Apple CEO Tim Cook has come out as a gay man in an essay for Bloomberg Businessweek posted online on Thursday.
"I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me," Cook writes in what is the Apple CEO's first public acknowledgment of his sexuality.
In his essay, Cook explained that he's "been open with many people about [his] sexual orientation" including "plenty" of his Apple colleagues.
Cook writes, "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."
He also writes about why he decided to come out now and hasn't in the past.
"Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level of privacy," Cook writes. "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."
He also hopes that his disclosure can help others.
"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 writes.
