Keke Palmer has claimed she faced “breast milk discrimination” during an incident at a Texas airport.
The 29-year-old actor and singer tweeted on Monday (12 June) about the alleged situation that occurred at an airport in Houston. “Breast milk discrimination at the Houston airport ruined my mood,” the Nope star tweeted.
Palmer claimed that officials at the unidentified airport threatened to “throw out” 16 ounces of breastmilk, writing: “I should’ve popped my tit out right then because the discretion and comfort of pumping is thwarted with threats to throw out over 16oz my babies food?!?!!!”
“Why is that not a crime??” the Hustlers star added. “I’M A MOTHER for crying out loud.”
Keke Palmer welcomed her first child, son Leodis "Leo" Andrellton Jackson, with boyfriend Darius Jackson in February. Her tweet was met with sympathy from fans, as they shared their similar experiences of screening their packaged breast milk through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in airports across the US.
“I’ve had this issue in soo many airports,” one person claimed. “TSA really needs to get it together.”
“Oh hell no! Pumping is not an easy task,” another said. “16oz is a lot ! That is not right at all!!!!”
Other people claimed that it was “illegal” for TSA to dispose of a passenger’s breast milk or baby formula, tweeting: “That’s so illegal. I work for a major airline and breast milk and anything concerning babies’ food and other items they need are always supposed to be an exception.”
According to TSA guidelines, breast milk or formula in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters are allowed in carry-on baggage. Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and any other food for babies or toddlers are considered “medically necessary” liquids, and a child or infant doesn’t need to be present for a parent to bring breast milk or formula on their flight.
However, travellers are recommended to remove the liquid from their carry-ons to be screened separately from the rest of their belongings. The agency suggests that formula and breast milk should be transported in clear, translucent bottles and not plastic bags or pouches, which may require additional screening.
Ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs and other accessories required to cool formula or breast milk is also allowed in carry-on bags.
While the TSA states that there’s no known “adverse” effects of drinking breast milk that’s been screened by an X-ray, parents are still allowed to tell TSA agents that they don’t want their baby’s milk X-rayed, and will undergo additional screening procedures instead.
Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified breast pumps as a medical device, and are therefore permitted as a carry-on item.
While TSA didn’t specify whether it’s “illegal” to throw away breast milk at airport security, agents are required by the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act (BABES Act) to provide ongoing training to ensure TSA staff receives consistent training related to traveling with breast milk, formula, and infant feeding equipment.
In October 2021, US Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson alleged she was “groped” and publicly humiliated by a TSA agent while attempting to travel with breast milk. The athlete described the incident as “one of the worst experiences,” on her Instagram Stories, where she wrote: “We as mamas have a duty to our babies and a right in this world to carry breast milk through security”.
In the post, which included a photo of clear plastic bags full of breast milk, the mother-of-two claimed that it was against her rights for the unidentified TSA agent to “publicly humiliate” her by having her prove the liquid she was travelling with was breast milk.
“To then be groped and yelled at in public was excessive,” she continued. “I know you were doing your job… but so was I.”
The Independent has contacted the Transportation Security Administration for comment.
