The Hoodie of the North…
A friend of mine recently passed through the Anchorage International airport and was asked to remove his hoodie. The thuggish and menacing hoodie, which has been the subject of tragedy and controversy, is apparently also all the rage with terrorists in the air. This particular hoodie had no zippers or grommets, and the pockets were empty. “What if I hadn’t had anything on underneath?” he grumbled. And I thought, what if it was me, and I didn’t have anything on underneath? This was distinctly possible. If you were to place a bet, at any given moment in time, I’m more likely than not to be wearing a hoodie. I am wearing one now, as a matter of fact. Hmm.
It seems that even with the pat-downs, the nudie scans, the metal detectors, eagle-eyed agents checking for sweatiness and shifty eyes, and whatever else they check for, the TSA has an issue with non-clingy wear. Who knows what could be lurking under all that fuzzy cotton?
There are certainly many stories far worse than the one I just told you from the TSA, lately. And that particular incident is not one I’d normally write about. So why do I bring this up? Because Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski recently had a little “TSA moment” like the one I described. And it involved, not a hoodie, but another suspect garment… the Alaskan kuspuk.
(Scary part highlighted for your safety)
A kuspuk is the traditional Yupik overshirt type garment worn by both men and women.Men tend to wear them primarily for ceremonial occasions, but for women they are everyday wear. Loose-fitting, they are extremely comfortable.
Basically, a kuspuk is a long-sleeved hooded slip-over shirt with a large pocket in the front, like a hooded sweatshirt without a banded bottom. The cuffs, pocket and hood are edged with rick-rack or a similar decorative trim. The size of the pocket and the way the trim is applied vary widely among kuspuk makers. Men’s kuspuks are solid colors, usually blue, green, black or white, and have a square bottom that ends at the hips.Women’s kuspuks are usually made from a patterned fabric, often a small floral print, and may have a short gathered skirt at the bottom. They may also be longer, essentially a dress, mid-thigh or knee length.
Senator Lisa Murkowski in her scary kuspuk, and the Sparck sisters of Arxotica bodycare products at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in Anchorage
Murkowski often wears one, as did the ex-half-governor Sarah Palin, who was widely mocked for having no fashion sense by those who had never seen a kuspuk before, and just felt like ridiculing Palin’s fashion sense.
So do lots of lawmakers, in Alaska. In this picture, Rep. Lindsay Holmes, and Senator Linda Menard celebrate “Kuspuk Friday” at the capitol in Juneau.
(Murkowski) said during a Senate hearing that security screeners should be more culturally sensitive, and she brought up the kuspuk as an example. Murkowski said the TSA recently asked her to remove her kuspuk before a flight, because it was too bulky.
“It’s not a little bulky, you can pull it back and the bulk is gone,” she remarked to TSA Administrator John Pistole, who was testifying before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee.
This is a good point. Generally, the kuspuk is made from thin cotton that hangs like a sun dress. And really, for any normal fabric, including the aforementioned cotton hoodie, it seems reasonable that you could pull it back to flatten it out if necessary.
Murkowski says she never got a good explanation from screeners about how they deal with cultural fashion differences, like the kuspuk.
Murkowski’s point is that some people cannot easily remove their kuspuks in public, because they wear them like a T-shirt or blouse with nothing underneath. It’s an example, Muskowski says, of how TSA policies should not be one-size-fits-all.
It would be interesting to know if Alaska Native people are more frequently targeted for extra screening because of their traditional clothing, or if anything will really come of Murkowski’s statement.
We go to Disneyland a lot. It’s not far away, it’s a relatively inexpensive get-away – five days is our normal trip. So I try to wear my bulkier clothing that I want while we are there – like a jacket or my favorite sweatshirt. And it happens to be a hoodie. It’s a Disney hoodie, actually, with a big yellow lion on the front and “The Lion King” written down one sleeve. Definitely threatening. Well, it is black, so maybe that’s it.
