In North Carolina, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) demanded a breast cancer survivor to take of her prosthetic breast in order to follow the airport’s security guidelines.

The incident occurred after the flight attendant has been assigned for a full body scan, a procedure of US airports’ newly integrated, improved security measure. The method of randomly assigning passengers or airline crew members to either do the scan or to undergo a full body check including genital examinations is implemented at all US airports.

Flight attendant Cathy Bossi decided to undergo the body checkup in order to avoid harmful radiation on her already weakened body. She reports that the security employee, after touching her breast, requested her to take off the prosthesis and hand it over.

She describes: "I did not take the name of the person at the time because it was just so horrific of an experience that it just blew my mind. I couldn't believe someone had done that to me. I'm a flight attendant. I was just trying to get to work”.

The shocked flight attendant reported the incident. The responsible TSA explained that he has full permission to ask for further examinations of prosthetics but is not allowed to remove them himself.

Critics already articulated their concern that the new security measures resemble sexual assault and often lead to the humiliation of aggrieved parties.