WASHINGTON (AP) — Government officials are opposing imprisoned national security leaker Chelsea Manning’s request to grow out her hair.
The transgender former Army intelligence made the request as part of a lawsuit in federal court in Washington. The lawsuit says that gender-appropriate grooming is part of the recognized treatment for gender dysphoria, Manning’s sense of being a woman in a man’s body. The Kansas military prison where Manning is being held began giving her hormone therapy in February, but officials have refused to allow her to wear her hair longer than 2 inches.
In court papers filed Nov. 12, the government argued Manning’s federal lawsuit should be dismissed, saying her claims belong in a military court.
Manning, formerly Bradley Manning, is serving 35 years for sending classified documents to the WikiLeaks website.
