Homosexuality was illegal in England and Wales until 1967, which meant that tens of thousands of gay and bisexual men died being considered criminals by their government. But now, the Washington Post reported that Britain will posthumously "pardon" these men for their once "crime" of "gross indecency," (AKA being gay) clearing their criminal records after death.
The British government announced its plans to pardon the men who were convicted of homosexuality-related crimes and have died since its convictions, the Washington Post reported. The official pardon is possible under the Turing Law, named for Alan Turing, a gay mathematician and war-time code-breaker who was tortured by the British government despite his life-saving work for the military.
The British government forced Turing to take shots of estrogen in lieu of sending him to jail for being gay, and Turing was not officially pardoned by the British government until 2013, according to the Washington Post. Turing eventually killed himself because of the conviction and the aftermath.
The Independent reported that the law and the pardons are meant to serve as an apology, one LGBTQ rights groups in Britain have fought for for years. Rachel Barnes, a great niece of Turings, has been an activist for this legislation, and told the Independent:
This is a momentous day for all those who have been convicted under the historic laws, and for their families. The gross indecency law ruined peoples’ lives. As Alan Turing received a pardon, it is absolutely right that those who were similarly convicted should receive a pardon as well. It is great news for all those who have worked so hard for years to bring about this new legislation.
The government also intends to pardon those who were convicted and are still living and whose offenses have been removed in the "disregard process," according to the Independent.
