Gloria Allred defends Nipple Ring woman against TSA and airline

By M&C Bizarre Mar 27, 2008, 20:31 GMT

Gloria Allred - © David Gabber / PR Photos

Famous Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred is defending a woman was forced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to remove her nipple rings before she was allowed to board a flight.

Allred is the US representation for Heather Mills and also defended Spice Girl Melanie B against Eddie Murphy in a paternity suit.

"The woman was given a pair of pliers in order to remove the rings in her nipples," said Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred. "The rings had been in her nipples for many years."

Allred and the woman planned to hold an early-afternoon news conference in Los Angeles to explain what they plan to do "to ensure that no other person is forced to suffer" the same fate, the attorney said in a statement.

The Transportation Security Administration does not have a specific policy addressing nipple rings or any other jewelry, said TSA spokesman Dwayne Baird. Baird to the AP, and claimed he did not know of the incident Allred mentioned in her statement.

"I'd be really curious to know what this woman had in her nipples," Baird said to the AP. "Sometimes they have a chain between their nipples, or a chain between their nipples and their belly button. It would have to be made of heavy metal to be detected."

Transportation Security employees must check anything that raises concerns at checkpoints, Baird said.

"No matter what it is, if it's something that unduly alarms people or sets off the sensors they must check it," Baird said. "But I've never heard of any of our people having anyone remove something that sounds as small as a nipple ring."

The AP reports that Allred also claimed several years ago, Nicole Richie had her breasts inspected by security at an airport because of her nipple rings. Baird said he was not aware of the Richie incident either.