Bradley Manning’s Real Problem Wasn’t Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Comments (15) Print Email
Bradley Manning’s 35-year sentence for leaking government documens is about midway between the 20 years he asked for and the 60 years that prosecutors sought. In pleading for the court’s understanding last week, Manning told Judge Col. Denise Lind that “at the time of the decision, as you know, I was dealing with a lot of issues, issues that are ongoing.” Now there’s no question that Manning has had a hard time grappling with personal issues. He was trying to come to terms with his gender identity disorder, and he was doing so in the oppressive atmosphere of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Manning told an Army psychiatrist that he had hoped that joining the Army would rid him of his “problem” about gender identity, but instead it just grew worse. But Bradley’s argument that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell somehow contributed to his making a bad decision is also an insult to lots of gay military personnel who served honorably before the policy’s repeal. Not to downplay the institutional homophobia of the military, but the vast majority of people who served under DADT coped with the policy without breaking the law. DADT was an evil policy, but that doesn’t make it an excuse for bad personal decisions. The same with gender identity disorder. The military is hardly the ideal place to come to terms with being trans. “The way trans people are dealt with by the military depends greatly on the individual chain of command, the trans person’s psychological stability, how well liked they are by their command, and what sort of performer they are,” the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network notes. Manning didn’t get the help he needed from the military to deal with his gender identity. But, again, there are trans military personnel who serve honorably under difficult circumstances. Manning is plainly a troubled person. The odds seemed stacked against him from birth, with an alcoholic mother and a childhood filled with loneliness and neglect. That upbringing made Manning a vulnerable and tormented adult who was looking for stability. If DADT never existed and the military was fine with gender identity issues, Manning would still have been grappling with his personal issues. The environment didn’t help, but Manning’s troubles were internal. All of this is separate from the question of whether Manning did the right thing. It’s also separate from the government’s treatment of Manning, which was shameful during his early imprisonment. Bradley Manning will be eligible for parole in eight years, but the government will want to keep him for the full 30 years. That will be a sad end for an unhappy man, who may never have the chance to find out who he is. But it won’t be testament to the destructive power of DADT.
Bradley Manning To Transition To A Woman: “I Am Chelsea, I Am A Female” Comments (31) Print Email
Bradley Manning, the 25-year-old Army soldier sentenced to 35 years for leaking 700,000 confidential government documents, will transition to being female and will go by the name Chelsea. Manning made the announcement in a statement to the Today show: 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 case and providing for my legal representation. As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition. I also request that, starting today, you refer to me by my new name and use the feminine pronoun (except in official mail to the confinement facility). I look forward to receiving letters from supporters and having the opportunity to write back. Thank you, Chelsea E. Manning Manning’s gender identity disorder had been a central part of her defense, as she had hoped joining the military would in effect “cure” her. Previously, a photo of Manning dressed as a woman that she had sent to her superiors — illustrating what she deemed “my problem” — found its way onto the internet. “The stress that he was under was mostly to give context to what was going on at the time,” Manning’s lawyer, David Coombes, told Savannah Guthrie on TODAY Thursday. “It was never an excuse because that’s not what drove his actions. What drove his actions was a strong moral compass.” Coombes said he is “hoping” that Fort Leavenworth — where Manning is expected to serve her term — “would do the right thing” and provide her hormone therapy. “If Fort Leavenworth does not,” Coombes vowed, “then I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure they are forced to do so.”
I'm not sure what the internal security of Levenworth is but Chelsea might prefer an immediate transfer to Colorado's ADX Florence facility otherwise his gender crisis will be resolved in short order. You GO GIRL!
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Bradley Manning’s 35-year sentence for leaking government documens is about midway between the 20 years he asked for and the 60 years that prosecutors sought. In pleading for the court’s understanding last week, Manning told Judge Col. Denise Lind that “at the time of the decision, as you know, I was dealing with a lot of issues, issues that are ongoing.”
Now there’s no question that Manning has had a hard time grappling with personal issues. He was trying to come to terms with his gender identity disorder, and he was doing so in the oppressive atmosphere of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Manning told an Army psychiatrist that he had hoped that joining the Army would rid him of his “problem” about gender identity, but instead it just grew worse.
But Bradley’s argument that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell somehow contributed to his making a bad decision is also an insult to lots of gay military personnel who served honorably before the policy’s repeal. Not to downplay the institutional homophobia of the military, but the vast majority of people who served under DADT coped with the policy without breaking the law. DADT was an evil policy, but that doesn’t make it an excuse for bad personal decisions.
The same with gender identity disorder. The military is hardly the ideal place to come to terms with being trans. “The way trans people are dealt with by the military depends greatly on the individual chain of command, the trans person’s psychological stability, how well liked they are by their command, and what sort of performer they are,” the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network notes.
Manning didn’t get the help he needed from the military to deal with his gender identity. But, again, there are trans military personnel who serve honorably under difficult circumstances.
Manning is plainly a troubled person. The odds seemed stacked against him from birth, with an alcoholic mother and a childhood filled with loneliness and neglect. That upbringing made Manning a vulnerable and tormented adult who was looking for stability. If DADT never existed and the military was fine with gender identity issues, Manning would still have been grappling with his personal issues. The environment didn’t help, but Manning’s troubles were internal.
All of this is separate from the question of whether Manning did the right thing. It’s also separate from the government’s treatment of Manning, which was shameful during his early imprisonment.
Bradley Manning will be eligible for parole in eight years, but the government will want to keep him for the full 30 years. That will be a sad end for an unhappy man, who may never have the chance to find out who he is. But it won’t be testament to the destructive power of DADT.
Bradley Manning To Transition To A Woman: “I Am Chelsea, I Am A Female”
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Bradley Manning, the 25-year-old Army soldier sentenced to 35 years for leaking 700,000 confidential government documents, will transition to being female and will go by the name Chelsea.
Manning made the announcement in a statement to the Today show:
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 case and providing for my legal representation.
As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition. I also request that, starting today, you refer to me by my new name and use the feminine pronoun (except in official mail to the confinement facility). I look forward to receiving letters from supporters and having the opportunity to write back.
Thank you,
Chelsea E. Manning
Manning’s gender identity disorder had been a central part of her defense, as she had hoped joining the military would in effect “cure” her. Previously, a photo of Manning dressed as a woman that she had sent to her superiors — illustrating what she deemed “my problem” — found its way onto the internet.
“The stress that he was under was mostly to give context to what was going on at the time,” Manning’s lawyer, David Coombes, told Savannah Guthrie on TODAY Thursday. “It was never an excuse because that’s not what drove his actions. What drove his actions was a strong moral compass.”
Coombes said he is “hoping” that Fort Leavenworth — where Manning is expected to serve her term — “would do the right thing” and provide her hormone therapy.
“If Fort Leavenworth does not,” Coombes vowed, “then I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure they are forced to do so.”
I'm not sure what the internal security of Levenworth is but Chelsea might prefer an immediate transfer to Colorado's ADX Florence facility otherwise his gender crisis will be resolved in short order. You GO GIRL!
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