In Cosmo, Chelsea Manning, serving a 35 year sentence for leaking secret government files via Wikileaks, tells of her daily routine in military prison and her fight to live as a woman.
From Cosmopolitan:
After a year without the medical care, which includes hormone therapy and female grooming, Manning and the ACLU sued the military. At press time, the Army had agreed to permit some care — hormones, makeup, and female underwear — but not long hair….
She says she hasn't faced harassment from inmates and has found some confidantes. "The guys here are adults … There are some very smart and sophisticated people in prisons all across America — I don't think television and the media give them credit," she says. She gets visits from friends and relatives, including regular visits from her sister. The prison forbids visits from people Manning did not know prior to her confinement.
She receives letters from transgender people around the world. "I am always flattered that they feel that I have inspired them in some way," she says. "But honestly, I think it's the other way around: They inspire me more than I think they might realize."
"Chelsea Manning Shares Her Transition to Living as a Woman — Behind Bars" by Abigail Pesta
