A TOUGH METHOD FOR THE GRIEVING
FAMILIES.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> A NEW DEVELOPMENT ON A STORY
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING B. THEY ARE
APPROVING HORMONE TREATMENT FOR
CHELSEA MANNING.
THE FORMER ANALYST SERVING A
35-YEAR SENTENCE SENDING
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS TO THE
WIKILEAKS WEBSITE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS A HUGE BREAKTHROUGH AND
BIGGER STEP FOR THE ARMY.
THERE WERE VERY FEW HERE IN THE
PENTAGON OR MILITARY WHO THOUGHT
THEY WOULD SEE THIS DAY.
WHEN THE ARMY WOULD NOT ONLY
PERMIT, BUT PAY FOR TREATMENT
FOR BRADLEY MANNING'S TRANSITION
TO A WOMAN.
WHEN SENTENCED TO 35 YEARS IN
PRISON FOR LEAKING THOUSANDS OF
DOCUMENTS TO WIKILEAKS, HE WAS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS BRADLEY
MANNING.
IN A STATEMENT READ BY SAVANNAH
HERE ON TODAY, MANNING DROPPED A
BOMBSHELL.
>> I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THE
REAL ME.
I AM CHELSEA MANNING.
I AM A FEMALE.
>> MANNING'S LAWYER SAID CHELSEA
WANTED TO BEGIN HORMONE THERAPY
IMMEDIATELY.
>> THE GOAL IS TO BE COMFORTABLE
IN HER SKIN AND BE THE PERSON
SHE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
BE.
>> FOR A YEAR AND A HALF,
OFFICIALS DENIED CHELSEA THE
HORMONE THERAPY TO TRANSITION TO
A WOMAN.
SHE SUED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
AND LAST WEEK THE COMMANDER
APPROVED THE TREATMENT.
AS AN ARMY PRIVATE, SHE PASSED
SECRETS TO LICKY LEAKS INCLUDING
VIDEO OF THE HELICOPTER ATTACK
IN BAGHDAD THAT KILLED INNOCENT
CIVILIANS.
EVEN THEN MANNING HAD A SECRET
OF HIS.
SEEN IN A WOMAN'S WIG AND
LIPSTICK, MANNING WAS DEALING
WITH GENDER IDENTITY DISORDER.
HE COULD BE PARDONENED IN SIX
YEARS AND HORMONE THERAPY COULD
BEGIN ANY DAY.
CHELSEA MANNING IS NOT SEEKING
SEX REASSIGNMENT SURGERY THAT WE
KNOW OF.
THE ARMY DIDN'T DO THIS
WILLINGLY.
THEY WERE FORCED INTO IT.
THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON THE
MILITARY AND PENTAGON TO ALLOW
TRANSGENDERS TO OPENLY SERVE IN
THE MILITARY, BUT NOBODY THINKS
THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ANY TIME