News (USA)

Government opposes Manning’s request to grow hair long

Government opposes Manning’s request to grow hair long

WASHINGTON — 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 Thursday, 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.

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