Chelsea Manning may have been sentenced to 35 years for her involvement in the Wikileaks scandal, but at least she is one step closer to officially serving her time as the woman she identifies as. As part of the longer game to receive hormone therapy for a full transition, Chelsea petitioned to have her name legally changed. On Wednesday a Kansas judge approved the appeal for "Bradley Manning" to be changed to "Chelsea Elizabeth Manning". In a statement on her name change, Chelsea said:
It's worth noting that in both mail and in-person, I've often been asked, “Why are you changing your name?” The answer couldn't be simpler: because it's a far better, richer, and more honest reflection of who I am and always have been –a woman named Chelsea.
It should be noted that this change will not compel the military to begin treating Chelsea as a woman and she presently remains as an inmate at the male-only U.S. Disciplinary Barracks.
Portrait of Chelsea Manning by Alicia Neal via the Chelsea Manning Support Network.
