"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 sexuality is no one’s business but his own, and whether or not he is gay isn’t newsworthy in and of itself. But his decision to take a very public stance and articulate his thoughts on the matter his own on the record definitely is, as it reflects his continued commitment to social justice, and a strength of character that is truly inspiring.
Mr Cook said: 'So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.'
While acknowledging that being gay had been 'tough and uncomfortable', he said it had given him a 'deeper understanding' of what it means to be in the minority and the challenges they face.
He said: '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.'
Mr Cook said coming out wasn't 'an easy choice' because he guarded his privacy, but believes that part of social progress is understanding that a person is not defined by singular characteristics like their sexuality.
He said Apple had long advocated for human rights and equality and when he arrived in his office each morning he was greeted by framed pictures of Dr Martin Luther King and Robert F Kenney, icons whose convictions he hoped to follow.
Mr Cook wrote: 'I don’t pretend that writing this puts me in their league. All it does is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I’m doing my part, however small, to help others. We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick. This is my brick.'
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