70: Alan Turing

 

70 Years ago today (June 7, 1954) - Alan Turing passed away from Cyanide Poisoning – a suspected Suicide.

Alan Mathison Turing OBE was born on June 23, 1912 in London, England was an English Mathematician, Computer Scientist, Logician, Cryptanalyst, Philosopher and Theoretical Biologist.

He worked at the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park during World War 2 and broke Nazi Germany’s Enigma Code Machine which saved countless Soldiers and Civilians.

In 1936 he created the Turing Machine, published “The Turing Proof” in 1937, created “The Turing Test” in 1950 and  created “The Turing Pattern” in 1952.

Considered to be the Father of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence as well as Enigma Code Breaker but ostracized in his lifetime due to his Homosexuality.

He was arrested for being Gay in 1952 and made to have Chemical Castration.

He committed Suicide 16 days before his 42nd Birthday.

In 2009, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown made an Official Government Apology on the way Turing was treated for being Gay. In 2013, Queen Elizabeth II granted him a posthumous pardon.

Officially pardoned of his “crime” he is now on the £50 Bank Note in the U.K.

Also, the term "Alan Turing Law" is now used informally to refer to a 2017 Law in the United Kingdom  (only in England and Wales) that retroactively pardoned men cautioned or convicted under historical legislation that outlawed Homosexual acts (around 50,000 Dead Men have automatically been pardoned and around 15,000 Living Men who have applied have been pardoned.) 

Other countries have similar Gay Pardon Laws: Canada (in 2018) and Germany (in 2002 just for Gays discriminated against by the Nazis and in 2017 for all Gays.)