Imagining Chelsea Manning: The Science of Sex Changes

Experts describe what Bradley Manning could expect from hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery.

Bradley Manning is the latest gender dysphoric person, or person who believes his or her body is the wrong gender, to declare his desire to live as a woman. Manning chose the name Chelsea and says that he wants to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible.

For Manning, the difficulties of getting his medical needs met are considerably more severe as a military prisoner, who was sentenced to 35 years.

Sex reassignment surgery can cost $20,000 or more, and the ongoing cost of hormone therapy can be about $200 a month. Such treatment is not provided by the military, so covering the costs is one of the many challenges Manning will face.

According to NBC News, no inmates have received

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