(Newswire.net – August 22, 2013) Portland, OR – The Army announced today that it will not be providing sex-reassignment surgery or hormonal therapy for Manning. Manning made the announcement that he would serve his 35-year prison time as a woman barely a day after being sentenced for leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks.
Earlier today, Manning released a statement to NBC’s “Today” saying he desired to spend the rest of his life as a woman.
“I am Chelsea Manning. I am female,” he wrote. “Given the way I feel and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible.
“I also request that, starting today, you refer to me by my new name and use the feminine pronoun,” he said. “I look forward to receiving letters from supporters and having the opportunity to write back.”
The Army was quick to respond.
“The Army does not provide hormone therapy or sex-reassignment surgery for gender-identity disorder,” according to Army spokesman George Wright.
The Army however, has stated that Manning will have access to mental health professionals during his incarceration.
No switch to Chelsea for Bradley. He will serve his sentence as a man.
Maybe…
Attorney for Manning, David Coombs, said that if the Army won’t accommodate Manning, he would “do everything in my power to force them to.” Coombs may have the law on his side.
According to Courthouse News, several federal judges have ruled that a rejection of treatment for prisoners who declare they are transgender, would be considered cruel and unusual punishment.
That opinion is based on a January ruling in Maryland that guaranteed the possibility of sex-reassignment surgery for all federal inmates in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and North and South Carolina.
But Fort Leavenworth is in Kansas, a long way from any of those states.
“All inmates are considered soldiers and are treated as such with access to mental health professionals, including a psychiatrist, psychologist, social workers and behavioral science noncommissioned officers with experience in addressing the needs of military personnel in pre- and post-trial confinement,” according to Courthouse News.
Related story: Manning Gets 35 Year Sentence in WikiLeaks Case