unacceptable, and they would be buying me a new toy!!

**DeChayz** · October 25th, 2011, 08:25 AM

She's right, it's totally inappropriate - but funny as hell!

**Beeyotch** · October 25th, 2011, 08:49 AM

It feels so invasive to find one of those little TSA notes and I never even pack anything embarrassing or worth noticing. I want to take one of those notes, write "FUCK YOU NOSY-ASS BITCHES" on it and put it in my bag. Cause that kind of communication is a two-way street.

**sultryred** · October 25th, 2011, 08:56 AM

We have no privacy when it comes to airports. This is downright funny. I'd be snort-laughing if it happened to me.

**Laurent** · October 25th, 2011, 09:03 AM

This would've really pissed me off. I get the need to search, but they can shove the snide comments. Their screeners could do with some fucking discretion.

**fgg** · October 25th, 2011, 09:15 AM

i love the note! how horny are you that you need to travel with your vibrator?

**witchcurlgirl** · October 26th, 2011, 07:34 PM

Well, the TSA has found and punished the guy (it's got to be a guy, right?) who left that hilariously inappropriate note in a blogger's luggage. The TSA always gets its man!

Feministe blogger Jill Filipovic found the note in her luggage the other day, a reference, she said, to a "um, personal item."

According to the official TSA blog, the note-leaver has met his doom:

TSA quickly launched an investigation and identified the employee responsible. That individual was immediately removed from screening operations and appropriate disciplinary action has been initiated.

The handwritten note was highly inappropriate and unprofessional, and TSA has zero tolerance for this type of behavior.

Agency officials have also reached out to the passenger to personally apologize for this unfortunate incident.

I bet that was the fastest TSA investigation ever. There are only a few people who would leave a note like this in a stranger's luggage, and they don't tend to exactly fly under the radar. When the news broke, probably everyone in TSA looked at each other and said "Robert!" at the same time. (Or whatever the guy's name was.)

So, now, Robert's been disciplined for writing a note, which must be pretty disorienting for a guy used to squeezing people's balls all day.

TSA Punishes 'Get Your Freak On' Screener

**Honey** · October 27th, 2011, 08:06 PM

That last line is funny

**Novice** · November 3rd, 2011, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Beeyotch

It feels so invasive to find one of those little TSA notes and I never even pack anything embarrassing or worth noticing. I want to take one of those notes, write "FUCK YOU NOSY-ASS BITCHES" on it and put it in my bag. Cause that kind of communication is a two-way street.

Even before the inception of the TSA they always rooted through my case. I've had a few official notes, but the fact that they have broken all the locks on your case is more of a give away.

**sputnik** · November 3rd, 2011, 02:47 PM

well you're not supposed to lock your suitcase anymore if flying through the US, unless you're using one of those special TSA approved locks they can open and close without breaking.

**Novice** · November 3rd, 2011, 02:53 PM

This was pre-TSA*. I don't even use a lock now. I never carry anything of value (I even leave my engagment ring at home) and I generally DGAF. Its much less stressful that way, especially when travelling with blocks of chocolate covered in plasticised tin-foil.

ETA - * or rather pre-TSA will fuck up your luaggae & locsk.

**ManxMouse** · November 3rd, 2011, 03:50 PM

Many years before all the 9-11 stuff, I was a teenager when the wonderful screeners at Heathrow took out my box of tampons and then proceeded to pull them out one by one while everyone stood and waited. I really needed the extra humiliation at that age.

**Just Kill Me** · November 3rd, 2011, 06:26 PM

It's like they have a sixth sense for humiliation.
Posted from my iPhone

**thunder&lightning** · November 11th, 2011, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Beeyotch

It feels so invasive to find one of those little TSA notes and I never even pack anything embarrassing or worth noticing. I want to take one of those notes, write "FUCK YOU NOSY-ASS BITCHES" on it and put it in my bag. Cause that kind of communication is a two-way street.

love that.