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Old 17-07-2011, 21:46   #40
Caff
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen

Quote:
Originally Posted by Maggy J View Post
He was leaned on,prevented from doing the sort of work he did during the war in case he was 'blackmailed' and generally hounded by the society that originally couldn't give a toss about his sexuality during the war because what he was doing was too important.However during the 'cold war' any one who was homosexual was viewed as being a possible security risk and therefore not fit for certain high security risk jobs.

Eventually he ate a cyanide impregnated apple as a form of suicide.

So yes his sexuality played a great part in how he was dealt with.
It was a great shame as we lost one of the most wonderful minds of the 20th century far too early.
Sadly, I have to agree.
Spies, infiltrates, intellgensia, etc, had to be beyond blackmail of any kind. There was only one out way of it for him - it was either of their own doing or others'.
His sexuality made him vulnerable to blackmail or worse in those days.
I expect that nothing much has changed since.
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