Orlando TSA accused of gay/racist/sexist discrimination

Orlando Transportation Security Administration officials are investigating the use of an Orlando field office assignment board to mock minorities, women, and gays. A CNN report on Jan. 30 stated that the whiteboard was marked with a Jeopardy-style game with categories labeled “pickle smokers,” “our gang,” and “creatures.” According to the report, these terms referred to gay men, African-Americans and lesbians, respectively.

Another article filed with the Mother Jones web site explained the rules of this office game. A supervisor or training personnel would choose one of the derogatory categories. A “host” instructor would then describe a certain air marshal, and the others would guess which marshal was being labeled a “pickle smoker” or other disparaging joke phrase.

The Mother Jones article also reports that the game had been proceeding for months. Recently, air marshal Steve Theodoropoulos sent a letter to senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux complaining that the board was used to mock employees and create a hostile work environment.

When asked about the complaints tied to TSA offices at OIA two gay women who work within and alongside the agency say the same three words in two separate interviews: “I’m not surprised.”

Both asked for anonymity, and both women believe that ethics and diversity conflicts are rampant within the TSA.

“It’s been a rough month: January,” says the lesbian TSA employee, “but perhaps it will help brings about real change.”

“The place has no real standards or training,” states an out Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) employee.

“I would agree with that,” the TSA employee confirms at a later interview. “Management reinvents our requirements all the time, daily, it seems”

Another incident landed an Orlando TSA employee in jail on charges of molestation of a minor. On Jan. 28, security officer Charlie Bennett was arrested at his Winter Garden home by Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with sexual assault of a minor under his partial care and guardianship. Sheriff’s reports said that Bennett asked the minor three years ago to be his sex slave.

The TSA has been consistently dogged with discrimination and ethics complaints since the government agency’s inception two months after 9/11. Reports range from illegal hiring processes, racism, homophobia, lack of professionalism, lack of work ethic, hostility towards travelers, preferential treatment, misuse of funds, retaliation, and sexual harassment and misconduct. 

TSA has been named in 19 discrimination lawsuits; all were dismissed without trial because of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act.

“It’s a complete circus. There’s no real oversight,” the GOAA employee says. She cites lack of leadership, lack of discipline, and even lack of work ethic.

“‘TSA’ stands for ‘Thousands Standing Around.’”

The GOAA employee asked to be anonymous so she could maintain positive working relations between airport departments. The TSA employee—who is not out at work—is unsure whether she’s ever been directly affected by her employer’s alleged discriminatory activities. She doesn’t want to take any chances.

“Given their track record, I just feel I might be targeted or even fired.” She looks away for the briefest moment, and then returns to her typical concentrated stare. “It’s just not the right time, economically speaking, to be looking for a new job.”