by Professor » Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:29 am
My post is only relating to "imprisoned transgender people". Please don't view it as any indictment or opinion on those outside of prison. If you are outside, your business is your business - frankly, I don't think about it much.
Manning has said that he thinks he was born a woman, and wants to undergo a surgical transformation. He was born a woman and is trapped in a man's body. I can understand that sentiment. But, is it really something that the state should pay for?
Is it really any more different than me saying that "I was born a good looking man, with a full head of hair, but I'm stuck in body of a slightly overweight guy with male-patterned-baldness"? Therefore, if I were imprisoned, the state should pay for hair transplant surgery, plastic surgery, and liposuction.
I realize, of course, that there is a major difference in scale. Being stuck in another gender's body is more serious than being stuck in a body that doesn't look as good as it could. But, it's only a matter of degree. Where is the line drawn? Is the line at "sex change"? What about "sex modification" (enlargement, reduction, addition, subtraction, etc.)?
Basically, I'm saying that he should continue to be a man unless and until he can pay for the surgery himself. If he can pay for it while at Leavenworth, great. if not, he waits.