“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,” Tim Cook writes for Businessweek. “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,” Cook writes. “So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”
“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. “We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick. This is my brick.”
Much more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple joins Gay Pride parade in Austin, Texas – September 21, 2014
Apple releases video highlighting employee participation in San Francisco’s LGBT Pride Parade – July 8, 2014
Tim Cook, Apple employees march in LGBT Pride Parade in San Francisco – June 30, 2014
Apple inviting employees to march in annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade – May 7, 2014
Apple donates $100,000 to fight same-sex marriage ban in California (Proposition 8) – October 24, 2008
As far as ignorance and religion go, here is the real Miracle.
We, sentient life, exist. Plain and simple. We came from an exploding star, billions of years ago. Inanimate became animated. That is the ONLY empirical fact! Any other is non supported conjecture, speculation, misleading non-fact! It does not matter who you are, just that you are. Give everyone a break and stop hatred among men. Then, and only then, will true Heaven be upon us all!
You have summed up perfectly the assumption and resolve of many Athiests :
“The ONLY empirical fact’ – something that has no evidence, no proof and only contradictory theories and flawed logic to support it.
Nothing exploded and became everything is a concept I just can’t get my head around – before I even start to look at the evidence. For me, looking at a painting and trying to get myself to believe there was no painter is just too hard!
I am not an athiest. I am someone who does not believe, but knows. Simple and true. I know. Do you? I do not need someone else telling me what they “think”. I know. I have always known. I am not going to tell anyone what I know. It is mine. If you do not know, pity. Peace be with you.
lol thanks 🙂
Yes I know – an amazing experience to be born again – like getting burnt by a fire – you then *know* it’s hot you don’t need to believe.
each sin is a violation of the law of God. Each one will be held against you on Judgment Day. On that day, it won’t matter that you don’t believe in Him, that you think the notion of hell is pathetic, that you think your orientation or sin is ok or anything else – on that day it will be too late.
Thankfully, God has made it possible for you to be forgiven, no matter what you have done. He sent His only Son Jesus to die in your place. He paid your fine so you don’t need to.
Don’t ignore it. Trust your life to Jesus. If you do He will never let you down. Another benefit is, because He rose from death back to life, He can change your life, attitudes and even your desires.
God loves.
Alternatively…..
Rather than putting all your trust in the priests of some long-dead desert tribe Just delight in the wonder that you’re alive at all. The odds against it being you instead of another combination are astronomical. Every living thing on this planet has already won the jackpot. Humans doubly so, as we’re capable of knowing just how lucky we are to be here.
And when it’s over, remember all that and slip from the world with a smile on your face. You lived. You were here. Fantastic, wasn’t it?
Please read. Don’t put your trust in a priest – whether that’s in a church or a ‘science’ lecture. Go to God!
While luck has absolutely nothing to do with it I am extremely thankful to have been born (twice!!). As someone who had everything I ever wanted, then had my eyes opened by Jesus to real life – I can say easily that His life is exponentially better – not in outward appearance or popularity- but in depth, freedom. And fulfilment.
Luck had everything to do with your “first” birth rather than any of the other (on average) 79,999,999 possible human beings being born instead, and that’s just from the time your parents actually copulated and conceived you. The incredible number of variables that had to align just for them to conceive any human being at that particular time on that particular day are off-the-scale.
Your second “birth” was of course down to you. I’m happy you’re happy.
Each one will be held against you on Judgment Day.
————————————————
Ah, the old not so veiled threat. So scary. The rest of your diatribe is all made up conjecture. You have no idea what a deity thinks. It’s what you think.
No it’s not s threat – its a consequence.
God sets the rules and He has promised to judge. But He really loves – love that is one way. He’s given a way out that relies on faith not doing the right thing.
It’s your decision what you do with the information- laugh it off or act wisely on it. Someone who knows they have broken the law and must face the judge are wise to be in fear. You have the chance to have the charges ‘annulled’ before going to court based on His Son paying your fine.
