What caladri said. While I doubt those types of protests are going to be significantly effective, the element of choice on one side and lack of it on the other are what make the difference in my mind.
Likewise people who've compared the enhanced pat-down to a doctor's exam. You can choose a doctor, discuss things with them, check their credentials, read about their background, or just choose not to undergo that particular exam (there are health-related exceptions, but you know.)
I doubt you could request a different TSA agent if you wanted to, and how would you know you wanted to until it was too late? Some people are not even being offered the chance to have a same-sex agent do the pat-down, despite the TSA's stated policies. And you'd think that at least you could opt out of the whole shebang and just say "Fine, I'm not getting on the plane then," but apparently you can't even do that without being subject to punitive bullying. (I doubt the TSA will actually carry out that threat of a civil suit and a fine on that one guy, but intimidation as you're trying to LEAVE and NOT GET ON A PLANE is just fucking ridiculous.)
This is why it's not *only* the reactions of sexual assault survivors that's important. I am not a sexual assault survivor, and have no problem having doctors give me intimate exams, but I'm not sure I wouldn't have a pretty serious emotional reaction to one of those pat-downs.
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Likewise people who've compared the enhanced pat-down to a doctor's exam. You can choose a doctor, discuss things with them, check their credentials, read about their background, or just choose not to undergo that particular exam (there are health-related exceptions, but you know.)
I doubt you could request a different TSA agent if you wanted to, and how would you know you wanted to until it was too late? Some people are not even being offered the chance to have a same-sex agent do the pat-down, despite the TSA's stated policies. And you'd think that at least you could opt out of the whole shebang and just say "Fine, I'm not getting on the plane then," but apparently you can't even do that without being subject to punitive bullying. (I doubt the TSA will actually carry out that threat of a civil suit and a fine on that one guy, but intimidation as you're trying to LEAVE and NOT GET ON A PLANE is just fucking ridiculous.)
This is why it's not *only* the reactions of sexual assault survivors that's important. I am not a sexual assault survivor, and have no problem having doctors give me intimate exams, but I'm not sure I wouldn't have a pretty serious emotional reaction to one of those pat-downs.