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". See what he wrote after the cut...
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.
When I arrive in my office each
morning, I’m greeted by framed photos of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy.
I don’t pretend that writing this puts me in their league. All it does
is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I’m doing my part,
however small, to help others. We pave the sunlit path toward justice
together, brick by brick. This is my brick.
Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple
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