Unbelievable: Sexism at the border: A personal account

[ProfessionalLeftist]

It seems that women are still considered the property of the state in countries where you might not expect such attitudes to prevail...like - the United States. This entire account of how this woman was treated is atrocious.

. . .It happened three times in two weeks -- being detained by U.S. border officials on my way to or through the States.

First I was held by Vermont border guards for two hours in the middle of the night on my way to visit Nashville. They searched my bags at least five times. I could not help but notice how often my lingerie and “sexy underwear” were mentioned, how often the condoms they found were looked upon scathingly, and how most of the four male officers’ questions pertained to both. I was baffled as to why this was any of their business and unsure of what their objective was, other than fondling lady’s undergarments. In the end, having nothing to go on, they gave me a limited stay visa of two weeks and let me go – at 3am in the middle of nowhere. I missed my bus and my plane, had to pay for a $90 taxi to the nearest airport and then book a new flight the next morning.

The next time it happened was two weeks later in Montreal's airport. After scanning my passport, without being asked a single question, I was immediately led to a back waiting room. When I was summoned into an office, the officer cut to the chase: "How much is he paying you to go on this trip?" He was referring to the man I was travelling with.

Confused, I just stared back at him for a few beats.

"N-nothing?"

The next question was whether this man was married or not. The answer, unfortunately for me, was yes. He asked whether I was planning on sharing a hotel bed with this man. I'm not one to sugar coat things and decided that now would not be a particularly good time to be found lying. Again, I answered yes. Righteous, the officer demanded what exactly I was doing in a bed with a married man.

"That's actually none of your business."

The whole disgusting thing:

http://rabble.ca/news/2013/04/sexism-border-personal-account

[seabeyond]

1. it is all about degrading a woman. nothing more. just entertainment. nt

[grump3r]

2. Not surprised...

I'm a truck driver, and a few monhs ago I was waiting at the border with my trainer. He was a Canadian working on US citizenship. The agent went on a power trip, and then "did him a favor" letting him back into the US.

A week later he quit, and moved back to Canada.

[Raine1967]

3. Adultery is a crime in America?

I had kicked the hornet's nest. Inflamed, he raised his voice at me that it was his business and that adultery was a crime in America -- a crime that he could deny me entry for.He made me tell him my partner's name and date of birth and threatened to detain him, too. I pointed out that we would be in Miami for a total of forty minutes to catch our next flight to Aruba; hardly enough time to run to our gate, let alone commit adultery. The next thing I knew he was searching my bags, pulling out condoms and waving them in my face.

"I could have you charged with being a working girl! The proof is right here!"

How could he have her charged?


He should be removed from his position as border guard.

[ceile]

4. I'm speechless.

[cali]

5. something about this doesn't ring true to me.

[cherokeeprogressive]

10. +

[LittleBlue]

6. About the condoms

how often the condoms they found were looked upon scathingly, and how most of the four male officers’ questions pertained to both.

Drug mules can swallow up to 50 condoms filled with heroin or cocaine, sometimes pills. If you have a lot of condoms in your car, they will become suspicious at the border.

Source: my cousin is in law enforcement

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. One or two are enough actually

We carried two of them, non lubricated, in an ALS kit. The ICe officers had a hell of a time believing they actually make extremely good flutter valves.

[KurtNYC]

11. In this case it seems clear that they were accusing her of being a prostitute

Montreal is center for prostitution (and the Mafia).

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/03/27/seventh_arrest_in_montreal_mafia_boss_killing.html

[Arcanetrance]

7. This is the stuff that makes me worry about my girlfriend who's a long haul driver.

She tells me about how she gets looked at by other drivers thankfully she hasn't had to take a load to or from one of our neighbors yet but one day it'll happen

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. I think being an asshole is part of the job requirements for those Customs guys.

[datasuspect]

12. that's nothing

i got detained at the rio grande border crossing at piedras negras for 7 hours just because i have a spanish surname.