Celebrating Pride in Science and Maths!
Did you know the "father of computer science" was a proud gay man? This week, our Science and Maths teams are spotlighting the legendary Alan Turing.
Wartime Hero: Cracked the "unbreakable" Enigma code at Bletchley Park.
Tech Pioneer: Invented the concept of the algorithm and modern computing.
Biologist too! He later used mathematics to explain how patterns form in nature (morphogenesis).
While Turing faced tragic discrimination during his life, his legacy stands tall on our modern £50 note and in every single piece of digital technology we use today.
Pride in Psychology: Meet 'Dr. Henry Anonymous'
This Pride Month, our Psychology Department is spotlighting Dr. John Fryer - a man who risked his entire career to change the course of medical history.
In 1972, it was illegal in many places to be gay, and the medical community officially classified homosexuality as a mental illness. Knowing he would lose his medical license and his job if caught, Dr. Fryer agreed to speak at the American Psychiatric Association convention—under complete disguise.
Wearing a rubber mask and using a voice-distorting microphone, he spoke as "Dr. Henry Anonymous," bravely challenging his colleagues to see the human beings behind their flawed diagnoses.
The Impact: His speech was so powerful that it created an immediate shift within the psychiatric community. Just one year later, homosexuality was officially removed from the diagnostic manual.
Dr. Fryer’s courage reminds us that psychology should always be rooted in truth, equality, and human dignity.
Pride in Languages: Two Icons Who Shaped Spain
Our Spanish Department is celebrating Pride Month by looking at two legendary figures who defined modern Spanish art and history.
Federico García Lorca :A brilliant poet and playwright studied by our A-Level students. Lorca was a passionate political activist whose progressive ideas and identity as a gay man made him a target. He was tragically killed during the rise of the Franco dictatorship, but his powerful literary legacy lives on forever.
Pedro Almodóvar: Following the end of the dictatorship, Spain exploded with freedom in a cultural movement called La Movida Madrileña. Director Pedro Almodóvar led the charge! He used his boldly colourful films to celebrate LGBTQ+ life, changing the landscape of cinema and winning global acclaim.
From resisting oppression to celebrating open expression, these creators show us why representation matters.
Pride in History: Forgotten Suffragettes
History is full of vibrant diversity, but many of its most courageous figures have been forgotten over time. This Pride Month, our History Department is celebrating the LGBTQ+ icons who fought on the front lines for the women's right to vote!
Vera “Jack” Holme: Embraced short hair, masculine clothes, and went by the name "Jack." They were Emmeline Pankhurst’s trusted chauffeur and lived openly in a queer relationship with partner Evelina Haverfield.
Princess Catherine Duleep Singh: A prominent suffragette, daughter of the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, and goddaughter to Queen Victoria. She defied conventions by spending her life in a long-term same-sex relationship with her partner, Lina Schäfer.
Annie Kenney: A brilliant working-class leader in the movement who chose never to marry and shared deep, close same-sex relationships with fellow activists.
By teaching inclusive history, we show our students that progress has always been built by people of all backgrounds, identities, and orientations.
The Diggers and The Ranters
Our History Department is diving deep into radical British history this Pride Month to challenge a major misconception: "No one supported ideas like same-sex marriage until the last 20 years."
Our students have been exploring the fascinating history of The Ranters and The Diggers during the English Civil War era.
The Diggers fought against economic inequality, setting up communal farms where tools, food, and land were shared equally by everyone.
The Ranters went a step further, boldly declaring that people should be completely free from the control of the church or the government to live, speak, and love exactly how they wanted. They actively supported the freedom of same-sex partnerships long before modern laws caught up.
By uncovering these hidden stories, we show our students that the fight for freedom, equality, and love has a deep, rich history.
Pride in Science: Spotlight on Dr. Sally Ride
Our Science Department is celebrating the legacy of astrophysicist and astronaut Dr. Sally Ride!
Space Pioneer: In 1983, Sally became the first American woman in space, utilising her background in physics to operate the space shuttle's advanced robotic arm.
STEM Champion: She dedicated her later years to launching Sally Ride Science, creating books and programs to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Though she kept her personal life completely private during her career to ensure her work took centre stage, her obituary in 2012 revealed her 27-year relationship with her female partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy - cementing her legacy as the first known LGBTQ+ astronaut in history.
Sally’s story reminds us that brilliant minds belong in every corner of the universe.