Brits Kill 'Turing' Law That Would Have Pardoned Gay, Bi Men

Convictions of "buggery" and "indecency" will remain for now, thanks to wrangling in London.

Neal Broverman

Neal Broverman is the Editorial Director, Print of Pride Media, publishers of The Advocate, Out, Out Traveler, and Plus, spending more than 20 years in journalism. He indulges his interest in transportation and urban planning with regular contributions to Los Angeles magazine, and his work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today. He lives in the City of Angels with his husband, children, and their chiweenie.

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Neal Broverman

October 21 2016 3:27 PM EST

May 26 2023 2:04 PM EST

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A British bill that would have granted pardons for men convicted of gay sex is not moving forward, the BBC reports.

The "Turing Bill" -- named for World War II code-breaker Alan Turing, who was subjected to chemical castration because of his homosexuality -- would have removed the criminal records of thousands of gay and bi men, both living and dead.

After emotional testimony from the bill's author, member of Parliament John Nicolson, and shouts of "shame" from sympathetic politicians who saw the legislation dying a slow death, the "Turing Bill" was withdrawn. The conflict was over a companion bill introduced by the Ministry of Justice, which would only pardon dead men convicted of sex crimes. The government believes Nicolson's Sexual Offences (Pardons) Bill could lead to the clearing of convictions for behavior that remains criminal.

Nicolson's bill would overturn the convictions of men charged under a 1956 "buggery" law and an 1885 sexual "offences" act, assuming all those involved were consensual partners and over 16 at the time.

An estimated 49,000 British men have been convicted for consensual gay sex. Support for overturning such convictions came after the 2014 release of The Imitation Game, which centered on Turing's tortured life. The mathematical genius was officially pardoned by Queen Elizabeth that same year.