Apple CEO Tim Cook: 'I'm Proud To Be Gay'

Apple Inc CEO, Tim Cook, 53, revealed today October 30th that he is
gay. Tim, who became CEO when he succeeded Steve Jobs on August 24th
2011, has never discussed his sexual preference in public before today
but said that many of his colleagues knew he was gay.

Tim, who is worth an estimated $500million, came out as gay in an
editorial for Bloomberg Business Week, stating: "Let me be clear: I'm
proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God
has given me".

Tim Cook writes for. Business Week

Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level
of privacy. I come from humble roots, and I don't seek to draw
attention to myself. Apple is already one of the most closely watched
companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on our products
and the incredible things our customers achieve with them.

At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. Martin Luther
King, who said: "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What
are you doing for others?' " I often challenge myself with that
question, and I've come to realize that my desire for personal privacy
has been holding me back from doing something more important. That's
what has led me to today.

For years, I've been open with many people about my sexual
orientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay, and it
doesn't seem to make a difference in the way they treat me. Of course,
I've had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity
and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace
people's differences. Not everyone is so lucky.

While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly
acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I'm proud to be
gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given
me.

Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be
in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people
in other minority groups deal with every day. It's made me more
empathetic, which has led to a richer life.

It's been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the
confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above
adversity and bigotry. It's also given me the skin of a rhinoceros,
which comes in handy when you're the CEO of Apple.

The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving
toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come
out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant.
Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow
employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation.
There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay,
or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in
their legacies. Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and
abuse every day because of their sexual orientation.

I don't consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I've
benefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEO of
Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he
or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire
people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with
my own privacy.

I'll admit that this wasn't an easy choice. Privacy remains important
to me, and I'd like to hold on to a small amount of it. I've made
Apple my life's work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of my
waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be.

That's what our employees deserve—and our customers, developers,
shareholders, and supplier partners deserve it, too. Part of social
progress is understanding that a person is not defined only by one's
sexuality, race, or gender. I'm an engineer, an uncle, a nature lover,
a fitness nut, a son of the South, a sports fanatic, and many other
things. I hope that people will respect my desire to focus on the
things I'm best suited for and the work that brings me joy.

The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human
rights and equality for all. We've taken a strong stand in support of
a workplace equality bill before Congress, just as we stood for
marriage equality in our home state of California. And we spoke up in
Arizona when that state's legislature passed a discriminatory bill
targeting the gay community.

We'll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of
this incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual
orientation, would do the same. And I will personally continue to
advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up.