A British teenager faced a distressing incident at Hurghada Airport in Egypt, where she was forced to strip in front of airport officials for a sex verification check to confirm her gender. Caitlyn Disley, 15, and her family were subjected to the humiliating procedure upon their arrival, with Caitlyn being asked to expose herself to prove she was female. The security personnel doubted her gender, prompting the invasive examination, which left Caitlyn feeling shocked and embarrassed. Despite the check confirming her gender matched the one on her passport, the ordeal has deeply affected her.
Caitlyn’s father, Tom Disley, shared their story to raise awareness and prevent others from experiencing similar distressing incidents. He described the event as “horrible” and highlighted the impact it had on Caitlyn since returning to the UK. Tom explained that Caitlyn, a tomboy, had her gender clearly stated on her passport, and the only difference was her shorter hairstyle. He expressed concern for the psychological effects it had on his daughter and emphasized the need to alert other travellers about such occurrences in Egypt.
During the incident, two security officials at the airport singled out Caitlyn and insisted on conducting the sex verification check, resulting in a tense situation where Caitlyn had to comply with their demands. The family’s MP, Lisa Nandy, has been contacted to address the issue with the relevant government minister, seeking to prevent similar experiences for British nationals travelling abroad. The Foreign Office reiterated its readiness to support British nationals overseas in various circumstances but refrained from commenting on individual cases involving children.
In Egypt, discrimination and violence against LGBT individuals have been reported, including instances of abuse, harassment, and forced examinations. Caitlyn’s family hopes that by sharing their story, they can prevent others from enduring similar distress and humiliation. Their primary aim is to raise awareness and advocate for better treatment of travellers, especially children, to avoid such traumatic experiences in the future.