Free Chelsea Manning- Chelsea denied right to follow recommended grooming standards

Chelsea denied right to follow recommended grooming standards

Chelsea Manning responds on Twitter (@xychelsea)

September 21, 2015 by the Chelsea Manning Support Network

On Friday, Sept 18, the military denied Chelsea Manning the right to follow female grooming standards while incarcerated at the military prison in Fort Leavenworth, KS. Chelsea has been fighting for medically appropriate gender-related care since her incarceration in 2013. After Manning was finally approved for hormone therapy in February of this year (following an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawsuit), it is shocking that the military would continue to attempt to deny Chelsea her constitutional rights at seemingly every opportunity.

The military’s denial of Chelsea’s request fell the day after she began her 21 days of recreational restrictions. These restrictions confine Chelsea to her cell for most of the day, with the exception of work and meals, thereby cutting off her avenues of support when she needs them the most.

The following is a statement released by the ACLU on Sept 18, 2015:

Military Officials Deny Chelsea Manning Clinically Recommended Treatment for Gender Dysphoria

Decision Prevents Chelsea Manning from Following Female Grooming Standards While Incarcerated

The United States military today issued another denial in response to Chelsea Manning’s ongoing request for permission to follow female grooming standards – including growing her hair – while serving a 35 year prison sentence at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

The decision comes amidst demands that the ACLU requested in Manning v. Hagel, a lawsuit filed in September 2014, that the Department of Defense provide Chelsea with appropriate medical treatment for gender dysphoria. Her clinically recommended treatment includes hormone therapy, access to care by a qualified medical provider, and permission to follow female grooming standards, including those related to hair length. Chelsea was originally diagnosed with the condition in 2010 and announced that she would seek treatment while incarcerated in fall 2013.

“Even though the military agrees that allowing Chelsea to grow her hair is a critical part of her treatment plan, they continue to deny her basic human and constitutional rights,” said Chase Strangio, attorney in the ACLU’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project. “When we filed our lawsuit a year ago, Chelsea had already waited more than a year for even minimal care to treat her gender dysphoria. We are confident that this decision will be overturned by the court but saddened that Chelsea’s treatment continues to be needlessly impeded.”

Today’s decision comes after the military agreed to treat Chelsea with the hormone therapy, speech therapy, and cosmetics recommended by her providers at Ft. Leavenworth. Though the outside expert who evaluated her and the military’s own doctors agree that it is a medically necessary part of her treatment to follow the female grooming standards related to hair, the military has confirmed that they will continue to enforce the male standards against her, citing security concerns.  The ACLU will be back in court on October 2 to establish a plan for moving the case forward in light of this set back.

“Bad news for me: Military continues to make me cut my hair to male standards. I’m gonna fight in court,” said Chelsea Manning on her twitter feed this morning after learning the news.