Manning is serving a 35-year sentence. Manning, a trans woman, began the hunger strike on September 9 to protest her treatment while imprisoned.
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Manning says in the release that she’s relieved the military approved the treatment but frustrated that it took so long. I just don’t want it to take years.
BuzzFeed first reported the news about the government’s decision and Manning’s notification of it, but they were unable to get confirmation from a military spokesperson, who only said, “We can not and will not discuss the medical needs of individuals”.
The military has yet to confirm their decision, but Manning’s lawyer told Buzzfeed that they will provide the surgery. “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 exclusively because they are transgender”, he said in a statement.
According to Manning’s representatives, doctors have recommended that as part of her treatment for gender dysphoria the soldier, who began hormone therapy in 2015, be allowed to follow “female hair grooming standards”. And she’s still being punished for her suicide attempt this summer, when she was first being denied her surgery.
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.
While surgery is a step in the right direction, Manning’s ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio said it’s an outrage that the government will continue to enforce male hair length standards against his client.
Manning subsequently changed her name from Bradley to Chelsea, was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and declared her desire to live as a woman.
Imprisoned former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning has learned that she will receive gender transition surgery, her lawyer told CNN, in what could make her the first USA prison inmate to undergo such a procedure.
Manning violated the Espionage Act in July 2013 by releasing hundreds of thousands of military documents to Wikileaks.
Manning has been behind bars for six years now and says she asked them many times for help over that period, while confined in five different locations.
Manning also faces administrative charges from her suicide attempt in July.
The Army has agreed to let Chelsea Manning undergo gender transition surgery after Manning carried out a four-day hunger strike.
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“She is someone who has fought so hard for so many issues we care about and we are honored to fight for her freedom and medical care”.
