Bradley Manning: Chelsea Is New Name in Transgender Announcement

Bradley Manning wants to live the rest of his life as a transgender woman named Chelsea, the U.S. soldier convicted in the biggest breach of classified data in the nation's history revealed Thursday.

"I am Chelsea Manning," the army private said in a statement to NBC's "Today" show Thursday morning. "Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition."

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Manning further requested that the press begin to refer to him using all feminine pronouns and the name "Chelsea."

Manning's attorneys suggested during the trial that the soldier's struggles with gender identity, and as a homosexual in the military, played a part in her decision to leak the stolen documents to WikiLeaks.

Twitter users had a range of reactions Thursday to the news of Manning's transformation to Chelsea.

PHOTO ICYMI last week: Bradley Manning's selfie as a woman, apparently Chelsea. pic.twitter.com/gGO8xF5ICa

— NowThis News (@nowthisnews) August 22, 2013

So Manning wants to live as a woman. Let me guess, we have to pay for it. #outrage http://t.co/pWA99QOZO9

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) August 22, 2013

BREAKING: Surrounded by other freedom fighters, Bradley Manning announces that he wants to be a woman: http://t.co/JtkaMTe0Dm

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) August 22, 2013

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man sentenced to 35 years in prison must want to be called Chelsea. #bradleymanning

— Peggy Tryton (@PeggyTryton) August 22, 2013

Big question is how a nut like Bradley Manning ever got close to the information he leaked.

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) August 22, 2013

If Manning still has all male body parts, and his name is legally Bradley, isn't it factually inaccurate for a journalist to call him "her"?

— Timothy P Carney (@TPCarney) August 22, 2013

Song heard emanating from Bradley Manning's cell this A.M.: 🎵I woke up, it was a Chelsea morning🎵

— MarkInStevensonRanch (@mlzema) August 22, 2013

The 25-year-old soldier was found guilty in military court last month of leaking secret U.S. documents to WikiLeaks. Manning was convicted on 20 charges, including Espionage Act violations, but was acquitted of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy.

Manning was sentenced Wednesday to 35 years in prison, and will be eligible for parole after serving one-third of the allotted sentence, which will be reduced for time served. 

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