Imprisoned whistleblower Chelsea Manning ended her hunger strike Tuesday after the Army agreed to provide medically prescribed treatment for her gender dysphoria.
The news was announced in a press release from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which represents Manning in a lawsuit against the Department of Defense that was first filed in 2014 over the department’s refusal to treat Manning.
The announcement notes that treatment will begin with the surgery that was recommended by her psychologist in April.
“I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted — for them to let me be me,” Manning said in a statement. “But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. Also, why were such drastic measures needed? The surgery was recommended in April 2016. The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014. In any case, I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need.”
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Via the ACLU’s announcement:
“Since she was first taken into custody in 2010, Manning, a transgender woman being forced to serve out her sentence in an all-male prison, was subjected to long stretches of solitary confinement during her court martial and has been denied medical treatment related to her gender dysphoria. On September 9, she began a hunger strike to demand, among other things, that she be treated with the medically necessary and recommended care for her gender dysphoria.”
Chase Strangio, staff attorney with the ACLU, said:
“This is a monumental day for Chelsea, who can now enjoy some peace knowing that critically needed medical care is forthcoming. This medical care is absolutely vital for Chelsea as it is for so many transgender people — in and out of prison — who are systemically denied treatment solely because they are transgender. Thankfully the government has recognized its constitutional obligation to provide Chelsea with the medical care that she needs and we hope that they will act without delay to ensure that her suffering does not needlessly continue.
“It is nonetheless troubling that the government continues to insist that they will enforce the male hair length standards against her and subject her to a disciplinary board over administrative charges related to her suicide attempt in July, which was precipitated by the government’s refusal to adequately treat her for gender dysphoria. Given the recognition of Chelsea’s health care needs, we hope that she is immediately permitted to grow her hair consistent with the standard for female military prisoners and that all charges related to her suicide attempt and the investigation that followed are dropped.”
Chelsea is set to become the first transgender person to receive gender affirming surgical treatment in prison, despite doctors’ recommendations in cases across the country.
WhattheF
Oh Hell no! Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for this crap!
Chris
Good for her! She should be released and helped to re-enter society, not be punished for whistleblowing the way she did.
ingyaom
I’m glad she’s getting treatment for her medical condition – and it is a medical condition, unlike L, G & B… and if it is a medical condition, then I guess it should be paid for by her insurance or whomever pays for prisoners’ medical procedures. In any event, she is a hero for exposing the truth about America’s illegal wars of aggression.
okiloki
This is ridiculous. If she wants the surgery, she should pay for it. Same goes for anyone else in prison. Regardless of whether you believe she should or shouldn’t be in prison, prisoners should not have access to free surgery when everyone on the outside has to fend for themselves. And her believing that she is entitled to it is even razier.
s
It’s elective plastic surgery. Taxpayers should not have to pay for this – especially for someone in prison! And aren’t we being told by the trans activists that having the surgery or not does not define their gender?!?
DuMaurier
At this point I don’t think she’s asking for “surgery” (many trans persons never get it); growing out her hair isn’t going to cost the taxpayers anything.
Bob LaBlah
I personally couldn’t care less if she lets her hair grow long enough to make Lady Godiva blush I do not agree with her being allowed surgery. She is in prison to be punished and considering what she did to national security I think these cave-ins of late by the military are a bit much.
This is sending the wrong message to the next disgruntled spoiled rotten queen with a national security clearance that it is ok to publish what you VOWED not to publish to the public. An OATH is just what it is, an OATH. And her oath was to secrecy. She violated it for no other reason than being vindictive to the government. Case closed. Jury dismissed.
Evji108
@okiloki: The thing is, if she gets gender reassignment surgery then she can be housed with the women and not be subjected to the endless threat of physical & sexual violence in the men’s prison section.
This constant torture by the other prisoners amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.
I personally would prefer my tax dollars being spent on the compassionate relief of someone’s living hell, than on another warship or cruise missile.
Obviously she is not in the position to fund it herself.
The cruelty, pure meanness and lack of sympathy or compassion for the plight of others that I find in the comments section here is disgusting and disquieting.
damon459
It’s mind boggling how transphobic queers are, or maybe it isn’t considering how queers treat minorities and the disabled….. Way to go folks, way to go, *slow clap*
joseph
IDIOTS!! come in All Forms….He doesn’t anything special unless he pays for it himself..The American Taxpayers shouldn’t pay for his Sex Change..He committed a criminal act against the USA……….
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
Put a bullet in that traitors head. It’s what should have been done all along. The taxpayers should not have to play for boob jobs for insane criminals.
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
@damon459: It’s mind boggling how trans think the country owes them welfare vaginas.
Bob LaBlah
@IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou: “It’s mind boggling how trans think the country owes them welfare vaginas.”
What this spoiled rotten brat has succeeded in doing is strengthen the argument against gays being allowed to serve openly in the military. There was simply NO justification in what Bradley decided to do and he should pay the price by being treated as a traitor and a convicted prisoner. Prison was NOT designed to be liked. If spending the next twenty something years in an environment where he is taunted every day with rape and violence then he should reflect back on who put his ass in that situation. If the job bothered him THAT bad all he had to do was put in a request to transfer out of it. Its just that simply.
IDoNotHaveToAgreeWithYou
@Bob LaBlah: I agree except you didn’t point out that this like any connection to the trans community makes gays look bad and works against us. This was not the case of a gay person dragging gays down. This was an outsider that makes us look bad by association.
Bromancer7
@WhattheF: I hate to break it to you but taxpayers usually foot the bill for sex-reassignment surgery. Suck it up buttercup.
Creamsicle
Manning is being held at the US Disciplinary Barracks in Ft. Leavensworth. I would imagine that the standards for care under the military is much better than at for-profit state contracted prisons. Interestingly it seems that the USDB is exclusively meant to house male prisoners and if Manning fully transitions she would likely need to be transfered to a Marina Disciplinary Barracks in Miramar, CA.
robho3
Wouldn’t really care if she starved herself to death. You
girldownunder
If the insurance covers the surgery & it’s been recommended by the doctor treating Manning, then I fail to see the problem.
Whether or not you agree or disagree at the outcome of her trial is not relevant to withholding doctor recommended treatment, & THAT is what was being fought for (& never should have had to be).
Alistair Wiseman
@girldownunder:
Insurance? The “insurance” is the American taxpayer.