Tim Cook: "I'm Proud To Be Gay"
timothy posted about two weeks ago | from the cue-up-the-poorly-socialized-legions dept.
764
An anonymous reader writes Apple CEO Tim Cook has publicly come out as gay. While he never hid his sexuality from friends, family, and close co-workers, Cook decided it was time to make it publicly known in the hopes that the information will help others who don't feel comfortable to do so. He said, "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 added that while the U.S. has made progress in recent years toward marriage equality, there is still work to be done. "[T]here are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation. There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay, or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies. Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation."
Gay? (3, Funny)
TechyImmigrant (175943) | about two weeks ago | (#48270847)
So he isn't sad?
Neither would I be with that income stream and position of power.
Re:Gay? (2, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270947)
he's sad he can't poach more couture company VPs. Apple has become a jewelry company for the 3-percenters. and indentures as many H1-B holders as possible to do it.
So what? (5, Funny)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270853)
He should be more concerned with what he does with his Apple than what he does with his banana.
So what? (3, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270923)
He is. Did you even read his statement? He quite clearly didn't personally want to make his private life so public, but felt that it's in the public's best interest to know as it might help fight bigotry and intolerance.
So what? (-1, Troll)
kick6 (1081615) | about two weeks ago | (#48271273)
In other words, talking out of both sides of his mouth.
Re:So what? (-1, Troll)
durrr (1316311) | about two weeks ago | (#48271093)
Everyone using Apple anything is already gay or female so it matters not a bit.
Re:So what? (0, Troll)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271217)
Mod parent up!
By the way, no AC? You must have the karma of Gandhi.
Re:So what? (1)
biptoe (826187) | about two weeks ago | (#48271151)
Yawn (4, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270855)
who cares?
Re:Yawn (1, Redundant)
Eosi (3781645) | about two weeks ago | (#48270989)
Re:Yawn (5, Funny)
Stormwatch (703920) | about two weeks ago | (#48271029)
Congrats, your gay.
My gay?
Re:Yawn (3, Funny)
zlives (2009072) | about two weeks ago | (#48271045)
that would be a MSproduct
Re:Yawn (1)
Eosi (3781645) | about two weeks ago | (#48271049)
Re:Yawn (1)
Eosi (3781645) | about two weeks ago | (#48271033)
Re:Yawn (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271167)
But Republicans want to ban Apple products from schools now, because of the fear of gay contamination of kids.
Re:Yawn (2)
easyTree (1042254) | about two weeks ago | (#48270991)
Once I've made my company a household name, renowned for selling products easily categorised as manly, I'm going to come out as straight.
Re:Yawn (5, Insightful)
riskkeyesq (709039) | about two weeks ago | (#48270995)
News for Nerds? (5, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270865)
Gays are equal to straights and should have the same rights. I find it sad that announcements like this still make headlines. It shouldn't matter nor should anyone really care (unless they are looking to hook up).
Re:News for Nerds? (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270997)
Re:News for Nerds? (3, Insightful)
Opportunist (166417) | about two weeks ago | (#48271039)
And we immediately found the reason why such a statement is necessary. Right on cue.
Re:News for Nerds? (0, Funny)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271091)
And yet, we're still here! Try as you might, you won't be rid of us. We just won't die off so easily. In fact, considering our resilience against your oppression, we'll probably outlive you all, and just reproduce in the lab...
Re:News for Nerds? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271245)
So was Newton, but fortunately memes > genes.
Re:News for Nerds? (1)
Impy the Impiuos Imp (442658) | about two weeks ago | (#48271261)
They are an evolutionary dead end.
Perhaps. Bit it will hihligjt once and for all humans are not just evolving DNA but the twin streams of data: DNA and memes.
For millenia, anti-gay memes kept gays breeding in families, preserving whatever, if it's there, of DNA gay-related.
Now that meme pressure is gone. It will take centuries if not more to see if gayness evolves away now.
It's all pointless really, as humans will control their DNA by computer analysis, probably within the lifespan of some currently alive.
Re:News for Nerds? (5, Insightful)
IANAAC (692242) | about two weeks ago | (#48271031)
Gays are equal to straights and should have the same rights. I find it sad that announcements like this still make headlines. It shouldn't matter nor should anyone really care (unless they are looking to hook up).
True enough. But considering just how straight white male oriented the tech industry is, it's good to point out that occasionally we have other possibilities.
It truly won't be an issue when the tech industry is more aligned with the general population. We're not there yet.
