“The Pentagon is considering transferring Ptv. Chelsea Manning to a civilian prison where the soldier, who is serving time for leaking classified documents, could receive medical treatment for gender dysphoria, defense officials said Wednesday.

“That option is among several that Army leaders are weighing and could set a precedent for the Pentagon, which has come under increasing pressure to reexamine its prohibition on allowing transgender people to serve in uniform.

“Manning, who joined the Army as a man, and formerly used the name Bradley, is serving a 35-year sentence for leaking a trove of sensitive military documents and diplomatic cables to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks. Although the Pentagon routinely discharges transgender service members who take steps to transition to the sex they identify with, the military will retain custody of Manning for years.”

In this clip, The Young Turks’ host Cenk Uygur breaks down the Pentagon’s decision, the unusual nature of this case, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s seemingly out-of-the-blue comments on the US military potentially reassessing its policy toward transgender service men and women.

For more, read the Washington Post story by Ernesto Londoño here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-weighs-mannings-request-for-transfer-gender-treatment/2014/05/14/66207a12-db45-11e3-bda1-9b46b2066796_story.html