Anyway, one trip I wore my sweatshirt for the trip and got patted down when I went through security (before the aggressive pat downs). I had the option of taking it off, but I was wearing it as a shirt and decided I didn’t want to stand there in my underwear. I asked the lady why me and she said that it’s a requirement to pat down anyone wearing a hoodie. Fine. Well, on the way home, I wore it again because it didn’t fit in my small suitcase. So I went through it all over again on the way home. Dumbest thing I ever saw. I had my shoes off, didn’t set off any alarms, I’m in my 60s and hardly look threatening to anyone else – except the TSA.
So now I don’t wear my Disney Lion King hoodie and only take it when I can stuff it in my suitcase. With that hood and the handy pouch pocket on the front, it still makes the best jacket for Disneyland, perfect for the evenings when it cools off.
We just got back from Hawaii. I made sure to dress in a way that I could take off my zippered jacket that has a hood on our way there. Then we flew from Honolulu to Kauai. I decided I didn’t care if I got patted down so I wore a shirt that happens to have a front pocket and a hood and 3/4 length sleeves. And surpise! Everyone went through the scanner and no one blinked at my hoodie. Maybe it’s because it’s not a sweatshirt but just a shirt? Who knows. I decided not to press my luck and wore something else on the way back to Seattle.
But this part was new. I always leave my watch on because it doesn’t set off the metal detectors. It still didn’t but the TSA guy had me hold out my arms and looked under my watch. What did he think he would find there? And he checked my husbands watch the same way. I swear that flying just gets weirder and weirder.
Whenever my sister flies, she gets extra pat downs regardless of the airport. Why? Because she always wears a skirt. I thought she was joking until we were flying out at 6am, and in the middle of the mostly empty security line, they singled her out (while having to call an extra female for my girlfriend, because wheelchairs can’t go through the metal detectors or other scanners) just to probe along her skirts.
After that, I insisted she wear pants to travel, and then change to a skirt on the other side of security if she insisted on wearing them.
Off the subject, but a must see!!!!!
http://www.borowitzreport.com/2012/03/25/cheney-receives-heart-transplant-bush-still-on-waiting-list-for-brain/
At long last….I can’t say anymore, that he doesn’t have a pulse…….. Bummer for the donor and his family..
You are soooooo right—he has never had a heart before.
I’m wearing a hoodie (and sweat pants) right now. I like to wear them around the house. I also wear them at night when I go to bed (in the winter). I call them my “Montana Pajamas”.
vee must see your papers.
ahhhh , i see.
you will need to board that box car with the other undesirable’s – er ah i mean security risks.
vee are protecting your freedom by taking away your rights.
it is all for the good, (god and country)
you can see the flag pin on my lapel,
you can see us pray to Jesus.
now run along,
a nice shower is awaiting you.
Yikes :-0
Great stories! Thanks for the laughs.
TSA = Boondogle. Waste of money. Screening old ladies for explosive residue on their hands and checking baby’s dipes for bombs. Common sense has left the conversation. Some idiot tries to light his shoes on fire, so we all now take off our shoes. As someone pointed out years ago, if a terrorist wants to inflict maximum mayhem, all they have to do is get in the security line and blow themselves up in the midddle of the amassed shoeless, coatless crowd.
But, hey, someone is making a fortune selling the government X-ray and scanning machines.
Yeah. Lot of security contracts at stake out there.
This is a good example of ‘One size’ doesn’t fit all.
Several years ago, after 9-11 but before the TSA got even crazier, I went through security at the Juneau airport on the way home to Anchorage. My down parka was in the tray, and I was wearing a bulky black sweater and – gasp – an underwire bra. The security agent, an extremely unpleasant woman, detained me and questioned me about why I was making the metal detector go off. There were no rooms to be dragged off to; this was all in public. I kept telling her, in increasingly loud tones, it was because I was wearing an UNDERWIRE bra. And she just kept getting meaner and meaner. Finally, in the presence of everyone in that part of the terminal, I pulled the sweater over my head and stood in my tacky bra over my bulgling, fish-white torso and said again “ITS AN UNDERWIRE BRA.” Stunned silence. Some official person came over and led her away. I put my sweater back on, and people started applauding, probably because they no longer had to see my fat, white self. Sometimes “modesty” gets us nowhere. My name must’ve got tagged, somehow, as I’ve never been challenged again.
great story Mag.