Re:News for Nerds? (4, Insightful)
jfbilodeau (931293) | about two weeks ago | (#48271193)
Gays are equal to straights and should have the same rights.
That's the whole problem. They do not have the same rights everywhere. I think it's important for GLBT to allow themselves to be seem for who they are to continue to ease their acceptance in society.
Re:News for Nerds? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271227)
The question was raised in the media by somebody interested previously, and the answer has now come. We are all satisfied.
Silly (2, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270875)
Re:Silly (0)
DoofusOfDeath (636671) | about two weeks ago | (#48270883)
This, a million times over.
Re:Silly (5, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271023)
On the one hand, yes. Who cares? But we're not the target audience then are we. The fact that so many of us say *yawn* when folks like this come out means we have moved beyond caring, and that's great really. Folks shouldn't think twice about it, but as a society we're not there yet, and maybe it will matter just a little to someone struggling or just figuring things out.
Re:Silly (0)
supertrooper (2073218) | about two weeks ago | (#48270961)
Re:Silly (5, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271077)
Yeah, let's totally just ignore the history behind the use of the word 'pride' in this context. It'll totally make us look smart, edgy, and witty.
Silly (4, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271103)
Did you get beat up in high school for being 5'10"? Have you ever been told that you're only legally allowed to marry people within a particular height range?
I thought not.
It's not so much as being proud of being gay - but standing up to bigotry an intolerance is something to be proud of.
Silly (5, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271161)
It's not proud as in "I am proud that I have successfully accomplished gayness." It's proud as in the opposite of "I'm ashamed that I am gay and/or feel that I have to hide it."
Re:Silly (5, Insightful)
onkelonkel (560274) | about two weeks ago | (#48271179)
Possibly proud means "not ashamed" in this context.
Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (2, Insightful)
EmagGeek (574360) | about two weeks ago | (#48270877)
Who _didn't_ already know he was gay? Show of hands...
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (5, Informative)
theodp (442580) | about two weeks ago | (#48270929)
Valleywag, Jan. 2011: Meet Apple's New Boss, The Most Powerful Gay Man in Silicon Valley [gawker.com]
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
sribe (304414) | about two weeks ago | (#48271113)
Actually, when Steve Jobs hired him as COO a couple of decades ago, there were articles at the time about the first openly-gay CxO of a Fortune-whatever corporation. He didn't publicly come out then, but he didn't deny anything, and it was obviously common knowledge within Compaq, Apple, and a whole lot of the Silicon Valley "community".
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270949)
I saw it on a youtube video. He was outed accidentally by a gay activist.
Four months ago... (1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270983)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du9zcjjvVyo
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
K. S. Kyosuke (729550) | about two weeks ago | (#48271007)
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (-1, Flamebait)
itzly (3699663) | about two weeks ago | (#48270963)
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
Opportunist (166417) | about two weeks ago | (#48271055)
So it's true what I hear, that gays have more spare cash to spend and a better sense for aesthetics?
Then where's my share of the cake and why do I prefer to dress in black?
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
istartedi (132515) | about two weeks ago | (#48271009)
I didn't know. I knew he was the CEO of Apple and that's it. If you asked random people on the street "Who is Tim Cook?" and even if you gave them hints like, "He's a business man" a lot of them wouldn't know he is CEO. A good number of those people would be holding iPhones. It's not something that matters to them. I knew who he was because I care about the direction of technology. I didn't know his orientation because I don't care.
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271201)
Tim Cook the maker of Samuel Adams lager.
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
irrational_design (1895848) | about two weeks ago | (#48271037)
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
K. S. Kyosuke (729550) | about two weeks ago | (#48271059)
Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271065)
Not knowledge but suspicion, he is WAY too sexy for a CEO!
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (1)
DR0P TABLE users (3891969) | about two weeks ago | (#48271177)
Re:Wait, this wasn't common knowledge already? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271247)
And,.....who cares?
I knew it! (-1, Troll)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270885)
What a cocksucker!
In other breaking news... (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270889)
Water is wet.
Proud to be gay??? (0, Interesting)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270891)
Hell, I'm proud to have been born with 10 fingers, 10 toes, and have balls the size of churchbells.
How can you be proud of something you're born as, or did he actually make a hard choice to be gay, and is thus proud of his choice?
Re:Proud to be gay??? (2)
Ben C. (2950903) | about two weeks ago | (#48270925)
Re:Proud to be gay??? (-1, Troll)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271021)
You're not treated differently for having 10 fingers and 10 toes..
