After releasing thousands of secret documents to the site Wikileaks, whistleblower Pvt. Manning continued to appear on headlines. Following her conviction, the news that she identified as a woman and wanted to be called Chelsea instead of Bradley further incensed the nation and the media.

As a result of coming out as transgender, Chelsea Manning asked the government to allow her the ability to transition from male to female. The United States Armed Forces denied her request. However, the military could be changing its stance. According to The Associated Press, the Department of Defense has begun considering the possibility of relocating Manning so that she could begin her transition into a woman.

Manning, who is serving a 35-year sentence, is the first transgender inmate in the armed forces, which raised this concern. The news agency reported last month Secretary Chuck Hagel approved for the Army to work out a transfer from military to federal prison for Manning. The Federal Bureau of Prisons does provide gender reassignment treatment. But, nothing is certain yet.

"No decision to transfer Pvt. Manning to a civilian detention facility has been made, and any such decision will, of course, properly balance the soldier's medical needs with our obligation to ensure Pvt. Manning remains behind bars," Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said.

After her conviction, Manning announced her desire to live as a woman and was subsequently diagnosed with various doctors with gender dysphoria, which is a condition in which a person feels their body does not match their gender identity. In a complaint filed in March by Manning's attorney concerning the delay in treatment, it states that a military doctor approved the transition, but it was sent to higher-ups for confirmation, according to AP.

However, Manning's lawyer released another statement on Wednesday against the military's attempt to transfer her. David Coombs, Manning's attorney, claims that the military has provided this alternative (transfer) so that it can deny Manning the treatment she desires.

"The Pentagon's strategic leak of this story to the media is a transparent attempt to pressure Chelsea into dropping her request for needed treatment under the artificial guise of concern for her medical needs," Coombs said in the statement. "It is common knowledge that the federal prison system cannot guarantee the safety and security of Chelsea in the way that the military prison system can."

He added that Chelsea was thus given the "choice" of seeking medical treatment and her safety or being safe but without medical treatment. He added that the military is trying to "strong arm" Chelsea into refusing treatment and blamed the situation on the military's alleged transphobia.

"Rather than deal with the reality that transgender persons are currently serving in the military, the military would seek to pawn off any responsibility for these individuals to other entities," he said.

He added that the treatment Manning seeks, hormone replacement treatment (HRT), could be easily administered at Fort Leavenworth, where she is imprisoned. Yet, the policy remains in place. Secretary Hagel, according to AP, mentioned the possibility of reconsidering the military's stance on transgender personnel. However, Time magazine reported that on Tuesday Hagel backtracked and informed reporters there was nothing concrete in the works.

"I've not asked for a specific task force. I've not asked for a specific study," he said. "I would want to hear more from individuals who are close to this issue, know this issue, who I would value their judgment and their direction on."