Tim Cook publicly comes out as gay in a public letter

In an opinionated editorial published on Businessweek today, Apple CEO Tim Cook has proudly revealed that he is gay. Cook has generally been a very private person but this is the first time he has come out and revealed the truth to the public.

In the editorial, Cook says that he has been “open with many people” about his sexual orientation and that many of his colleagues at Apple also know that he is gay. Last year, Cook had written an op-ed on the WSJ expressing his opinion about workplace equality and why it is good for business.

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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.”

While Cook values his privacy, he realized how much he has benefited from the sacrifice of others, and wanted to help other people who are struggling to come to terms with their sexual orientation.

“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.”

Apple has long advocated for human rights and equality and has even stood up for marriage equality in California in the past. Earlier this year, Apple posted a ‘Pride’ video and even marched in support for the LGBT community during the 44th Pride parade.