Good for you. I have a titanium knee and I advise the security people before trying to go through the process. In our hometown a very nice lady who used to work at our hospital and knew the reputation of my surgeon (excellent) did the pat down. No problems; the worst was in New York and the woman just took forever. I was relieved that on the way back in Detroit airport security had the big X-ray box that you step into. Get it over fast that way. But I think what you did, Mag the Mick, was wonderful! It should happen once a day at major airports!
love it !
No fun to have a metal zipper on one’s pants either. And be asked to unzip in public for an extra check of the underwear. And that was in Juneau! Arghh. I don’t fly much anymore.
Score one for the Traveling Public!
I live in hope that you called down the wrath of the “Dowager Duchess” on said peon’s head and cursed their children forever. At the least I hope you stuck out your tongue.
Love it! I definitely would have been one of those applauding wildly!
Back in the 90s I used to bring groups of kids with disabilities to Ireland as part of an adapted sports exchange program. We had kids with prosthetics, wheelchairs, hearing aids, braces, crutches, white canes and every kind of assorted assistive equipment you can imagine. I even remember one amputee athlete (Sarah Reinertsen, who later appeared on The Amazing Race), who strolled through the metal detectors with her special running prosthesis slung over her shoulder!
Back then I would go to the airport before the group with all of the tickets and passports, and check the whole group in. They would print out as many luggage tags as I asked for (no limit!), all under my name, and we would attach them when the group arrived at the airport. We also brought boxes of sports equipment and food with us on the trip over there. We often returned with boxes of beer (you couldn’t get Smithwick’s in this country back then).
I cannot imagine trying to travel with that group these days. Looking back, so much of what I did, which was perfectly acceptable to both Aerlingus and the airport security departments back then, would have gotten me tossed in the pokey these days.
Now the wrong kind of bra can get you branded as a potential terrorist!
Good for you. I’m sorry for your experience, but would also have been applauding. The terrorists have already won, given how we now treat our own citizens. I’d bet they are laughing their backsides off at what they have gotten us to do to ourselves.
Mag, it sounds like they were applauding the fact that she was taken away…! What an ordeal…
I’ve seen the TSA have an elderly (white) man from the Interior remove his lengthily laced deer skin boots.
Thanks for sharing the Kuspaq’s on this thread, it is a very good point about how old the ‘hoodie’ is. It’s utilitarian and purposeful, not meant to be menacing.
Sarah Palin even rocked it in her approved and posed for Newsweek cover sporting a hoodie where she says she can beat Obama – http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/sarah-palin-as-newsweek-cover-girl–again/2011/03/04/gIQA0xqo8H_blog.html
Bristol Palin adores hoodies, wears them all the time. No one’s ever put “Surveyor’s Marks” over her for her top of choice.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bristol+palin+hoodie&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Oyo&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1366&bih=617&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=IWBi0URNjfCLDM:&imgrefurl=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1326576/Bristol-Palin-cools-Dancing-With-The-Stars-rehearsals-LA-heat.html&docid=eEpKCNNRhRdlBM&imgurl=http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/11/04/article-0-0BE6F73A000005DC-745_468x632.jpg&w=468&h=632&ei=WOxtT9zlOISw0QH11u3TBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=283&vpy=116&dur=1406&hovh=261&hovw=193&tx=119&ty=128&sig=106256309836779211983&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=101&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0
http://celebrity-gossip.net/bristol-palin/bristol-palins-dancing-dedication-419270
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bristol+palin+hoodie&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Oyo&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1366&bih=617&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=Ylg5VvQD5sRIyM:&imgrefurl=http://www.x17online.com/celebrities/dancing_with_the_stars/bristol_palin_gets_ready_to_tango_with_mark.php&docid=MuePVDKxZ57pnM&imgurl=http://www.x17online.com/images/photo-sets/conv/BPalinDWTS090510_X17/BPalinDWTS090510_02-full.jpg&w=460&h=699&ei=WOxtT9zlOISw0QH11u3TBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=776&vpy=108&dur=1509&hovh=277&hovw=182&tx=112&ty=137&sig=106256309836779211983&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=90&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bristol+palin+hoodie&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Oyo&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1366&bih=617&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnso&tbnid=7n0b0m62luQM_M:&imgrefurl=http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2011/08/bristol-palin-is-filmed-eating-hot-dog.html&docid=ntzP0p6fjwlBmM&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S1eMzBVtLPg/TlBiOmAH8gI/AAAAAAAABYc/VwUv80Xo8Lc/s1600/BristolSadie.jpg&w=548&h=411&ei=WOxtT9zlOISw0QH11u3TBg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1045&vpy=291&dur=464&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=156&ty=116&sig=106256309836779211983&page=1&tbnh=126&tbnw=173&start=0&ndsp=23&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0
Why is the coach of the Patriots aloud to take flights with one and also to work with one on?
