Honoring Queer History in Tech: A Pride Month Celebration of Unsung Heroes

It can be easy for me to forget that not all LGBTQ+ people feel as comfortable being openly out as I do.

The culture of my workplace is such that I can be visibly and proudly out as a gay non-binary person and feel nothing but support from my colleagues. As a young person, it's easy to forget that it hasn't always been this way and that others, especially those from older generations, might have had different experiences.

Despite the progress we've made, the LGBTQ+ community continues to face significant challenges. Conversion therapy remains a horrifying reality, hate crimes are on the rise, and trans people are being unfairly targeted and vilified in the media.

Queer individuals have always been an integral part of history, contributing immensely to society in countless ways. The field of computing, in particular, boasts a rich queer heritage. We remember the tragic persecution of Alan Turing, the Father of Computer Science, due to his sexuality. However, this Pride Month, let us also celebrate the achievements and resilience of lesser-known LGBTQ+ figures in tech, honoring our past while advocating for a brighter future.

Peter Landin

Peter Landin, a British computer scientist born in the 1930's, left an indelible mark on the field through his invention of the Stack, Environment, Control, Dump (SECD) machine and the ISWIM (If you See What I Mean) language. The SECD machine, an abstract process virtual machine initially designed for lambda calculus, revolutionized the field with its flexible set of instructions, allowing for various implementations like the one found on GitHub. It served as a crucial target for functional programming language compilers, fueling experimentation and innovation. ISWIM, though never fully implemented, became a foundational influence for numerous modern languages, most notably functional languages like Haskell.

Landin's contributions extended beyond the realm of computer science. An openly bisexual man, he immersed himself in the gay liberation front in the 1970's, passionately advocating for gay rights and transforming his home into a communal space for like-minded activists.

Lynne Conway

Lynn Conway's pioneering work in the tech world has been as groundbreaking as her personal journey.

In the 1960s, she was fired from IBM after transitioning, highlighting the harsh realities faced by transgender individuals at the time. Undeterred, she rebuilt her career in the 70's and 80's, becoming a trailblazer for women in computer science.

Conway's technical contributions are immense. She invented multiple-out-of-order DIS (Dynamic Instruction Scheduling), a pivotal advancement in computer speed, and spearheaded the Mead-Conway VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) chip design revolution. This innovation democratized chip design, enabling computer scientists to create microprocessors without specialized knowledge, sparking a wave of advancements in the 80's and 90's.

As Conway approached retirement, she bravely came out as transgender, preemptively sharing her story on her website to avoid being outed by historians. This act of courage transformed her website into a vital resource for the trans community, offering support, information, and personal accounts. Conway's openness has fostered understanding and acceptance of transgender individuals, advocating for a more inclusive society.

Today, Lynn Conway remains a powerful voice for trans rights, inspiring others through her resilience, ingenuity, and unwavering commitment to equality.

Sophie Wilson

Sophie Wilson's journey from designing an electronic cow-feeder in her university days to developing a microprocessor powering 95% of today's smartphones is nothing short of extraordinary.

Born in Leeds in 1957, Wilson studied computer science at the University of Cambridge, where she honed her innovative spirit by creating an embedded system for regulating cow feed. This early success led to a challenge from her employer to build a computer based on her design, which ultimately became the foundation for the Acorn System 1 at Acorn Computers, where she later joined after graduation.

At Acorn, Wilson played a crucial role in securing the contract to develop the BBC Micro, a groundbreaking computer designed for educational purposes that found its way into 85% of British schools. Driven by the desire for greater processing power, Wilson and her colleagues embarked on the ambitious task of creating their own CPU using the Reduced Instruction Set Coding (RISC) method. This approach simplified instructions and relied on an operating system to manage complex tasks, ultimately boosting the CPU's speed.

The result of their innovative work was the Acorn RISC Machine (later renamed Advanced RISC Machine), or ARM. Although not a household name, the ARM processor has become ubiquitous in modern electronics, powering a staggering 95% of smartphones, 90% of hard drives, and 80% of digital cameras, among countless other devices. By 2021, over 200 billion ARM-based processors had been produced, averaging more than 27 for every person on Earth.

This remarkable success story, originating from the creative mind of a transgender woman and an electronic cow-feeder, serves as a testament to the trans-formative power of innovation and determination.

This Pride Month, as we celebrate the vibrant tapestry of LGBTQ+ contributions to society, let us not forget the often-overlooked pioneers who have shaped the technological landscape. From Peter Landin's foundational work in programming languages to Lynn Conway's revolutionary chip design, and Sophie Wilson's ubiquitous ARM processor, queer individuals have consistently pushed boundaries and driven innovation.

While we acknowledge the strides made towards equality, we must remain vigilant in addressing ongoing challenges. The fight for LGBTQ+ rights continues, as do the struggles against conversion therapy, hate crimes, and transphobic discrimination.

As we honor the achievements of the past, we must also look to the future with a renewed commitment to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and acceptance within the tech industry and beyond. By amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, supporting LGBTQ+ talent, and creating safe spaces for expression and innovation, we can build a brighter future where everyone feels empowered to contribute their unique talents and perspectives.

This Pride Month, let's celebrate the remarkable legacy of LGBTQ+ individuals in tech and reaffirm our dedication to building a world where everyone can thrive, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.