Transwoman Removed from Texas Airplane! 12/10/2012

This from Seattle resident, Rebecca Heineman:

Around 6PM Dallas time on Monday, December 10th, 2012, my good friend Tegan Marie Smith was at Love Field in Dallas TX on board her flight to Atlanta GA when the police boarded the aircraft, handcuffed and arrested her. They held her for a few hours telling her she had no rights and demanded why she was "Transgender". In the process she lost her phone and several other personal items and missed her flight. She is currently in a hotel in Dallas awaiting the next flight home..

This is a total outrage!! She didn't deserve this treatment. She only was in Dallas to see her family and was on her way home.

This is the text from Tegan's facebook page:

"Arrested in Dallas, detained for two hours in handcuffs, released. Most of my stuff, including phones, missing. I still had one credit card and my drivers license, so I got a nearby hotel and will try to fly home to Atlanta tomorrow. I had to give life story about being transsexual to officers. My earlier flight was cancelled, and I had a few drinks at the bar, no more than the others I was with. I was boarded, then removed, placed in handcuffs, not read any rights, was told I didn't have any. They demanded to know why I was transgender. I was finally released, my wrists are bruised, the handcuffs hurt like hell but I sure as hell wasn't going to let them see me cry. I feel pretty bad right now, I was singled out of six people from the bar near the gate, I am certain because of my height and size. I don"t have any phone numbers but one. my phone is gone, and she is not answering. A wonderful weekend in Dallas gone bad for no reason. I was told to stay away from the airport tonight, to fly out tomorrow. Likely I will have to buy another ticket, and I have no idea where my carry on bag, hormones, etc are.

No one is going to see me cry. Yey though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for I am the toughest Bitch in the valley."



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