Note: This is an important victory not only for Chelsea Manning but for the recognition of transgender rights. Congratulations to Chelsea, her attorneys and the Chelsea Manning Support Network (where I serve on the steering committee). KZ
Army Had Refused to Call Her Chelsea, Court Orders Them to Do So
The Army Court of Criminal Appeals has ordered the military to stop using male pronouns when referring to Chelsea Manning in all legal papers filed in her appeal (see below). This Order comes after the military filed an opposition to requests by Manning’s attorneys to use her legal name and female pronouns when referring to her in court documents.
The Order specifies that “future formal papers filed before this court and all future orders and decisions issued by this court shall either be neutral, e.g., Private First Class Manning or appellant, or employ a feminine pronoun.”
Statement issued by Nancy Hollander, Lead Counsel in Manning’s appeal:
“This is an important victory for Chelsea, who has been mistreated by the government for years. Though only a small step in a long legal fight, my co-counsel, Vincent Ward, Captain Dave Hammond, and I are thrilled that Chelsea will be respected as the woman she is in all legal filings.”
Statement issued by Chase Strangio, Staff Attorney at ACLU and Manning’s Attorney in her lawsuit seeking medical care for her gender dysphoria:
“The court rightly recognized that dignifying Chelsea’s womanhood is not the trivial matter that the government attempted to frame it as. This is an important development in Chelsea’s fight for adequate medical care for her gender dysphoria. That fight continues but at least the government can no longer attempt to erase Chelsea’s identity by referring to her as male in every legal filing.”
Last month, in a major development in her case against the Department of Defense, Manning v. Hagel,Manning was started on a regimen of hormone therapy – treatment that has been deemed medically necessary by medical professionals for over a year. The military is continuing to deny Chelsea’s request to grow her hair consistent with the standards for female prisoners.
More photos: Taking Pride in Chelsea Manning