U.S. soldier Bradley Manning, sentenced for leaking classified U.S. documents, says he is female and wants to live in prison as a woman named Chelsea. Mana Rabiee reports. Bradley Manning poses for a photo wearing a wig and lipstick. Picture: AP Source: AP Bradley Manning is escorted out of a courthouse on July 25. AP Photo/Cliff Owen Source: AP HE IS the soldier branded as a "traitor to his country" for "gleefully" releasing thousands of military secrets to WikiLeaks for his personal notoriety. Today, in a US Today showexclusive, Bradley Manning's announced through hislawyer that he wants to be a woman and will begin hormone replacement therapy. Hereis Manning's full statement to the public: Subject: The Next Stage of My Life I want to thank everybody who has supported me over the last three years. Throughout this long ordeal, your letters of support and encouragement have helped keep me strong. I am forever indebted to those who wrote to me, made a donation to my defense fund, or came to watch a portion of the trial. I would especially like to thank Courage to Resist and the Bradley Manning Support Network for their tireless efforts in raising awareness for my … Continue reading →

Convicted WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning says he wants to undergo hormone therapy while in prison. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) But even outside of prison walls, getting this kind of medical help is often a struggle. In the corporate world, only 42% of employers have insurance plans that cover short-term leave, mental health counseling, hormone therapy and surgical procedures for transgender employees, according to a survey by the Human Rights Campaign. That's up from 19% in 2008, but it still means the majority of employers don't offer this coverage. And paying out of pocket can be a heavy burden. Related: Transgender job seekers face uphill battle The cost to transition from one gender to another varies greatly. Hormone replacement therapy can cost around $30 per month and therapist visits can cost more than $100 each. Undergoing surgery is less common but typically rings up at anywhere between $5,000 and $30,000 depending on the kind of operation, estimates Masen Davis, executive director of the Transgender Law Center. "It can be difficult for transgender individuals -- especially the lower income and unemployed -- to pay for the medical care they need to be themselves," said Davis. See the original post here: Transgender and struggling … Continue reading →

The hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, that Army Pfc. Bradley Manning has requested alters the bodys balance of sex hormones estrogen for male-to-female and testosterone for female-to-male transitions. Sometimes, male-to-female patients will also be given progesterone, another steroid typically produced by the ovaries, as well as a testosterone blocker such as spironolactone. It basically initiates a second puberty. The full effects of that will typically take two to three years, said Marci L. Bowers, a California-based gynecologist and surgeon who has performed hundreds of gender-change operations over the past decade. Manning's statement on the Today Show Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy More on this story: Aaron Blake and Julie Tate The soldier who leaked documents wants to be called Chelsea and begin hormone therapy. Paul Farhi The former Army private says hes a woman, leaving the press grappling with pronouns. Sarah Kliff Go here to see the original: Hormone replacement therapy for Manning would take several years … Continue reading →