Apple CEO Tim Cook comes on out in a blog post and reveals that he is ‘proud to be gay’.
As it stands, the majority of Americans support same-sex marriage, there are LGBTQ characters in mainstream television shows and it’s not unheard of for public figures to be called out over homophobia. But, these statements do not equal full equality.
For example, in America being gay can get you fired in 29 states. In some places across the world being gay is a criminal offense and plenty have been forced to flee their home countries due to prejudice, so while the world is steadily becoming more progressive, for LGBTQ citizens things are not perfect.
That’s why it’s so important then that Apple CEO Tim Cook has recently come out, revealing that he is ‘proud to be gay’ in a new blog post.
Published on Bloomberg Businessweek, Cook was able to discuss his sexuality on his own terms, despite the fact that he is gay being highly speculated for some time.
He wrote;
“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.”
As the man in charge of one of the most important and influential tech companies in the world Tim Cook’s coming out makes him one of the most high profile figures to do so. And, while it may seem like a small thing (that many would argue is insignificant because ‘who cares if you’re gay!’) his reveal should be heralded, supported and praised because in the road to equality, this helps people to understand that being gay is neither wrong nor taboo.
Cook’s statement shows people that being gay is normal and he adds that his coming out could even can help others who are struggling with their sexuality,
“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.”
Despite Tim Cook’s coming out being a Very Big Deal, nothing will change at Apple and Cook very much still values his privacy. Those against gay people (or LGBTQ people in general) shouldn’t need to run for the hills, throwing their iPhones into ditches as they go because Apple was run by a gay man several days ago and all that’s different today is that he has finally addressed it.
Cook also notes that Apple has long been a supporter of workplace equality, has defended same-sex marriage rights in their home state of California and they were also outspoken about anti-gay legislation in Arizona. They’ll now continue to “fight for [their] values” just as they did before and with a proud gay man at the helm we look forward to seeing Apple’s progressive attitudes continue.
Source: Bloomberg Businessweek
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