Bradley Manning Says He Wants To Live As A Woman

FORT MEADE, Md. (AP) — Bradley Manning wants you to call him Chelsea Manning.

A day after being sentenced to 35 years for leaking military and diplomatic documents to WikiLeaks, the former Army intelligence analyst says he wants to live as a woman named Chelsea, and hopes to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible.

He made the announcement in a written statement to NBC's "Today" show.

Manning's struggle with gender identity disorder — his sense that he was a woman trapped in a man's body — was a key part of his defense. Attorneys had presented evidence of Manning's struggle, including a photo of the soldier in a blond wig and lipstick sent to a therapist.