

'I am Chelsea': Read Manning's full statement - bdz
http://www.today.com/news/i-am-chelsea-read-mannings-full-statement-6C10974052

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nemof
worth noting that even as today reported it they misgendered Chelsea Manning.

This needs to go up to the front page, it's going to be the most important
transgender story for a very long time, and if it encourages more transgender
people in tech to come out or feel safer then that can only be a good thing.

~~~
JshWright
What criteria make is the "most important transgender story for a very long
time"?

Seems to me that he's someone that any community (especially a community of
folks still fighting to gain acceptance) wouldn't necessarily want to be
associated with.

A significant majority of the population thinks what he did was wrong
(anecdotally, this includes a large number of people who _support_ Snowden's
actions).

Additionally, he's been under significant emotional stress for the past few
years. That significant ammunition for folks to say things like "See? It's
just a mental illness."

~~~
nemof
Mental healthy problems are common amongst the transgender community _because_
of how badly they're treated. To stigmatise Chelsea Manning because of mental
health issues says more about those who would do it.

The reason the story is important is that transgender people are pretty much
erased from the everyday media, this is something that the media cannot
ignore.

Also, it's She not He.

~~~
dfxm12
_The reason the story is important is that transgender people are pretty much
erased from the everyday media, this is something that the media cannot
ignore._

I don't mean to downplay this, because it is largely true, but in recent
memory, the music media has been very favorable to Laura Jane Grace. _Becoming
Chaz_ has also gotten a lot of media attention.

~~~
nemof
there's a very, very long way to go. Chelsea Manning's bravery will hopefully
go some way to opening up a debate about the treatment and recognition of
transgender people.

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etiam
I recognize that this could well be a a true and legitimate coming out, but I
can't help but wonder if it's government spin or effects from the abuses he's
suffered for the last three years.

~~~
ewoodrich
I have no idea, but it that case, are you suggesting that her lawyer was
somehow coerced into reading her statement?

Especially considering the trial just ended (ruling on the side of the
"government") I would consider that sort of direct influence highly
improbable, and that authenticity is more likely.

(edit: gender pronouns, thank you nemof)

~~~
etiam
What I suggest is rather the possibility that Manning him-/herself may have
been unduly influenced about it during captivity. But even if the decision is
completely uncorrupted I find it it is of some interest to consider how it
could be used. Manning personally is arguably of little consequence to the
power game now, but Manning's reputation and story is highly interesting to
both those who would have transparency and those who would have utter secrecy.
That game is still very much open.

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Joeboy
Will she get to serve her time in a Women's prison?

~~~
ewoodrich
I hope this isn't a flippant remark, but no, not per current US standards on
incarceration of transgender individuals. This has been a controversial issue
for some time now.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_people_in_prison#Transgend...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_people_in_prison#Transgender_Issues_.28in_the_USA.29)

~~~
Joeboy
> I hope this isn't a flippant remark

It wasn't intended as such, no. I wondered if it might have something to do
with her timing. It sounds as if I may have been misled by Orange is the new
Black.

