# Chelsea Manning

> American activist and whistleblower (born 1987)

**Wikidata**: [Q298423](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q298423)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_Manning)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/chelsea-manning

## Summary
Chelsea Manning is an American activist and whistleblower born on December 17, 1987, known for leaking classified U.S. government documents to WikiLeaks in 2010, exposing misconduct in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. A trans woman and former U.S. Army intelligence analyst, she was imprisoned for espionage and later became a prominent advocate for transparency and LGBTQ+ rights.

## Biography
- **Born**: December 17, 1987, in Oklahoma City, U.S.  
- **Nationality**: United States, United Kingdom  
- **Education**: Tasker-Milward V.C. School (Haverfordwest, Wales), Montgomery College (Maryland)  
- **Known for**: Largest leak of classified U.S. government documents in history (2010)  
- **Employer(s)**: United States Army (2007–2013)  
- **Field(s)**: Military intelligence, activism, computer science  

## Contributions
- **2010 WikiLeaks Disclosures**: Leaked over 700,000 documents, including the "Collateral Murder" video, Afghan War Diary, Iraq War Logs, and U.S. State Department diplomatic cables, revealing civilian casualties, detainee abuse, and government secrecy.  
- **Impact**: Sparked global debates on transparency, military accountability, and whistleblower protections, influencing policies like the 2013 U.S. Espionage Act reforms.  

## FAQs
### Q: Why did Chelsea Manning leak classified documents?  
A: Manning stated the disclosures aimed to expose systemic government wrongdoing, including civilian harm and corruption, to spark public debate and accountability.  

### Q: What charges was Manning convicted of?  
A: In 2013, she was convicted of espionage, theft of government property, and computer fraud, but acquitted of aiding the enemy.  

### Q: How long was Manning imprisoned?  
A: She served 7 years (2010–2017), including 11 months in solitary confinement, before her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama.  

### Q: What is Manning’s significance to LGBTQ+ rights?  
A: As a trans woman, her public gender transition in 2013 and legal battles for medical care in prison raised awareness of transgender rights and incarceration issues.  

## Why They Matter  
Chelsea Manning’s actions reshaped global discourse on government transparency, military ethics, and whistleblower protections. Her leaks provided unprecedented insight into modern warfare’s human cost, influencing investigative journalism and anti-secrecy movements. Without her disclosures, key reforms—such as stricter oversight of military contractors and updates to the Espionage Act—may have lacked urgency. Her post-release advocacy for privacy, LGBTQ+ rights, and against systemic oppression further cemented her role as a polarizing figure in debates over national security and civil liberties.

## Notable For  
- **Awards**: Seán MacBride Peace Prize (2013), Sam Adams Award (2014), EFF Award (2017)  
- **Firsts**: First U.S. Army whistleblower to disclose documents to WikiLeaks at scale; first high-profile trans woman to undergo gender-affirming surgery in prison (2018)  
- **Cultural Impact**: Subject of films (*XY Chelsea*), books, and art; symbol of resistance against government overreach and anti-trans discrimination  

## Body  
### Early Life  
Born Bradley Edward Manning in Oklahoma City, Manning grew up in a military family, moving frequently between the U.S. and Wales. She later described experiencing isolation and bullying, which she linked to her gender identity.  

### Military Career  
Enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2007 as an intelligence analyst, stationed in Iraq. Assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, she accessed classified databases, later stating she sought to “spark a domestic debate” about U.S. foreign policy.  

### Whistleblowing  
In 2010, Manning transmitted documents to WikiLeaks, including:  
- **“Collateral Murder” video** (2007): Showed U.S. helicopter crews killing civilians, including Reuters journalists.  
- **Afghan War Diary** (75,000 documents): Detailed civilian casualties and Pakistan’s covert support for the Taliban.  
- **Iraq War Logs** (400,000 documents): Exposed 15,000 unreported civilian deaths and systemic detainee abuse.  
- **U.S. State Department diplomatic cables** (250,000 documents): Revealed corruption, espionage, and candid critiques of global leaders.  

### Imprisonment  
Arrested in May 2010, Manning was held in solitary confinement at Marine Corps Base Quantico, sparking UN condemnation. Convicted in 2013 of 20 charges, she received a 35-year sentence—the longest for a U.S. whistleblower. Her 2017 commutation by President Obama was criticized by both supporters (as insufficient) and opponents (as overly lenient).  

### Post-Release Activism  
After release in 2017, Manning advocated for whistleblower protections, LGBTQ+ rights, and against mass surveillance. She founded the *Chelsea Manning Initiative* and spoke globally, though faced renewed imprisonment in 2019 for refusing to testify against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.  

### Personal Life  
Publicly transitioned in 2013, changing her name and pronouns. Underwent gender-affirming surgery in 2018 while incarcerated. Manning’s relationship with musician Grimes (2022) and her critiques of far-right movements highlighted her ongoing cultural relevance.  

### Legacy  
Manning’s leaks directly influenced reforms, including the 2010 U.S. National Defense Authorization Act’s provisions on detainee treatment and the 2023 *Pentagon Papers* 50th-anniversary calls for whistleblower amnesty. Her story remains a case study in the ethics of secrecy, the cost of dissent, and the intersection of identity and activism.

## References

1. [2022](https://www.instagram.com/p/CdB-oDLpq5L/)
2. [Source](https://www.today.com/news/bradley-manning-i-want-live-woman-6C10974915)
3. [Source](https://www.papermag.com/grimes-chelsea-manning-break-up-2657674415.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3)
4. [Source](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/discharge-upgrades-military-prisoners.html)
5. [Source](https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/who-is-wikileaks-suspect-bradley-manning/2011/04/16/AFMwBmrF_print.html?noredirect=on)
6. Virtual International Authority File
7. MusicBrainz
8. Integrated Authority File
9. [NBC News](https://www.today.com/news/i-am-chelsea-read-mannings-full-statement-6C10974052)
10. [Source](https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/sexuality/fast-lane/article/2018/10/22/chelsea-manning-undergoes-gender-affirming-surgery)
11. [Source](https://archive.mu.nl/id/term/2022)
12. [Source](https://www.apnews.com/569631f2b11c400cac05a29e0853624b)
13. BBC Things
14. Google Knowledge Graph
15. [Source](https://www.leavenworthtimes.com/article/20130830/NEWS/130839903)
16. [Chelsea Manning, Legal Team Confirm Manning’s Safe Release From Prison. American Civil Liberties Union. 2017](https://www.aclu.org/news/chelsea-manning-legal-team-confirm-mannings-safe-release-prison)
17. [Chelsea Manning Released and ‘Looking Forward’ to Freedom. 2017](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/17/us/politics/chelsea-manning-released-from-prison.html)
18. [Source](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chelsea-manning-requests-release-virginia-jail_n_5cf18064e4b0e8085e39e950)
19. [Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2020/03/12/un-juge-ordonne-la-liberation-de-chelsea-manning_6032846_4408996.html)
20. YouTube API
21. The Fine Art Archive
22. [Chelsea Manning - RationalWiki](https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Chelsea_Manning)
23. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File
24. Know Your Meme