June is Pride Month. Sparked by the Stonewall Riots in 1969, Pride is an annual commemoration of LGBTQ+ individuals and culture and celebrates the lengths that we have come in achieving LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality.
While Pride is, and should be, a celebration of the progress made towards acceptance and equality for LGBTQ+ individuals, it is also a reminder that there is still work to do to ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals are afforded the same rights as their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts, not just in the UK and Europe, but worldwide.
Pride month also allows us to reflect on LGBTQ+ history and celebrate the individuals within the LGBTQ+ community that have made significant contributions to society. To celebrate pride month this year, Forresters will be featuring three LGBTQ+ individuals that have been influential in the science and technology fields and any Intellectual Property that they have been involved in generating.
The second LGBTQ+ individual in our series is Alan Turing. Alan Turing’s work spanned many disciplines including maths, computer science, cryptology, biology and philosophy. Alan Turing is famous for his work in developing the first modern computers, decoding the encryption of German Enigma machines during the second world war and detailing a procedure known as the Turing Test that forms the basis for artificial intelligence.
In 1952, Alan Turing was convicted of “gross indecency” owing to being in a relationship with another man. At the time of his conviction, homosexual acts were criminal offences in the UK. Alan Turing was given a choice between imprisonment and probation, wherein probation would be conditional on his agreement to undergo hormonal physical changes known as “chemical castration”. Alan Turing accepted probation and underwent a year-long course of hormonal injections. Alan Turing is quoted as having said at the time “no doubt I shall emerge from it all a different man, but quite who, I’ve not found out”.
Despite his huge contribution to science and during the second world war, Alan Turing’s security clearance was removed as a result of his convictions. This resulted in Alan Turing being barred from continuing his work with GCHQ as a cryptographic consultant and from being barred from continuing his work with the British signals intelligence agency. Alan Turing was also denied entry into the USA as a result of the conviction. Alan Turing took his own life in 1954, two years after being outed as gay. Sadly, Alan Turing’s achievements were never fully recognised during his lifetime because much of his work was covered by the Official Secrets Act.
Alan Turing’s criminal conviction has since been posthumously pardoned following a long campaign including an e-petition, several bills submitted to parliament and a letter published in the Daily Telegraph signed by Stephen Hawking and 10 other signatories. The government has since expanded the retroactive exoneration to other men convicted of similar historical offences in what is described as the “Alan Turing Law”.
Alan Turing suffered greatly for speaking the truth about his own sexuality. Alan Turing’s story is a clear example of how nurturing diversity and inclusion in the workplace can be beneficial for all. Forresters’ Equality and Diversity team are actively involved in ensuring that Forresters is a great place to work for all and actively supports Equality and Diversity initiatives.
