The BABES Enchancement Act is Proof that Women's Advocacy Matters (Even if it's a Long Game)

A few years ago, aerospace engineer Emily Calandrelli (thespacegal) went viral after a humiliating encounter with airport security. It’s an encounter many breastfeeding moms have experienced, or at least feared: She was traveling without her newborn and, as a breastfeeding mom, had her breast pump and ice packs with her so she could continue pumping.

Multiple TSA agents told her she couldn’t fly with the ice packs. According to a post Calandrelli shared after the experience, she was told that if she had been traveling with her baby, it wouldn’t have been an issue. She asked multiple times to speak with a female TSA agent and was denied this request.

“I cried in the airport. I was embarrassed about having to explain breastfeeding to 3 grown men. I felt humiliated,” Calandrelli wrote. “But guess what? They were wrong. TSA rules specifically state that you are allowed to have gel ice packs (regardless if they are fully frozen!!) for medically necessary purposes. And emptying my breasts on a regular schedule & providing food for my child IS medically necessary.”

So why is this relevant now? Well, Calandrelli’s post inspired a movement. And those TSA rules she referenced in her post? They’re being amended. 

The BABES Enhancement Act was introduced in January, and it just passed. The enhancement will mandate streamlining and strengthening of processes around traveling with breastmilk, formula, and feeding equipment. So many parents face situations like these because of a lack of clarity among TSA agents. This bill, which should be passed into law in a matter of days, will ensure clear, consistent guidelines and transparency around the transportation of baby feeding essentials. 

It goes to show: When they use their voices, women can move mountains. It might not seem like anything is changing, but it’s a long game — and it pays off.