You're not treated differently for being gay, either. Hell, unless you make it a point to shove it down everyone's throat (no pun intended), they shouldn't even know what your sexual orientation is in the first place. I do not make it a point to make out with women in front of my coworkers to make sure they know I'm straight...
Re:Proud to be gay??? (2)
Sowelu (713889) | about two weeks ago | (#48271195)
Got a picture of your wife on your desk? Ever mention her in offhand conversation? Sure would be nice if gay people were free to do that too without being fired, which isn't true in a lot of places.
Re:Proud to be gay??? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271213)
You're not treated differently for having 10 fingers and 10 toes..
You're not treated differently for being gay, either. Hell, unless you make it a point to shove it down everyone's throat (no pun intended), they shouldn't even know what your sexual orientation is in the first place. I do not make it a point to make out with women in front of my coworkers to make sure they know I'm straight...
No, but you probably have pictures of you and your girlfriend up in your office for all to see. You probably talk about what you and she did over the weekend. Unless you work in an office where no one talks about their personal life at all, you probably know whether someone's gay or straight.
And yes, you'd probably be treated differently if you were gay. In some places you'd be fired for your "lifestyle".
Re:Proud to be gay??? (3, Insightful)
Quakerjono (1561915) | about two weeks ago | (#48271257)
Right, so the next time someone makes a joke starting with, "Hey, did you hear the one about the guy with 10-fingers?" Or the next time some demi-celebrity tweets, "@SoAndSo, That's so 10-toed." Or political figures build entire platforms on saying people with 10-fingers can't be legally married to other people with 10-fingers or adopt kids. Or a employer say, "Yeah, Mr. 10-fingers, we don't like people working here who have 10-fingers, so we're firing you." Or a landlord says, "I saw you bring that 10-fingered person into your apartment last night, so I'm evicting you." Or religious figures say things like, "Ebola is God's punishment for us allowing people with balls big as church bells to be accepted by society." When any of these things happen, you'll have a point. Until then, there's a reason homosexuals feel a need to draw attention to something that really shouldn't matter, but which very much does in this society.
So it's great that you don't care what his orientation is and you would treat him exactly like you would treat anyone else. Congratulations on being part of the solution. But then you're not the target audience so why do you even care enough to post about how much you don't care?
Great! Now fix the 8.1 bugs (1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270895)
The only orientation I care about at Apple is the one my screen gets stuck in. You're gay? Fantastic. Now fix the code.
Re:Great! Now fix the 8.1 bugs (1)
Stormwatch (703920) | about two weeks ago | (#48271051)
8 is so hated, maybe they should do like a certain other company and skip to 10.
Congratuations, so what? (1)
jimmifett (2434568) | about two weeks ago | (#48270899)
Congratulations Cook, good for you, have a cookie. Now, how soon until we stop giving a shit about people's sexualities when there are more important things in the world.
Where I (or others) put my (or their) genitalia has nothing to do with making ends meet at the end of the day.
I don't care what other ppl do, nor should the federal government.
Re:Congratuations, so what? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271025)
Actually, it has everything to do with making ends meet. In fact, "making ends meet" pretty much defines the entire process. It usually happens at the end of the day, too.
Re:Congratuations, so what? (1)
gstoddart (321705) | about two weeks ago | (#48271155)
I guess it depends on how long you're prepared to tolerate people campaigning against the rights of others, and accepting that one's religion is a valid excuse for that.
When people who are unaffected by someone else's sexuality stop having standing to say it should be outlawed, then society can stop caring. Until then, there's a long way to go.
That very loud and vocal segment of the population which uses their religion as a basis to say the rights of others should be curtailed, would be up in arms if the rest of society decided to limit their freedom of religion -- because they hypocritically see it as OK for them to do it, but not for someone to do it to them. Because somehow it's magically different.
And some of these same people would say "wow, a law outlawing blacks from marrying is absurd", while at the same time defending the position that it should be OK for religious groups to oppose the marriage of gays.
Gay: The gift that keeps on giving... (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270903)
HIV, that is.
Re:Gay: The gift that keeps on giving... (3)
Opportunist (166417) | about two weeks ago | (#48271125)
So... the reason why the top infection rates for HIV [cia.gov] seem like they're reserved for Africa is because Africa is a paradise for gays [wikipedia.org] .
Yeah. You're making a lot of sense.