You have nothing to loose (apart from your pride) and everything to gain.
Does Mr. Cook have an infallible standard for such a position? A cultural norm is a changing thing over time. What becomes common easily becomes accepted. What becomes accepted soon becomes a right and a “gift from God.” What makes America’s cultural norms more right than another country’s? When is this nonsense going to stop! There must be one standard of morality that applies to the whole human race. Defining morality by human feelings and perceived rightness will never be unified across the world. The Bible rises above man’s judgments because it claims to be from a higher authority for right and wrong. Without that authority, moral views become open to all kinds of interpretations. Just sayin…
And how is it that you infallibly know that you have the one and only authority to follow? From a book written by men during a time of relative ignorance in and about our history and origins as a species and our place in the cosmos.
By your own argument, since all people of faith believe – by definition – that their own unprovable faith is correct, the only way we’ll have a single morality for all men to live by is if we exclude faith from that equation.
Your response proves my point. By your own definition of “authority” (forget what you think mine is for the moment), the laws of the land who just keep evolving like human beings in the cosmos. One generation would evolve some more and rewrite the laws again. They would say “Now this is truth!” Really? Where does this end? It doesn’t. You can think the Bible is a relic written by ignorant men, but it offers a unified code of conduct that one can really follow. The real “unprovable faith” is moral relativism mixed with an evolutionary worldview. Sorry, there’s a lot of us out there that don’t find that a very good alternative to live by.
No, I didn’t actually define authority. I accepted that you had a definition for it (the Bible, aka God’s Word, unless I misunderstood your post).
Have you spent much time with it? It does not lend itself easily to finding a “unified code of conduct” that doesn’t require the interpretation of numerous scholars, theologians, ministers, and persons of faith. Or just spend some time with Christian radio and you’ll get a neverending stream of interpretation and reinterpretation, often contradictory.
I don’t think you can say you’ve truly tried to find a very good alternative to live by. And if you truly took the time to study the religious texts of other faiths, I think you’d be surprised at how much good and bad they have in common. To not seek truth in places other than where you think you’ve already found it is to stubbornly adhere to ignorance. You should look into Buddhism. It’s much better alternative to live by, and causes much less evil and suffering in the world.
“To not seek truth in places other than where you think you’ve already found it is to stubbornly adhere to ignorance.” Really? Unless I accept your view of truth and where it’s found, I am stubbornly adhering to ignorance? To have a Christian worldview based on the Bible means that I “haven’t truly tried” to find the right alternative? Get it. That’s a generalization, for you don’t really know how hard I’ve tried, now do you?
Furthermore, just because Christian leaders and scholars don’t always agree on everything, doesn’t mean there isn’t a consensus out there around basic morality. Do all Buddhists agree? Do some later renounce Buddhism? Do Eastern Religions always agree and work together? Yet, they don’t want to be broad brushed as all being wrong. Nor should Christianity be dismissed because of some strange or unorthodox teachers.
Finally: “It [the Bible] does not lend itself easily to finding a ‘unified code of conduct.'” Have you ever heard of the Ten Commandments? It’s compact and unified. It’s engraved on granite and marble all over America. How many “neverending” streams of interpretations are there for “Thou shalt not kill?” or “Thou shalt not commit adultery?” Seriously, do you throw out the Decalogue just because you can find some nutty or contradictory views? Maybe you should listen to more Christian radio to see just how many crazy interpretations are out there for the Ten Commandments, which, by the way, has been the cornerstone of Western Civilization, not Eastern Religions.
I appreciate your response. I love America where we can have this discussion and agree to disagree.
Okay. Before we get too far down the rabbit hole, which of the ten commandments incited you to express your opinion regarding Mr. Cook’s announcement? Was it: a) Do unto others as you would have them do unto you? or b) Judge not, lest ye yourself be judged? Or c) Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
Okay, not commandments. Yet still taught in the Bible as coming from a fairly definitive source.
