Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly confirmed he is gay in an opinion piece
published Thursday, making him the highest-profile chief executive
to come out.
In an essay published by Bloomberg
Businessweekadvocating for human rights and equality, Cook says
he was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King to set aside his desire
for privacy to do something "more important."
"While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly
acknowledged it either, until now," writes Cook. "So let me be
clear: I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the
greatest gifts God has given me."
Cook says he's been open with others about being gay, but felt
compelled to publicly come out to help others. "I don't consider
myself an activist, but I realize how much I've benefited from the
sacrifice of others," writes Cook. "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."
Cook's piece published days after the Apple CEO criticized his home
state of Alabama over gay rights. "We can't change the past, but we
can learn from it, and we can create a different future," said
Cook.
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