Who (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270909)
cares? Seriously. How and why is this news, especially on /.?
Oh, wait, nevermind that second part.
LBGT marketing? (-1, Troll)
waspleg (316038) | about two weeks ago | (#48270911)
My default response was "0 fucks given", but my cynical side says this is about marketing.
Re:LBGT marketing? (5, Insightful)
Code Herder (937988) | about two weeks ago | (#48271015)
However, outside of the tech world, I've had to deal with plenty of people who are still disgusted by gays or get angry about the whole gay marriage thing. Let's not even get into what happen to that gay kid in high school when you live in a small rural towns. I've seen it when I was in high school, I still hear about it from younger teen, I've recently seen a father disavow his kid because he was gay. I could go on and on and I'm not gay, so I can't imagine the horror stories a gay person would've to tell, of growing up in a small rural town.
He believes in God? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270917)
I thought belief in God and being gay were mutually exclusive, given the Bible's take on things. Maybe he thinks God had no input on the Bible?
Re:He believes in God? (0)
creimer (824291) | about two weeks ago | (#48271047)
Re:He believes in God? (3, Interesting)
smoothnorman (1670542) | about two weeks ago | (#48271197)
Getting back to Tim Cook's "letter to..." someones and the quote therein: "I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me". ok, probably unfortunate to drag a deity in this; but does this imply that being gifted with non-gayness isn't a gift? i'll leave the sophistry to others.
Re:He believes in God? (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271265)
The bible is a great book. I can justify anything by picking passages and ignore the rest.
Re:He believes in God? (1)
gstoddart (321705) | about two weeks ago | (#48271269)
Hmmm ... Why must it be kept within a marriage? What did Jesus say on the topic of marriage? and Why should the rest of society give a shit what your religious opinion is about with whom and when we have sex?
You simply do not get a vote on the sex lives of people who aren't members of your religion (or aren't you for that matter) ... and given the hypocrisy we see time and time again of religious people molesting children, cheating on their wives, or grabbing a little sausage in an airport bathroom ... why should we give any credibility to what you think?
Apply your own damn morality to yourselves. And STFU about the rest of the world.
You're free to have your own religion. You're not free to tell the rest of the world how to live.
Re:He believes in God? (2)
Opportunist (166417) | about two weeks ago | (#48271157)
Believing in God does not necessarily entail believing in his ground crew.
Personally, I'm not sure God has any faith in them anymore.
Re:He believes in God? (1)
wonkey_monkey (2592601) | about two weeks ago | (#48271191)
I thought belief in God and being gay were mutually exclusive
Well, then, you're an idiot.
Apple users were always homos (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270939)
Seriously, back in the OS/2 days before windows 95, on efnet IRC, there was some rivalry between IBM and Apple(as usual), we would run scripts to join #Apple and /whois everyone randomly and more than 70% were in gay channels; and we would use that as fodder in addition to their pricing, quality, etc etc..
Still to this day I can't fathom why anyone pays so much for a name, and all the restrictions that go along with Apple.
Re:Apple users were always homos (1)
Stormwatch (703920) | about two weeks ago | (#48271083)
Still to this day I can't fathom why anyone pays so much for a name
And some stylish (if overpriced) hardware, and the most user-friendly OS out there.
No one cares if you're gay, dude (3)
Gothmolly (148874) | about two weeks ago | (#48270943)
It's 2014, nobody cares. Don't be an attention-whore.
Re:No one cares if you're gay, dude (0)
Morpeth (577066) | about two weeks ago | (#48271121)
I wish I could mod you up +.
The whole 'reveal' I guarantee was VERY carefully orchestrated and planned by PR, he didn't do this on a whim.
"Stuff that matters" ? (0, Troll)
rbrander (73222) | about two weeks ago | (#48270959)
Doesn't qualify.
For the children! (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48270967)
"Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of their sexual orientation."
There, I fixed it for you:
Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of: $SKIN_COLOR/$ASPECT/$DISABILITY/$WEALTH/$RELIGION/$EDUCATION/$UNCOOL/$RANDOM_REASOIN_TO_BULLY and yes, some also because of $SEXUAL_ORIENTATION.
