top of page
Search

Pride Month – LGTBQ+ Figures – Spotlight on Alan Turing

  • Hannah Claridge
  • Jun 27, 2021
  • 4 min read

Updated: Jul 13, 2021



When I first saw the ‘Imitation Game’ I was completely unaware of the LGBTQ+ part of the story, until of course it was eventually revealed through the progression of the film. I suppose most people are aware of that aspect of Alan Turing’s life, however it does initially seem unimportant to the impact he made on history. Yet it becomes a very tragic part of Turing’s story and life. This is a result of the lack of rights for the LGBTQ+ community that existed during the time of Turing’s life – and arguably still doesn’t exist today.


Turing’s achievement perfectly demonstrates the impressive genius of the man. He was unbelievably intelligent. Perhaps his greatest achievement was breaking the enigma code, which ultimately enabled British intelligence to bring about the end of WWII much sooner than might have been the case if the code was not cracked. The German U-Boats had always been a significant point of concern for the Allied powers and so Turing’s achievement was undeniably vital to the war effort. Turing never really received the acclaim that he so clearly deserved for this work, which while from a security standpoint is understandable, is another aspect of his story that demonstrates the ultimate tragedy of his life. All of this is extraordinary and him being a gay man should not have affected this story or his life in anyway. Of course being a member of the LGBTQ+ community is a significant part of people’s identities, however, it should not be what makes them impressive. It is ultimately people’s actions that are impressive, not what they were born as. Essentially what I am trying to emphasise is that it is not being a gay man that makes Turing extraordinary, yet sadly it is factor which has come to define much of his story.

In the 1950s, police discovered that Turing was a homosexual and this was illegal in the UK during the time. As a result Turing was charged with gross indecency and underwent hormone treatment which was common at the time. It was claimed that it prevented any continuation of homosexual acts. Of course all of this is absolutely outrageous, and it is important to note that it wasn’t just Turing that this happened to. Many men across the country were charged with similar offenses and forced to undergo this brutal treatment in order to suppress their true nature. Something which today seems so grossly inappropriate and a significant violation of human rights. As a result of this charge, Turing was no longer allowed to work for any government service which is something he would have most likely excelled in considering his past.


The tragedy of the story is that Turing died as a result of cyanide poisoning and there is much speculation about whether this was a result of accidental inhalation or purposeful ingestion. Whatever the case it is a significant tragedy that this man died and if it is the case that he committed suicide as a result of the effects of the hormone treatment then Turing is another example of history dealing with people’s lives on a superficial level as a result of something that is just simply part of a person’s nature. Turing’s achievements would have continued throughout his life and even if he hadn’t died his lack of ability to become more involved in British intelligence as a result of his charge meant that this country lost a great mind.


The argument here is that Turing’s homosexuality should not have played such a vital role in his work life as much as it did. His achievements should have stood testament to his character not his nature. It is the actions that people take that are memorable and that make an impact, not necessarily the people they find attractive. Turing demonstrated the significant potential that he had on numerous occasions, yet his intelligence was not allowed to flourish as much as it could have done, because of repressive laws and ideas that were held in this country during his lifetime. Again, this is most likely the case for a number of other LGBTQ+ people during this period in history or rather throughout the whole of history.


In 2009 the British Government issued an apology to Turing’s family for his treatment and his conviction, which although it speaks for the changing of times and attitudes is too little too late. Of course victories like this are extremely vital for the growth of LGTBQ+ rights but it should not have needed to have been issued in the first place, as Turing should not have been convicted. Although I suppose this is easy to comment on in hindsight.


The point of this blog is to highlight not just the repression of the LGBTQ+ community in the past but also the many achievements of these people. Although it may not seem the case, not every thing is mere doom and gloom and it is important to focus on the positives of LGBTQ+ history in order to recognise, as has been mentioned in this article, that it should not matter whether or not you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community. What is most important is the actions people chose to take in life in order to better the world and spread growth and positivity.


A List of great LGBTQ+ charities to support

 
 
 

Comments

© 2023 by Name of Site. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page