WASHINGTON (AP) — The commandant of the military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, says convicted leaker Chelsea Manning can get hormone therapy for her gender identity disorder — but she can’t grow out her hair.
The memo obtained Friday by The Associated Press documents the military’s first approval of such treatment for an active service member. It was first reported by USA Today.
Manning and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit in September alleging the Army private formerly known as Bradley was at risk of self-harm without more focused treatment.
The ACLU calls the decision an important first step.
The memo says Manning’s hairstyle will be revisited seven months after hormone therapy begins.
The former intelligence analyst is serving 35 years for sending classified documents to the WikiLeaks website.
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