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[catman]

Stephen Fry and Schools Out join Alan Turing campaign

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13950.html

Broadcaster Stephen Fry and LGBT education charity Schools Out are the latest to join the campaign for a government apology to Alan Turing.

Turing, who was gay, famously invented the Turing machine and cracked the German Enigma code during World War Two, but killed himself in 1954 aged 41 after being convicted of having a sexual relationship with another man.

He was given the choice of going to prison or undergoing chemical castration and opted for the latter.

The petition calls for a government apology for the way he was treated.

After programmer John Graham-Cumming, who set up the petition, spoke to PinkNews.co.uk at the beginning of August, publicity for the cause has rocketed.

There are now almost 30,000 signatures on it and a number of high profile figures have added their support.

Fry, who has over 700,000 followers on Twitter, wrote last week: "Just signed this petition, I urge you to do the same".

Meanwhile, Tony Fenwick, co-chair of Schools Out, said: "Alan Turing saved the lives of millions of people.

"He is long overdue an apology for the homophobic conviction which led to his suicide.

"The petition ends in January � shortly before the start of LGBT History Month. What a great opportunity to issue an apology and launch a new national hero."

Their endorsements for the campaign follow the support of figures such as Peter Tatchell, Professor Richard Dawkins and novelist Ian McEwan.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Wow, I was not aware of this. How many homo-sexual men were chemically castrated during this time? Seems like someone might have had a political vendetta against him, as it seems like one of those things the authorities would turn a blind eye to, even in those days.

[Steelrails]

I remember in the book Virtual Girl there was a male robot named Turing. And that the book focused a lot on gender identity, homosexuality, and such. Never connected the dots until now.