The New York Times editorial board on Wednesday called the Army's stated refusal to provide Chelsea Manning hormone therapy while she is incarcerated "callous and out of step with medical protocol, stated policies for transgender people in civilian federal prisons and existing court rulings."

In addition to the Army's official statement on the matter, a spokesperson at the military prison where Manning will be incarcerated was uncertain whether she would be permitted to begin hormone therapy while incarcerated, even if she is able to finance the treatment herself.

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Both the Army's position and the lack of clarity about available medical care at Fort Leavenworth violate Manning's constitutional right to appropriate medical care, as the Times notes.

But Manning's access to care also illuminates the larger issue of the rights of transgender people in prison when it comes to medical care, housing and personal safety: