Alan Turing was born June 23, 1912. He was a polymath – a genius in many fields including Mathematics, Engineering, Cryptography, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, and Physics. In WWII he was able to break the Nazi Enigma Code – which saved thousands of lives and shortened the war. Unfortunately, Turing was also gay, and in the UK in the 50’s being gay was illegal. Turing was prosecuted in 1952 and he committed suicide in 1954.
Alan Turing was born June 23, 1912. He was a polymath – a genius in many fields including Mathematics, Engineering, Cryptography, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biology, and Physics. In WWII he was able to break the Nazi Enigma Code – which saved thousands of lives and shortened the war. Unfortunately, Turing was also gay, and in the UK in the 50’s being gay was illegal. Turing was prosecuted in 1952 and he committed suicide in 1954.
Turing is widely considered to be the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. He was stockily built, had a high-pitched voice, and was talkative, witty, and somewhat donnish. He showed many of the characteristics that are indicative of Asperger syndrome.
Official public apology:
Turing’s homosexuality resulted in a criminal prosecution in 1952, when homosexual acts were still illegal in the United Kingdom. He accepted treatment with female hormones (chemical castration) as an alternative to prison. He died in 1954, just over two weeks before his 42nd birthday, from cyanide poisoning. An inquest determined it was suicide; his mother and some others believed his death was accidental. On 10 September 2009, following an Internet campaign, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made an official public apology on behalf of the British government for the way in which Turing was treated after the war.
Centenary commemoration
On February 23rd 2012 the Royal Mail released a stamp featuring Turing as part its “Britons of Distinction” series.
Wow… I didn’t know about the tragic end of Turing’s life. It is encouraging that we are moving past such atrocities, and discouraging that there are those who would like us to go back.
The most tragic and ironic part of the whole story, as I understand it, was that Sir Stewart Menzies, the MI5 Spymaster who was instrumental in Turing’s dismissal, was himself homosexual.
That could be true, mid atlantic. It may also be that being such a genius Turing was self-motivated.
I read about Turing’s life 30 years ago, and recognized the travesty in how the British government treated him. He should have been knighted, not driven to suicide. Turing’s story was a big influence on my acceptance of gays when I was young.
I don’t think I ever felt that gays shouldn’t be accepted, but the person who helped me understand the pain a gay person must have gone through in the past was Oscar Wilde. I still get very upset when I imagine how much more Wilde could have given us if they didn’t kill him. It actually makes me furious.
I don’t think I ever felt that gays shouldn’t be accepted, but the person who helped me understand the pain a gay person must have gone through in the past was Oscar Wilde. I still get very upset when I imagine how much more Wilde could have given us if they didn’t kill him. It actually makes me furious.
Agreed. Same with MLK, John Lennon, and of course many, many more. Lost potential…
I don’t think I ever felt that gays shouldn’t be accepted, but the person who helped me understand the pain a gay person must have gone through in the past was Oscar Wilde. I still get very upset when I imagine how much more Wilde could have given us if they didn’t kill him. It actually makes me furious.
Agreed. Same with MLK, John Lennon, and of course many, many more. Lost potential…
Don’t forget Elvis! (He was killed by the CIA, you know….)
(He was killed by the CIA, you know….)
