New UK Law to Pardon Gay Men for Past Sex Crimes Fails in Parliament
Historical Context
For centuries, homosexuality was criminalized in the United Kingdom. The Buggery Act of 1533 made homosexual sex punishable by death. Later laws softened the punishments, but men could still be prosecuted and penalized for having sex with other men.
In 1967, the Sexual Offences Act decriminalized homosexual contact between consenting adults in private. This was a significant step forward for LGBTQ+ rights, but it did not address the historical injustices faced by gay men who had been convicted of sex crimes.
The Turing Law
In 2016, a private member’s bill known as the Turing Law was introduced to pardon deceased and living gay men for historical sex crimes that were no longer considered criminal. The bill was named after Alan Turing, a groundbreaking computer scientist who was prosecuted for “gross indecency” in 1952 and chose to undergo chemical castration rather than face jail time.
The Turing Law aimed to posthumously pardon tens of thousands of men who had been convicted of crimes that were no longer considered criminal, as well as to automatically pardon living people with similar convictions.
Parliamentary Debate
The Turing Law was debated in Parliament, but it ultimately failed to progress due to concerns that an automatic pardon would clear some people of offenses that are still considered crimes. The government proposed its own amendment, which would require living people to apply for pardons.
LGBT Activists’ Criticism
LGBT activists criticized the use of the word “pardon” in the Turing Law, arguing that it implied that a crime had been committed and did not go far enough to apologize for centuries of injustice.
Estimated Impact
John Sharkey, the member of the House of Lords who proposed the Turing Law, estimated that 15,000 men convicted of historical sex crimes were still living, representing over 23% of the estimated 65,000 men who had been declared criminals due to those laws.
Legacy and Significance
The Turing Law, despite its failure to pass, highlighted the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and the need to address historical injustices. It also brought attention to the legacy of Alan Turing and his contributions to computer science and the fight for LGBTQ+ equality.
Preservation of Historical Sites and Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage
In recent years, there have been efforts in the United States and Britain to preserve historical sites related to LGBTQ+ history, such as the Stonewall Inn in New York and Oscar Wilde’s house in London. The recognition of same-sex marriage in both countries has also been hailed as a critical step forward for LGBTQ+ rights.
Tensions between Automatic Pardons and Addressing Historical Injustice
The Turing Law raised tensions between the desire for automatic pardons to address historical injustices and the need to ensure that serious crimes are not excused. The government’s amendment, which requires living people to apply for pardons, represents a compromise that attempts to balance these concerns.
