- "Alan Turing", c. 1951, Fellows of Royal Society
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SECRET DISCOVERED |
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In 1952, Turing was arrested, admitting to a homosexual relationship with Arnold Murray. Turing was charged with gross indecency as a result of anti-homosexuality laws. He avoided prison by accepting chemical castration.
"...this implant of synthetic estrogen for a year and heaven knows how that screwed him up..." "We have...been recreating the narrative of Turing's life, and we have recreated him as an unhappy young man who committed suicide. But the evidence is not there. |
The conviction meant he lost his security clearance and ceased the code-cracking work that had proved vital to the war effort.
"It is often repeated that the chemicals caused him to grow breasts..." |
In 1954, Turing was found dead with a half-eaten apple next to him. One theory was that he was haunted by the story of the apple in the story of Snow White, and committed suicide to end his persecution. Turing's mother believed he died from carelessness while handling chemicals. Finally, murder by the government is a possibility, as homosexuals were regarded as threats to national security.
"His post-mortem report....said he died from cyanide poisoning, but the note adds: “Death appears to be due to violence’." |
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