Apple's CEO Tim Cook has come out as gay in public for the first time in the hope that he can help others struggling to come to terms with who they are
Apple's chief executive Tim Cook has publicly acknowledged that he is gay, describing it as "among the greatest gifts God has given me".
Cook, who took over as CEO after Steve Jobs died, has never talked about his sexuality publicly before, although he says he’s been open with friends and colleagues.
Writing in an article in Business Week, he says that he's coming forward to talk about it as a means to help others.
“I've come to realise that my desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more important,” he said, adding that he constantly asks himself ‘What are you doing for others?’.
"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," he says.
He explains that being gay has helped him better understand what it means to be in the minority, making him 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."
He goes on to talk about how America is making steps towards marriage equality and public acceptance of homosexuality, but points out that there is still a lot of work to be done.
There are still laws in most states where employers can fire people and landlords can evict tenants based solely on their sexuality.
“Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation.”
Cook says he doesn't consider himself to be an activist but that, "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, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy."
You can read the full article in Business Week.
