Chelsea Manning Told She Will Receive Gender Transition Surgery

[Henry Rivera]

You are incorrect. VA does this, and specialists can be contracted if needed. Can't speak to DOD though. 

> On Sep 14, 2016, at 10:31 AM, Razer <rayzer at riseup.net> wrote:
> 
> Have you ever been to a VA hospital Cecilia?
> 
> A military hospital in a prison?
> 
> Chelsea IS NOT going to get what she wants.
> 
> They're butchers. Even in the best circumstances. She's desperate. The
> military has no one who specializes in anything even remotely resembling
> 'gender reorientation'. The WILL NOT hire a specialist. No good end will
> come from it.
> 
> Rr
> 
> 
>> On 09/14/2016 01:38 AM, Cecilia Tanaka wrote:
>> Chelsea Manning (@xychelsea) tweeted at 8:31 PM - 13 Sep 2016 :
>> 
>> Unending relief: .mil does right thing; just let me be me
>> https://t.co/wO8Nf1xwMx 
>> 
>> ======
>> 
>> Chelsea Manning Told She Will Receive Gender Transition Surgery, Her
>> Lawyer Says
>> The military’s decision — which the military will not confirm — follows
>> a recommendation made by Manning’s psychologist more than five months ago.
>> 
>> Originally posted on September 13, 2016, 22:24 GMT
>> Updated on September 13, 2016, 23:56 GMT
>> Chris Geidner
>> BuzzFeed News Reporter
>> 
>> WASHINGTON — Army officials today informed Chelsea Manning that they
>> will provide her with gender transition surgery, her lawyer tells
>> BuzzFeed News.
>> 
>> A lawyer for Manning, the ACLU's Chase Strangio, spoke with Manning on
>> Tuesday after she was informed of the military's decision. Manning,
>> serving a 35-year prison sentence for violating the Espionage Act,
>> received a recommendation from her psychologist in April that she
>> receive surgery related to her gender dysphoria.
>> 
>> “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 provided by her lawyers.
>> 
>> "But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. Also, why were
>> such drastic measures needed? The surgery was recommended back in April
>> 2016. The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014," Manning
>> continued in the statement. "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."
>> 
>> Strangio said that Manning was told on Tuesday that the military made a
>> determination that the Department of Defense's instruction for
>> "In-Service Transition" applies to her. Additionally, according to
>> Strangio, Manning was shown a treatment plan that included information
>> about surgery and the medical team necessary to move forward with that
>> surgery.
>> Strangio added, however, that Manning was told that she must continue to
>> keep her hair short, as required under male grooming standards, until
>> she receives the surgery.
>> 
>> Asked to confirm the information provided by Manning's lawyer, Army
>> spokesperson Wayne Hall told BuzzFeed News only, "We cannot and will not
>> discuss the medical needs of individuals."
>> 
>> The decision ends a hunger strike that Manning began on Sept. 9, but it
>> does not, at this point, end a hearing scheduled for Manning on Sept. 20
>> relating to charges resulting from Manning's suicide attempt earlier
>> this summer.
>> 
>> "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," Strangio said in a statement.
>> Strangio added, however, that Tuesday's news doesn't alleviate all of
>> the concerns of Manning's lawyers. First, he said, they will continue to
>> monitor the situation to see how quickly the military moves forward with
>> the recommended surgery. Second, Strangio noted, "Certainly, we're going
>> to move forward with our litigation on the hair issue, as that remains a
>> matter of concern." Finally, Strangio said it is the hope of Manning's
>> lawyers that "all charges related to her suicide attempt and the
>> investigation that followed are dropped."
>> 
>> No prison inmate — at the state or federal level — has received gender
>> transition surgery. The issue of gender has been highly charged, leading
>> to extensive litigation even in more traditionally liberal states like
>> Massachusetts and California. Although a settlement reached in a
>> California case brought by the Transgender Law Center provided for
>> surgery for Shiloh Quine, Quine's lawyers told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday
>> that the surgery is set for this fall but has not yet happened.
>> 
>> Activists opposed to Manning's imprisonment updated an ongoing petition
>> after the announcement of Tuesday's news, stating, "Chelsea Manning ends
>> hunger strike after Army agrees to provide her with needed health care.
>> But they're still threatening to punish her for attempting to take her
>> own life."
>> 
>> UPDATE
>> This report has been updated with information about health care for
>> transgender people in prison and activists’ efforts on Chelsea Manning’s
>> behalf.
>> 2016-09-13 19:56:27
>> 
>> ========
>> 
>> I am singing "She is a Lady" and I bet that Steve Kinney is very happy
>> and singing to celebrate too, hihi!  ;)
>> 
>> I love Chelsea.  I love you, Steve.  And I love the cypherpunks list!  <3
>>