To be honest, I’m just baiting you. I’m still searching for truth myself, having lost faith in man’s application of God’s principles over the history of Christianity (and every other organized religion). But when good things happen through a person’s action, I think he’s there and his presence in the world increases. And when badness occurs (hatred, intolerance, racism, abuse, etc.), that’s on us.
I must confess, I never intended to go this far either. But here’s a response, and then we’ll let it go. First, my original reference to the Ten Commandments was triggered by your statement that “the Bible does not lend itself to easily finding a unified code of conduct.” I consider the Ten Commandments a unified moral code that is easy to find. I’m sure if you tried, you could find them.
Second, I disagree with Mr. Cook’s belief that homosexuality is somehow equal to America’s historic civil rights movement. I see it as a moral issue, which I derive from a study of the Bible. That doesn’t mean I wish gays any harm, nor hate them, nor you, but neither do I have to agree with how their beliefs are framed.
Finally, you say that you have “lost faith in man’s application of God’s principles” in Christian history and in organized religion. That seems more an emotional cry of disappointment with what you have experienced, and not a fair representation of 2000 years of Christian history. I can only hope that your search will continue by re-examining the Bible’s archaeological and prophetic accuracy. You would find Josh McDowell’s little book, “More Than A Carpenter” fascinating in this regard. May your search end well for you!
Likewise. I also appreciate that we can agree to disagree. A study of the history of all the various versions of Christianity – the actual historical record, not the self-taught version – only brings more confusion.
He had to address eventually. The rumor mill was working overtime. Good for him and the LGBT community. Everyone should be proud of who they are. Now get back to work on my iWatch!
Samsung just frantically began searching for a gay CEO of their own, and one with a larger screen too.
LOL. That’s a coffee spitter 😀
Back before, when we all thought Tim was gay, I didn’t give a crap. Now we *know* he’s gay… and I don’t give a crap. Not saying it was wrong for him to come out but, rather, it’s sad we’re still at that point in 2014 (almost 2015) where people can’t just be who they are without forums filling up with arguments.
Duh. It’s about damned time, Tim.
Hey, I am gay too.
Tim Cook is pretty damn sexy too.
🙂
Anorexic rich.
Tim just announced killer new product lines, developed under his leadership. He is on his game, so this is a good time for him to make a personal statement with poise and confidence.
And now that he has been forthcoming about this personal matter, I am betting that he — and the whole company — will do better about handling public relations in general. That is a very good thing!!
I’m heterosexual and it’s the greatest gift God has given me… I say Apple fix the damned iOS8 multi gesture five finger pinch NOW
Maybe it’s no ones business or concern whom you choose to sleep with or which way you consider up. Some things are best left personal. I don’t want to know your personal business.
Now that he’s been honest about it you’ll most likely not hear it from him again. All he’s done is confirm something a lot of people were talking about anyway. Now he’ll get on with running Apple, just as he was doing before.
wanna bet?
I respect Tim as the savvy business leader, the decent human being. However, being gay is about the same as being a sinful man. We all sin, but we are not proud of being a sinner. Be proud of a despicable behavior by the God, be it gay, or adultery, or lie, is foremost a challenge to the right and wrong ordained by the God. The consequence of perverting right and wrong manifests in our world and our live, not just sexual realm. For example, we can’t clearly serve the justice in the case of Samsung copying Apple’s iPhone, etc.
There are places where you can get deprogrammed and then receive ongoing therapy to help cope with the psychological problems inflicted by the cult that has captured you.
You do not talk like a normal person. There is something wrong with your brain.
Tim Cook shows tremendous leadership in this public article. Steve Jobs made the right choice – I am glad Tim finally spoke up – in some ways this act is more about him coming out as a CEO than as gay – Wall Street said apple was dead and could not innovate without Steve – Apple had a bang up quarter beating estimates and a stellar iPhone 6, iMac 5K launch, silencing the media and Wall Street apple critics and then Tim announces ONE MORE THING… he’s gay. Well done.
