You are incorrect. VA does this, and specialists can be contracted if needed. Can't speak to DOD though.

On Sep 14, 2016, at 10:31 AM, Razer wrote:

Have you ever been to a VA hospital Cecilia?

A military hospital in a prison?

Chelsea IS NOT going to get what she wants.

They're butchers. Even in the best circumstances. She's desperate. The military has no one who specializes in anything even remotely resembling 'gender reorientation'. The WILL NOT hire a specialist. No good end will come from it.

Rr

...

On 09/14/2016 01:38 AM, Cecilia Tanaka wrote: Chelsea Manning (@xychelsea) tweeted at 8:31 PM - 13 Sep 2016 :

Unending relief: .mil does right thing; just let me be me https://t.co/wO8Nf1xwMx

======

Chelsea Manning Told She Will Receive Gender Transition Surgery, Her Lawyer Says The military’s decision — which the military will not confirm — follows a recommendation made by Manning’s psychologist more than five months ago.

Originally posted on September 13, 2016, 22:24 GMT Updated on September 13, 2016, 23:56 GMT Chris Geidner BuzzFeed News Reporter

WASHINGTON — Army officials today informed Chelsea Manning that they will provide her with gender transition surgery, her lawyer tells BuzzFeed News.

A lawyer for Manning, the ACLU's Chase Strangio, spoke with Manning on Tuesday after she was informed of the military's decision. Manning, serving a 35-year prison sentence for violating the Espionage Act, received a recommendation from her psychologist in April that she receive surgery related to her gender dysphoria.

“I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted – for them to let me be me,” Manning said in a statement provided by her lawyers.

"But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. Also, why were such drastic measures needed? The surgery was recommended back in April 2016. The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014," Manning continued in the statement. "In any case, I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need."

Strangio said that Manning was told on Tuesday that the military made a determination that the Department of Defense's instruction for "In-Service Transition" applies to her. Additionally, according to Strangio, Manning was shown a treatment plan that included information about surgery and the medical team necessary to move forward with that surgery. Strangio added, however, that Manning was told that she must continue to keep her hair short, as required under male grooming standards, until she receives the surgery.

Asked to confirm the information provided by Manning's lawyer, Army spokesperson Wayne Hall told BuzzFeed News only, "We cannot and will not discuss the medical needs of individuals."

The decision ends a hunger strike that Manning began on Sept. 9, but it does not, at this point, end a hearing scheduled for Manning on Sept. 20 relating to charges resulting from Manning's suicide attempt earlier this summer.

"Thankfully the government has recognized its constitutional obligation to provide Chelsea with the medical care that she needs and we hope that they will act without delay to ensure that her suffering does not needlessly continue," Strangio said in a statement. Strangio added, however, that Tuesday's news doesn't alleviate all of the concerns of Manning's lawyers. First, he said, they will continue to monitor the situation to see how quickly the military moves forward with the recommended surgery. Second, Strangio noted, "Certainly, we're going to move forward with our litigation on the hair issue, as that remains a matter of concern." Finally, Strangio said it is the hope of Manning's lawyers that "all charges related to her suicide attempt and the investigation that followed are dropped."

No prison inmate — at the state or federal level — has received gender transition surgery. The issue of gender has been highly charged, leading to extensive litigation even in more traditionally liberal states like Massachusetts and California. Although a settlement reached in a California case brought by the Transgender Law Center provided for surgery for Shiloh Quine, Quine's lawyers told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that the surgery is set for this fall but has not yet happened.

Activists opposed to Manning's imprisonment updated an ongoing petition after the announcement of Tuesday's news, stating, "Chelsea Manning ends hunger strike after Army agrees to provide her with needed health care. But they're still threatening to punish her for attempting to take her own life."

UPDATE This report has been updated with information about health care for transgender people in prison and activists’ efforts on Chelsea Manning’s behalf. 2016-09-13 19:56:27

========

I am singing "She is a Lady" and I bet that Steve Kinney is very happy and singing to celebrate too, hihi! ;)

I love Chelsea. I love you, Steve. And I love the cypherpunks list! <3

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 09/14/2016 11:27 AM, Razer wrote:

On 09/14/2016 08:09 AM, Henry Rivera wrote:

...

You are incorrect. VA does this, and specialists can be contracted if needed. Can't speak to DOD though.

They aren't going to take her to Walter Reed Henry. She's lucky if they even take her outside Leavenworth, and their 'specialists' just ain't that special.

Critiques of medical care provided by U.S. military prisons is way outside my area of competency, but I can make two observations: Modern reconstructive surgery is largely a product of military research and patronage. And, a high profile prisoner with strong advocates on the outside /might/ receive adequate care for no other reason than to avoid generating adverse publicity. Stranger things have happened; one may be permitted to hope for the best. :o/ -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.22 (GNU/Linux) iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJX2YbrAAoJEECU6c5XzmuqKuMIAI/Debg6QV3LkW1FZZTTJrdW ff8dxywtxCA3Qa9qmnRTW8iJbU6/yPgP/nDW49SE5GAXymPsHmRbKzzjP2p7hwDC edID6nVD4PMP3/YwdnMve1QfFgjT81163RmXvtr12OliX15pAvZJn5XxT/MIP38t 7AuRRpIPdqUcIa7hWiACPySHxi3BWGY4g7mkxU9eHCGKlJpB3eZxrV/juyIEZBFi XcN/G+wk8n0eqAxsVJ3aScVNwiH1uChseHQ4U614Rpc+hrdTtaMx5i5K3kO0d4OL YEWoyWt9OiYzGseNwv7TTgB10JptFUzVDnfai4mTb5rMOYknvV56Dkha8XKljLs= =dF1o -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

On 09/14/2016 12:06 PM, Marina Brown wrote:

On 09/14/2016 10:31 AM, Razer wrote:

...

