Former U.S. soldier Chelsea Manning took part in her first Pride since being released from prison in May.
Manning on Sunday rode on the American Civil Liberties Union float in New York City alongside Gavin Grimm, a transgender teen who sued his school for not allowing him to use the boys’ restroom. The ACLU shared a photo of Manning on Twitter standing on a float behind a rainbow-colored heart.
Happy first Pride March, Chelsea Manning! #NYCPride2017 pic.twitter.com/nLfXV3KAKK
— ACLU (@ACLU) June 25, 2017
In 2013 Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison after leaking more than 700,000 classified and unclassified documents to WikiLeaks. She served only seven years when former President Barack Obama decided to commute her sentence in January.
honored to represent the @aclu at this years @NYCPrideMarch 🌈👭👫👬 lost my voice from screaming so much ❤️ thank you 😍https://t.co/qZIBuyrNRq pic.twitter.com/3C6xVZQquV
— Chelsea E. Manning (@xychelsea) June 25, 2017
Manning shared her own photo on Twitter, saying that she lost her voice “from screaming so much.” People across Twitter sent her love to mark the occasion.
Sorting through my photos from NYC Pride, here's @xychelsea descending from the @ACLU float like a true princess pic.twitter.com/G75Q3W5v6m
— Dr. Beck Strauss (@BeckEStrauss) June 26, 2017
We made this for her. Yesterday in Mexico City's pride 🏳️🌈❤️ pic.twitter.com/HWuEb9Sdwh
— 🎗 ⓃⒶⓉ⚡️ #FreeAssange (@nat_riverascott) June 25, 2017
You're radiant, @xychelsea! ❤️💛💚💙💜💖
— LouLou P (@InspiraExspira) June 25, 2017
This was not Manning’s first Pride, but it was her first as a free woman—it likely won’t be her last.