Wow, look at the responses here. Now the bullies at school are going to call Apple products gay.
I come here, read some great posts thanks to everyone for their input.
God didn’t make anyone a homosexual; it’s a life choice.
One wonders if Cook was into beastiality if the perception and reception of the man would be different.
For far too many people, it wouldn’t.
Really, take it from me, it’s not a choice. It’s something you know deep down from an early age, even when you don’t have a clue what it is. It’s deeper than that brief part of puberty where your hormones mess up your head too. Don’t know what causes it, don’t care really, but you can’t change it. More importantly it really shouldn’t matter.
And bestiality isn’t the same thing. That’s just having a fetish. It’s all about the sex. Being gay is more like being left-handed. It’s something that ever so slightly slightly changes the way you interact with the world throughout your life, it goes far beyond the bedroom even though it also has an effect in there.
Tim you should focus on the company, on ios8 on iphone6+ crushing on me with no apparent reason all the time and keep your private life private. Or you maybe started feeling this urge to become a celebrity… Whatever the reason is you should not consider everyone gay and not allow to force gay agenda on everyone. I’ve been sexually harassed by gays in my life and however you put it you’re wrong. God’s gift is not being gay just read the Bible. You’re just wrong and lost. I just hope you will realize this one day and do something about it. Pay more attention to the company and don’t use Apple as a springboard to jumpstart gay agenda. I am quite sure gays are just a minority among Apple customers. Don’t disrespect the bigger crowd on the other side of the fence. Don’t put God’s hand in to provoking sinfulness because you know better about your job than God from what I can see. Make my iphone6+ not crash on me for no reason and don’t make me feel bad about your proclamations of God’s plan for you to be gay. My respect to you as a man but as long you don’t put out your private parts against me.
Well done, Tim!
Good on you Tim!
Imho…. You just made the world a better place !
:::shrug:::
Congratulations to you Tim Cook for finding the courage to write that moving article. You are an inspiration to others – gay or straight.
That would have been cool if his message ended – “Sent from my iPad”. 🙂
(Yes I know his article is not about Apple products but rather his personal situation and such an ending statement would detract from what he had written. And yes I know such a statement doesn’t really belong there. Still it would have been cool to us Apple fans.)
I suggest Tim avoids any trips to Russia in the future. We all know what they think of gays there…
God gave us free will to choose to abide by his word or to chose not to with eternal consequences. I am not sure which bible Tim is reading or his interpretation of it. Based upon what I’ve read, i personally wouldn’t bring God into it when announcing I was gay.
Don’t argue with me, read it in Gods word and argue with him.
Or, explain the tremendous faith you have to have that something came from nothing. For me, hope and eternal life is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. His word backs me up, so read it first before you flame me. You have the free will to be whatever you choose to be.
Personally I don’t see the Bible as being anything other than the collected myths, histories and opinions of men, so as it’s not divine in nature it’s safe to ignore the whole damn mess and just try and live my life without hurting anyone else instead. IMO it’s a much deeper way to live if you seriously think about your actions and their consequences rather than just following a rule you’ve been given. And in the meantime, you’ll find that in most cases we both come to the same conclusions about the important stuff, like why stealing is bad etc.
Tim, I support your announcement and well done.
When you say you don’t consider yourself an activist, I’m confused and don’t believe you.
Particularly in light of the many left wing causes you have openly supported in the media.
God bless.
Move over Orange, Gay is the New Black.
Tim, what an insult.
I find it telling that a CEO’s proclamation of his sexuality turns into this huge conversation of colors and differences. In the words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?” And, no you may not know my religion or non-religion, my age, my sexual preference. It’s simply none of your business. Buy Apple or don’t. It shouldn’t be because someone in the company is gay or not. It should be because whoever is in the company is doing a DAMNED good job. Next topic.