British communist journalist in Moscow who challenged the Soviet sodomy law
After his lover’s arrest in Moscow, he wrote to Stalin in May 1934, openly identifying himself as homosexual and challenging the sodomy law. Stalin wrote: “Archive. An idiot and a degenerate.”
British Communist Party member and journalist from Edinburgh, living in Moscow from 1932 and heading the Moscow News editorial staff from 1933. After a man with whom he had a relationship was arrested, he questioned the OGPU, the justice commissariat and psychiatrists about his own position and the sodomy law. Their contradictory replies prompted his May 1934 letter to Stalin. He later returned to Britain and died in Istanbul in 1960.
Activities and affiliations
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1931–
Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)Main
Social movements and organizing
Career Timeline
- 1931Joined the Communist Party of Great Britain
- 1932Joined the Moscow News staff
- 1933Became head of the Moscow News editorial staff
- 1934.05Wrote to Stalin challenging the sodomy law
Related historical events
Life in Moscow and the letter to Stalin
Whyte was a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain living and working in the Soviet Union. He joined the party in 1931, joined the Moscow News in 1932 and became head of its editorial staff in 1933. At the time of his letter, his transfer to the Soviet Communist Party had not been completed. “British communist” describes his party affiliation and background, not his residence when he wrote.
The letter arose from immediate personal danger. After a man with whom he had had a relationship was arrested, Whyte contacted the OGPU. He was told there was nothing incriminating against him. Editor Mikhail Borodin likewise assured him that his private life did not undermine his standing as a party member or newspaper worker. Yet after the March 7, 1934 decree, the OGPU told him that the law would be applied strictly to every discovered case of homosexuality.
He wrote to Stalin in May 1934 with his own private life, his lover’s arrest and his place in the party at stake. He asked whether blanket criminalisation accorded with earlier Soviet law and Marxist principles. Stalin left the annotation: “Archive. An idiot and a degenerate.”