Manning poses for a photo wearing a wig and lipstick.
Bradley Manning says he plans to live as a woman and begin hormone therapy, a day after the soldier was sentenced to 35 years in prison for sending classified information to WikiLeaks.
He plans to live as a woman named Chelsea, he said in a written statement provided to NBC’s Today show.
In his statement, Manning asked supporters to refer to him by his new name and the feminine pronoun. The statement was signed “Chelsea E. Manning.”
“As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me.
“I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible,” the statement read.
His defence lawyer David Coombs said he is hoping officials at the military prison will accommodate Manning’s request for hormone therapy.
If not, “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure they are forced to do so,” he said.
