June is the month that most cities hold Gay Pride Weekend celebrations, so it is fitting that while we do so, we also take the time to acknowledge the contributions of our gay brothers and sisters thru the ages.
This past weekend the New York Times in a brief editorial acknowledged the 100th birthday
anniversary of Alan Turing (June 23).
Turing was a mathematician/scientist who studied machines, their intelligence and limitations.
During WWII, he helped to develop the machines and algorithms that cracked the Enigma code used by the Germans. That work, according to the Times editorial, changed the outcome of the war because it gave the Allies an ear into German planning.
Turing's name appears in many science fiction novels set in the future. Determining the nature of machine intelligence and how it differs from human intelligence has been a common theme in many books and films and was the object of Turing's research and work during his lifetime.
Turing was gay and lived in an age when homosexual acts were considered a crime both in
England, his homeland, and in America. In 1952 he was convicted and given a choice between prison or treatment with female hormones, a form of chemical castration. He chose the latter.
He also lost his security clearance, in effect, ending his professional career. So much for his genius and scientific contributions.
Tragically, Turing committed suicide at the age of 41.
We have made significant strides in the struggle to gain acceptance in mainstream society and achieve deserved civil rights. It is fitting that we celebrate those achievements during Gay Pride
Weekends across the country. Be joyous and have a fabulous time doing so. But also pause to remember those who lived in darkness and and endured intolerance and were often treated as lepers.
Accordingly, let us salute Alan Turing and his contributions to mankind
No comments:
Post a Comment