In a beautifully written personal essay, Apple CEO Tim Cook has just come out as gay, finally confirming rumors that have circulated since he took over as Steve Jobs’ replacement in 2011.
In the history-making essay for Businessweek (remember: this is one of the most powerful and influential businessmen in America, coming out as gay), Cook talks about the difficulty he had in making this decision, because he deeply values any slivers of privacy he can maintain.
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.
Cook goes on to stress that he has not been “closeted” in any meaningful way. He says he has been open with people about his sexual orientation for years within Apple, but that he ultimately realized he was only able to do so through “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.”
What eventually led him to come out, Cook says, was not whispering or rumors but the knowledge that being the gay CEO of the world’s most important and profitable tech company might give other outsiders (whether LGBT or not) hope.
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.
Cook’s sexual orientation isn’t likely to surprise anyone who has been paying attention. The Southern-born CEO has shown support for gay rights multiple times over the last few years, including the release of a video that specifically highlighted the importance of LGBT rights. Cook has also been named Out Magazine’s most powerful gay man in America four years in a row.
Even most analysts seem to have already known he was gay. On a CNBC panel discussion back in June, one of the co-hosts accidentally “outed” Cook (“I think Tim Cook is fairly open about the fact he’s gay at the head of Apple, isn’t he?”) only to seem surprised that more people hadn’t gotten the memo. Cook even made some veiled comments about the discrimination he faced as a gay man last December.
Personally, gay or straight, I’m proud to support a company with a conscientious, ethical CEO like Tim Cook running the show. I’m also proud to support a company where it is possible for an openly gay man to become boss. Now if only Apple could tackle the rest of its diversity problem.
Source: Businessweek
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
39 responses to “Tim Cook: Yep, I’m gay”
Well done and well said.
We need more role models like Tim Cook.
Good for him. Now he can feel more comfortable living a truly authentic life.
Gay, straight, bi, who cares? Just keep pushing out great products!
Such a beautifully written piece, both from Tim and from you, John. It’s nice that as members of the ‘cult’ we have these discussions about values, about equality, about acceptance. It’s not usual territory for a technology company, but then again Apple isn’t your usual technology company. I’m sure Tim’s words will help millions of people.
That is the Wunderfullest news Ehhhver, now that you got that out of your system, get back to work.
why people suddenly talk about this? this isn’t new
Because, as the article states, it was only speculation until now. This is the first time he’s confirmed it to the world.
no it wasn’t, he was officialy gay but he just doesn’t talk about it because it doesn’t really matter
He literally said that he was only open about it within Apple and this was the first time he’s spoken publicly to the media. But I’m sure you know better than him.
good for tim to come out
Here in nyc someone coming out is like ordering a pizza…I’m still on that Beats acquisition:(
Keep introducing great products, gay or not, Tim is always welcome. It’s implausible that Steve chose him as the next in line for the throne.
Implausible for Steve to have chosen him? Steve did chose him to be the next CEO.
Haha, sr! Missed a ‘no’
Good for him. Not sure why it matters either way, but he is an eloquent guy.
Huh? How bizarre to see this. I’m the furtherest thing from an “insider,” and I’ve known it since he was first made CEO: There were *headlines*, for crying out loud, touting his being the first openly gay CEO of a major corporation.
That said, I enjoyed his thoughtful and well crafted essay.
So, who’s he dating? As long as he’s coming out….. I think that would be bigger news. /s
Awesome man. I wish more CEOs were opening up and share their personal experience in the hopes of helping each other.
I could care less what he does in private, his business entirely. What I care about is battery life of iPhone 6. Mark it two times of present value and I’ll get one ;-)
As a gay 20 year old, it is very important to me that people, like Tim Cook, publicy acknowledge their sexuality. Of course, I respect their personal choice not to, but the choice to be open and honest has a much greater impact. As many people, I have also known that Tim Cook is gay and on some level I wanted him to come out.
All gay people, at one time or another, are met by ideas that they are not good enough because of their sexual orientation; this may come from others or may be internally. However, with a man as successful as Tim coming out publicaly, it gives us hope. It gives us hope for ourselves, for our futures, and for those generations that follow us.
Being openly gay is getting easier, but we are not done fighting to be treated equally. “Who cares as long as they keep pushing out great products?” A gay kid who is told “no” and is finally hearing “yes”.
Beautifully put, Alexander.
Thank you.
Does this mean they’re going back to the Rainbow Apple Logo?
Screw diversity. I don’t care if he’s gay or straight or what percentage of Apple’s workforce is a certain race. Just give me great products and stop concentrating on meaningless attributes that have nothing to do with the business.
Considering gay people can still be fired in some states because they are gay, this has everything to do with business.
i don’t know if you know this, but you can pretty much be fired for any reason in most states, its called at-will employment
This only is applicable when the employee is hired “at-will”. So when a person of gender and sexual minority is fired when they are not hired “at-will” solely based on sexuality, then your argument falls through. Also, there are exception, which often include race, gender, religion, country of origin, etc… but doesn’t include gender and sexual minorities.
You are incorrect. In an at-will state you can be fired for any reason that does not violate law (race, age, gender, etc.), regardless if you were hired solely based on sexuality or not. I live in an at-will state (Texas) and I also have a masters degree in Human Resource Management, I know these things quite well.
That is not the case in the state of Maryland, which is my entire point. Maryland allows at-will employment, but has certain laws against discrimination. Also, your argument doesn’t answer the non at-will employees.
Incorrect, this has nothing to do with business. The LGBT population in the US is estimated to be 1.7% of the population so this is not an issue that affects the business or it’s customers. A business’s primary function is to create profits for it’s shareholders, not to concentrate resources on social programs, distracting from the primary mission: Create products and services that customers will buy, thereby earning profits for it’s shareholders (not stakeholders).
Your at-will argument falls flat because if this is a business issue simply because people can be fired for this then you must also agree that it is a business that people like mustard instead of ketchup since they can be fired for that as well in an at-will state.
So you are saying people of minority being fired is equal to someone being fired because like they like mustard instead of ketchup? I think you are getting hung-up on the at-will argument and missing the point that there are people on this planet who were born a certain way and now face discrimination. The at-will argument is a red herring to avoid the real issue: discrimination is still alive and well for many minorities.
you sir, sound like a bit of a dick. Here’s an idea, 1. Think. 2. Review your thoughts 3. Then speak. This helps lower foot in mouth incidents significantly.
Aaaawwww well aren’t you a cuddly piece of tolerance? You might want to be more tolerant of other people’s beliefs and opinions, especially when your side of the argument complains that my side is intolerant.
By the by, your response is rich in irony. Advising someone to think before speaking while at the same time spouting completely hateful and moronic thoughts just because the person believes differently than you do.
With that said, your hateful and intolerant response makes your side of the argument look really bad and removes a lot of credibility from your point of view.
Now all the bigots will boycott Apple products…
Let’s see Samsung copy this – Well said mister Cook. Well said.
Im happy for his gayness – now about that mac mini update: really?
Samsung CEO has reported that he’ll be coming out as gay too, only bigger.
Next….Tim Cook says he’s proud to be white. Hahaha.
You are what you are. The fact that you like to suck d*ck or take it up the bottom is really nothing I want to know. Unless you’re trolling, there isn’t a lot of reason for a CEO to be talking about sex.
I always thought that Apple products were “gay”.
I guess this is one way to keep Apple in the headlines, even if the new slate of products failed to excite the public like in the past. I could care less if he’s gay or straight, I just think it is funny that I’d only heard unfounded rumors about Steve Jobs being gay.