Chelsea Manning released the first photo of herself — her true self — back in May, shortly after she was released from prison.
As nice as that was, being photographed by Annie Leibovitz for Vogue is a bit of an upgrade! And a $350 Norma Kamali one-piece is one heck of an outfit for a coming out party!
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The former intelligence officer, whose sentence for leaking thousands of classified documents was commuted by President Barack Obama, is now ready to step into her new life as, among other things, an advocate for transgender rights.
It’s an issue close to her heart, as discovering her truth was always a struggle. She tells the magazine:
“I knew that I was different. I gravitated more toward playing house, but the teachers were always pushing me toward playing the more competitive games with the boys. I spent so much time wondering, ‘What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I fit in?'”
Manning was always brave but didn’t have an avenue for exploring her truth.
That is, until the fledgling computer expert started exploring the Internet:
“I learned that I wasn’t alone. I learned about all these different life possibilities and options. Because I would actually be anonymous online, I could be more myself.”
But she never came out as trans until after her arrest, when she told guards at the detention center.
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Shortly after the announcement was made publicly, read aloud on the Today show. She explains that wasn’t her idea, but it worked out for the best:
“The opportunity to do it on the Today show popped up, so it happened a little bit sooner and a little faster than I hoped it would… I was honestly a bit surprised by the outpouring of love and support that I got.”
As to the question of whether she’s still interested in running for public office, as she was before the arrest, she says:
“I’m certainly not going to say no, and I’m certainly not going to say yes. My goal is to use these next six months to figure out where I want to go. I have these values that I can connect with: responsibility, compassion. Those are really foundational for me. Do and say and be who you are because, no matter what happens, you are loved unconditionally.”
Preach, gurl!
Would YOU support Chelsea running for office??
[Image via Vogue.]
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