Calling Bradley Manning a She---Educate me DU.

[Bluenorthwest]

56. Of course the militray context provides easy language outs for those who are unsure or even those

who don't want to acknowledge her true gender to simply use the rank and last name, Private Manning is Private Manning, first names are not commonly used in the military anyway and anyone who can not construct a sentence without gender specific pronouns simply does not wish to do so. Manning decides Manning's gender. It's up to Manning, not to you. So you type 'he' about as often as you can manage in your post, which could read 'Manning certainly has the right to a name change' and so forth. The extra helping of 'he' you insert is unneeded and suggests agenda.
Manning has very specifically asked that mail sent to the prison be sent to 'Private Bradley Manning' because the military will not acknowledge Chelsea Manning. She's not even trying to 'shed' that, in fact she's instructing people very clearly in which contexts they will have to use her old name due to bigoted policies.
There have been others who were more famous prior to transitioning who had very little trouble getting the proper pronouns used in the press. Wendy Carlos had sold millions of records as Walter Carlos. Lana Wachowski wrote and produced hit films such as the Matrix as Larry, with brother Andy, they were called the Wachowski Brothers, now simply the Wachowskis. Not many problems with folks affecting a huge confusion as to what to call Lana in the press.