Ah, well that explains things. I’ve always wondered why I am tagged for extra screening every single time I fly. My travel outfit of choice always includes a hooded sweatshirt because it’s comfy and comes in handy if I hit rainy/snowy weather.
The last time I went through security and got pulled off to the side they asked me to remove the hoodie. I said, ” nope. I’m not wearing anything underneath.” , which got me sent to a little room for a pat down. The woman came in, explained that she was going to reach under my shirt and proceeded to begin. I responded with, ” fine by me. I’m gay and haven’t been “frisked” in awhile. thanks. ” and winked at her. Yeah – that pat down came to a screeching halt. ha!
I must’ve looked like a crazy person as I trotted for my gate, laughing all the way .
Bwa ha ha! That’s a good one!
I would have given anything to witness that scene! ROFLMAO!
priceless!
Dang. That was brave.
Mwahahahha! I will have to remember that one – awesome Buffalogal!
Awesome! Thanks for the giggles.
I will have to remember that!! You gave us, spouse and I, a good laugh this evening!!
This is a TSA training failure. They have the same issue in the lower 48.
Some women’s suits are not designed to be worn with a blouse. I guess you could say that the suit coat also serves as a blouse, because all you wear underneath is a slip or camisole. Business women were not happy at the insistance that they “take off their coat” to get through security.
The magic words to avoid this situation are something like “this is my outermost layer” (which doesn’t make any sense, but this is what I recall reading) and then TSA isn’t supposed to make you strip down to your underwear.
Of course, the traveller has to know this AND all the TSA agents have to be trained on this AND follow the training. I’ve flown through enough airports to know that there is no uniform application of standards with TSA.
Thanks for the advice; I often wear tunics- a kuspuk without a hoodie. Or pocket. However, they are usually long, and I’d rather not have to wear a cami underneath- and go through the gyrations to get it off. The TSA in Denver try to be friendly during the process, but it is what it is.
The meanacing hoodie. My everyday work at home outfit. Today it’s the white one. Well, yesterday, it was also the white one. I have about 6 of them.
Course, I call it a sweatshirt. And I have one on right now.
The other issue w/ the TSA….I found out the hard way that if you say no, I’m not taking this off, please wand me…you’ll be wanded on each leg of that ticket. My reason…a recent surgery that meant I could not wear a real bra and I didn’t feel like exposing the girls at the airport.
As for SP….don’t be too hard on us lower 48 folks. We just like to make fun of her.
HMmm..the comment about hoodys and poss. exposure at airport. Since originally..I was ..’issued’ the girls..do you suppose I would be sent through ..screening twice..until I had been seen.. twice? My remaining ‘left-girl’ (hmm..pondering that ..term)..wants to know….
The hoodie is my “Oh-my-freaking-God-it’s-cold-and-I-have-to-take-the-dog-out” outfit. And if I’m running around town with it on, you can bet there ain’t no shirt or bra in the picture.
I applaud Lisa Mukowski for making statement.
It’s not because she heard about someone else’s problem. It’s because she experienced the problem herself. How nice is that?
One has to wonder,about pols in general,if the outrage is the same and genuine when experienced vicariously through others as it is when experienced first hand. Many of the privileged class don’t seem as put out when they themselves aren’t inconvenienced. This isn’t to say that Murkowski is that way,I don’t know her.
I just put my hoodie on, wandered into the library, sat down in front of the computer, and clicked on this article. Now that’s ironic.
I’ve never seen that picture of Palin before…did she never support that child’s head?