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| Chelsea Manning Told She Can Have Gender Reassignment Surgery, Lawyer Says | Chelsea Manning Told She Can Have Gender Reassignment Surgery, Lawyer Says |
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| Chelsea Manning, who announced the day after being sentenced to prison in 2013 for leaking government files that she was female, has been told that the United States military will allow her to proceed with gender reassignment surgery, her lawyer said on Tuesday. | Chelsea Manning, who announced the day after being sentenced to prison in 2013 for leaking government files that she was female, has been told that the United States military will allow her to proceed with gender reassignment surgery, her lawyer said on Tuesday. |
| “Chelsea has received word from the military that they are moving forward with the recommendation for surgery,” said Chase Strangio, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. Mr. Strangio said that he did not know whether the Army had clarified who would pay for Ms. Manning’s treatment. | “Chelsea has received word from the military that they are moving forward with the recommendation for surgery,” said Chase Strangio, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union. Mr. Strangio said that he did not know whether the Army had clarified who would pay for Ms. Manning’s treatment. |
| Lt. Col. Patrick R. Seiber, an Army spokesman, declined to comment because the matter concerned the health of an inmate. | Lt. Col. Patrick R. Seiber, an Army spokesman, declined to comment because the matter concerned the health of an inmate. |
| In a statement provided by her lawyer, Ms. Manning, 28, praised the decision, but wondered why it had not come sooner. | In a statement provided by her lawyer, Ms. Manning, 28, praised the decision, but wondered why it had not come sooner. |
| “I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing,” she said. “I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted — for them to let me be me. But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long.” | “I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing,” she said. “I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted — for them to let me be me. But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long.” |
| “The surgery was recommended back in April 2016,” she said. “The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014.” As a result of the military’s decision, Mr. Strangio said, Ms. Manning ended a five-day hunger strike. | |
| News of the approval for gender reassignment surgery was reported by BuzzFeed on Tuesday evening. | News of the approval for gender reassignment surgery was reported by BuzzFeed on Tuesday evening. |
| The decision to allow Ms. Manning to proceed with the surgery appeared to be emblematic of a gradual shift in the military’s position on transgender service members. | The decision to allow Ms. Manning to proceed with the surgery appeared to be emblematic of a gradual shift in the military’s position on transgender service members. |
| In August 2013, Ms. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking government files to WikiLeaks. A day after her sentencing, Ms. Manning, who was then known as Pfc. Bradley Manning, issued a statement saying that she was female and was changing her name to Chelsea. She requested hormone therapy “as soon as possible.” | In August 2013, Ms. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking government files to WikiLeaks. A day after her sentencing, Ms. Manning, who was then known as Pfc. Bradley Manning, issued a statement saying that she was female and was changing her name to Chelsea. She requested hormone therapy “as soon as possible.” |
| At the time, a spokeswoman for the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where Ms. Manning was being held, said that the prison did not provide hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery. | At the time, a spokeswoman for the Army prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where Ms. Manning was being held, said that the prison did not provide hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery. |
| In February 2015, the Defense Department approved Ms. Manning’s request for hormone therapy. The next month, a military court recognized her as a woman. | In February 2015, the Defense Department approved Ms. Manning’s request for hormone therapy. The next month, a military court recognized her as a woman. |
| A Department of Defense memo dated June 30, 2016, overturned a ban on open service by transgender people in the military and made it clear that the military would allow active service members to transition genders. Before, service members who were receiving medical treatment related to gender transition were discharged. | A Department of Defense memo dated June 30, 2016, overturned a ban on open service by transgender people in the military and made it clear that the military would allow active service members to transition genders. Before, service members who were receiving medical treatment related to gender transition were discharged. |
| Ms. Manning had not believed that the change in policy would apply to her, Mr. Strangio said, and she was later charged by the military with offenses stemming from a suicide attempt in early July. She still faces those charges, he said. | Ms. Manning had not believed that the change in policy would apply to her, Mr. Strangio said, and she was later charged by the military with offenses stemming from a suicide attempt in early July. She still faces those charges, he said. |
| “It was clear that one of the main drivers of her mental health crisis was that there was really no hope that she would ever receive the care that she needs,” Mr. Strangio said. “This is a really important beacon of hope for her.” | “It was clear that one of the main drivers of her mental health crisis was that there was really no hope that she would ever receive the care that she needs,” Mr. Strangio said. “This is a really important beacon of hope for her.” |
| Mr. Strangio said that Ms. Manning had been given “some indication” on Monday that a compromise might be worked out with respect to her treatment. On Tuesday, she was shown a treatment protocol that had a number of recommendations for her in writing, he said, confirming that a doctor’s recommendation from April that she be treated for gender dysphoria was being followed. | Mr. Strangio said that Ms. Manning had been given “some indication” on Monday that a compromise might be worked out with respect to her treatment. On Tuesday, she was shown a treatment protocol that had a number of recommendations for her in writing, he said, confirming that a doctor’s recommendation from April that she be treated for gender dysphoria was being followed. |
| In her statement, Ms. Manning said, “I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need.” | In her statement, Ms. Manning said, “I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need.” |