Have you ever been to a VA hospital Cecilia?

A military hospital in a prison?

Chelsea IS NOT going to get what she wants.

They're butchers. Even in the best circumstances. She's desperate. The military has no one who specializes in anything even remotely resembling 'gender reorientation'. The WILL NOT hire a specialist. No good end will come from it.

Rr

Millitary doctors are doctors. They do have some ethics. They won't perform surgeries they are totally incompetent to do. My wife, a simple army nurse at one time has given orders to Generals. ...Yes there are times that a Private First Class outranks a General. ...And that is when the General is a Medic and the medic is giving an order to a General.

One hopes that the medical ethics will prevail,

I expect the millitary will simply reneg on the promise once the attention from the community subsides.

--- Marina

It's the difference between the treatment you might get on MedicAid and if you had full coverage insurance. I have too many vet friends who had their backs 'fused' instead of doing less damaging back surgeries that would have been possible via private doctors... etc. I KNOW the military is good at re-constructive surgery. My dad had 1/2 his face blown off during WWII and I never knew it until he told me later in life. ut the kind of surgery we're talking about is much different, and the VA, from what I can see, just started ok-ing gender reassignments. Hope for the best. Rr

...

On 09/14/2016 01:38 AM, Cecilia Tanaka wrote:

...

Chelsea Manning (@xychelsea) tweeted at 8:31 PM - 13 Sep 2016 :

Unending relief: .mil does right thing; just let me be me https://t.co/wO8Nf1xwMx

======

Chelsea Manning Told She Will Receive Gender Transition Surgery, Her Lawyer Says The military’s decision — which the military will not confirm — follows a recommendation made by Manning’s psychologist more than five months ago.

Originally posted on September 13, 2016, 22:24 GMT Updated on September 13, 2016, 23:56 GMT Chris Geidner BuzzFeed News Reporter

WASHINGTON — Army officials today informed Chelsea Manning that they will provide her with gender transition surgery, her lawyer tells BuzzFeed News.

A lawyer for Manning, the ACLU's Chase Strangio, spoke with Manning on Tuesday after she was informed of the military's decision. Manning, serving a 35-year prison sentence for violating the Espionage Act, received a recommendation from her psychologist in April that she receive surgery related to her gender dysphoria.

“I am unendingly relieved that the military is finally doing the right thing. I applaud them for that. This is all that I wanted – for them to let me be me,” Manning said in a statement provided by her lawyers.

"But it is hard not to wonder why it has taken so long. Also, why were such drastic measures needed? The surgery was recommended back in April 2016. The recommendations for my hair length were back in 2014," Manning continued in the statement. "In any case, I hope this sets a precedent for the thousands of trans people behind me hoping they will be given the treatment they need."

Strangio said that Manning was told on Tuesday that the military made a determination that the Department of Defense's instruction for "In-Service Transition" applies to her. Additionally, according to Strangio, Manning was shown a treatment plan that included information about surgery and the medical team necessary to move forward with that surgery. Strangio added, however, that Manning was told that she must continue to keep her hair short, as required under male grooming standards, until she receives the surgery.

Asked to confirm the information provided by Manning's lawyer, Army spokesperson Wayne Hall told BuzzFeed News only, "We cannot and will not discuss the medical needs of individuals."

The decision ends a hunger strike that Manning began on Sept. 9, but it does not, at this point, end a hearing scheduled for Manning on Sept. 20 relating to charges resulting from Manning's suicide attempt earlier this summer.

"Thankfully the government has recognized its constitutional obligation to provide Chelsea with the medical care that she needs and we hope that they will act without delay to ensure that her suffering does not needlessly continue," Strangio said in a statement. Strangio added, however, that Tuesday's news doesn't alleviate all of the concerns of Manning's lawyers. First, he said, they will continue to monitor the situation to see how quickly the military moves forward with the recommended surgery. Second, Strangio noted, "Certainly, we're going to move forward with our litigation on the hair issue, as that remains a matter of concern." Finally, Strangio said it is the hope of Manning's lawyers that "all charges related to her suicide attempt and the investigation that followed are dropped."

No prison inmate — at the state or federal level — has received gender transition surgery. The issue of gender has been highly charged, leading to extensive litigation even in more traditionally liberal states like Massachusetts and California. Although a settlement reached in a California case brought by the Transgender Law Center provided for surgery for Shiloh Quine, Quine's lawyers told BuzzFeed News on Tuesday that the surgery is set for this fall but has not yet happened.

Activists opposed to Manning's imprisonment updated an ongoing petition after the announcement of Tuesday's news, stating, "Chelsea Manning ends hunger strike after Army agrees to provide her with needed health care. But they're still threatening to punish her for attempting to take her own life."

UPDATE This report has been updated with information about health care for transgender people in prison and activists’ efforts on Chelsea Manning’s behalf. 2016-09-13 19:56:27

========

I am singing "She is a Lady" and I bet that Steve Kinney is very happy and singing to celebrate too, hihi! ;)

I love Chelsea. I love you, Steve. And I love the cypherpunks list! <3