Chelsea Manning gave an interview to Cosmopolitan from Fort Leavenworth prison in Kansas , serving 35 years for violating the Espionage Act . After being convicted in July 2013 as Bradley Manning , she admitted having gender dysphoria and announced plans to transition into a woman . She was released on May 17 of this year after President Obama commuted her sentence by executive order.
Chelsea Manning gave an interview to Cosmopolitan from Fort Leavenworth prison in Kansas , serving 35 years for violating the Espionage Act . After being convicted in July 2013 as Bradley Manning , she admitted having gender dysphoria and announced plans to transition into a woman . She officially changed her name last year and sued for permission to undergo hormone therapy for gender reassignment from within prison . Says it 's 'painful and awkward ' to be forbidden from letting her hair grow . Reveals how being deployed to Iraq made her realize life is volatile .