Alan Turing was gay?

I guess when compared to the general population, I'm kind of a computer geek (I use Linux and program in Java). So I was surprised to find out that a member of computer science's pantheon, Alan Turing, was gay. I had heard a faint rumor before but it had totally escaped my mind because I didn't pay attention to it.

In 1952, Turing admitted to having a homosexual affair with a 19 year-old. He was charged with gross indecency, at a time when homosexual acts were illegal in Britain. Given a choice to go to prison or go on probation on the condition that he ingest estrogen to reduce his libido -- a process known as chemical castration -- he chose the latter. A side effect caused him to grow breasts. Two and a half years later he died from cyanide poisoning, in what most people believe was a suicide.

In September of last year, the British government formally apologized to Turing for prosecuting him as a gay man.

I don't know about you, but I would have much rather gone to prison.