Chelsea Manning gave an interview to Cosmopolitan from Fort Leavenworth prison in Iraq , 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 Kansas made her realize life is volatile .
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 .