Posted on 08/23/2013 12:16:35 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The case of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning tested many complex questions about espionage, journalism and even treason. But there was always one thing that lingered as a subtext to the case: Manning's struggle with gender identity.
On Thursday, when Manning announced that he wants to be known as Chelsea Manning, it became clear that the subtext would become the focus and that Manning will now likely test military policy on transgender issues.
(NPR, like other news outlets, is at this point continuing to refer to the soldier as "Bradley Manning" on first reference.)
Cecilia Chung, a senior strategist for the Transgender Law Center in California, says Manning is walking into little-known territory. In a statement, Manning said that as part of his transition, he would seek to "begin hormone therapy as soon as possible."
But Manning, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison over the largest leak of classified information in U.S. history, is expected to serve his time at Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas. The historic military prison has just 515 beds and not a single female prisoner.
And while in the civil system, Chung said, courts have decided that not providing hormone therapy to inmates is cruel and unusual punishment, the same isn't so of the military. Court House News Service spoke to Kimberly Lewis, a spokeswoman at Ft. Leavenworth, who said that while Manning will have access to a psychiatrist and psychologist, the Army "does not provide hormone therapy or sex-reassignment surgery for gender identity disorder."
Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, said in an interview with NBC's Today that he hopes Fort Leavenworth does the right thing....
(Excerpt) Read more at npr.org ...
Army reserve. He's mainly a defense attorney low life.
He’s trying to avoid hefty jail time I think.
I predicted that allowing openly homosexuals to serve in the military would lead to a break down in discipline. This case is a perfect example.
I hope this “test case” results in a complete rejection of all requests for elective therapy and surgery such as “hormone” therapy and “gender reassignment” surgery.
Chromosomes don’t lie we need to wake up and get a clue and quit being so freaking PC.
If a female inmate was small breasted and felt bad about herself would we be forced to provide breast implants? This is nuts!
and the airman being fired for not approving of gay marriage?
The Army Reserve is still the Army. Loads of Army Reservists and Army Reserve National Guardsmen went to WWI/II, Korea, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other conflicts. I served with a general who went from private in the Minnesota National Guard to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
I object to any taxpayer money being spent on efforts to change one’s gender. What I want to see this traitor called is “jailbird.”
Have you been keeping up with the news? There’s a better chance that Bradley/Chelsea will be pardoned, given free transgender surgery & hormones and appointed to the Obamacare transgender panel than what you are describing.
“Chutzpah” just got a new definition/illustration
The military won’t pay for braces for its servicemen and women but he wants them to pay for his sex change?
Crazy Klinger was a prophet.
When I was a military dependent back in ancient times they didn’t pay for braces, either.
The title itself is barf inducing. One more reason not to name anything living chelsea.
If gender is completely a “social construct”, then how can changing a person’s body ........ oh, I see, I was trying to apply logic to leftwing nonsense. My bad.
So yet again BRADLEY Manning is being used as a dupe.
These vile disgusting money changers need to be whipped out into the street.
The military is being destoyed by PCness.
Also we can cite the radical Jihad major on trial for murdering 14. What was the military thinking allowing such a person to serve in the Army?
diversity
“As horrific as this tragedy was, if our diversity becomes a casualty, I think that’s worse” - Gen. George Casey
Hashtag garbage does not work here. Why append it to the title?
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