Why do folks think anyone cares (0)
nehumanuscrede (624750) | about two weeks ago | (#48270971)
Re:Why do folks think anyone cares (2)
Darinbob (1142669) | about two weeks ago | (#48271187)
Except that they do make news. You would never have even heard of this story if it weren't news and weren't of interest to a lot of people. Maybe you don't think it's important and you treat gays exactly the same way you treat anyone else, yawning if someone announces being either gay or straight. But the world itself is not as comfortable with it as you are, and the world still feels it's unusual, there are places where it's still illegal to be gay.
tim. (1)
MossStan (2635555) | about two weeks ago | (#48270993)
More important (0)
times05 (1683662) | about two weeks ago | (#48271019)
More important implication of this announcement is "Will owning Apple products make me look gay?", or "Will openly using Apple products signify my endorsement of gay culture?".
Personally, I think it would.
Re:More important (3, Insightful)
BasilBrush (643681) | about two weeks ago | (#48271073)
Would posting a message like that make you look homophobic?
Re:More important (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271239)
I did read that as hornophobic [urbandictionary.com] .
And this is news??? (1)
davidwr (791652) | about two weeks ago | (#48271027)
This is 2014. "Being gay" being headline-worthy even for the CEO of a company the size of Apple is soooooo last century.
Now if he were dating George P. Bush, that would be fodder for the gossip columns. But not for Slashdot. We are beyond that, I hope.
Tom Robinson (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271071)
anyone?
I hate to say this (3, Funny)
shadowrat (1069614) | about two weeks ago | (#48271101)
Apart from his position. . . (0)
tyggna (1405643) | about two weeks ago | (#48271111)
Reusing old logo? (4, Funny)
sumdumfuk (1155931) | about two weeks ago | (#48271133)
Timothy you asshole!! (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271135)
2 gay posts in the firehose and you only post the second one? wtf is wrong with you man?
New iPhone (0)
OakDragon (885217) | about two weeks ago | (#48271153)
"I'm Proud To Be Gay" (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271189)
I kind of have a problem with "proud to be gay". I mean "proud to do a coming out" is fine, but since (I assume) he didn't choose to be gay I don't see what to be proud of. Just like I wouldn't say that I'm proud to be straight or proud to be a man. It's just how I am. Rather, I'm proud of what I *do*.
parsing his quotes with a dose of reality (1)
davidwr (791652) | about two weeks ago | (#48271199)
"[T]here are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation.
Translation: The employment laws in most states allow for "at-will" employment, meaning the employer can fire you for any reason EXCEPT for a relatively short list of legally-protected reasons which (in those states) do not include sexual orientation.
There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay,
If he had said "not lease/not renew leases to gay tenants" he'd be spot-on - most states give landlords wide latitude in choosing their tenants as long as they don't discriminate against certain protected classes of people which in many states don't include homosexuals. I don't know of any state that allows a legally binding housing contract to include a "no gay" clause unless it's a shared-housing arrangement (e.g. boarders in a family home, in states where such boarders have extremely wide latitude in choosing tenants) or religiously-sponsored housing (such as in a religious university's dormitories where no public funds are used). That said, some landlords do prohibit unrelated adults from cohabitation, but it applies just as much to non-gay (and gay) roommates sharing costs as it does to gay roommates sharing much more.
or where we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies.
The same statement can be said about any boyfriend/fiancee. This statement is practically equivalent to saying "or where we can't the rights typically afforded to married people."
Basically, he's just saying "being gay should be a protected class for employment and housing" and "either gay marriage should be legal or those in a committed relationship similar to marriage should have next-of-kin rights for medical visitation and inheritance".
Nth (0)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271205)
Who gives a shit.
#1, not really news and #2, yeah, about marketing (2, Interesting)
King_TJ (85913) | about two weeks ago | (#48271207)
Honestly, I'm glad to hear the guy is proud to be gay. He should be. We should ALL be proud of who we are, instead of regretting it or wasting time wishing we were different.
The world would be a really boring place if all of us were "wired" exactly the same, with the exact same interests, habits and tendencies.
But his sexual orientation was published years ago, and came up again some time earlier this year in news articles. So I'm not sure exactly how THIS time around is supposed to mean anything special?
I hate to say it, but I do think all of this is at least partially motivated by a marketing angle for Apple. The company has long been known to be relatively "gay friendly" in hiring practices and in loyal user-base. (Perhaps some of that simply stems from a tendency for the gay community to care more than others about product attributes like style, design or elegance .... all areas not so often associated with computer technology but embraced by Apple since early on?) Perhaps it's just that Tim Cook feels it's a good "climate" to promote Apple as a very equal-opportunity company to work for? I don't know ... but it doesn't seem relevant to bother mentioning it (especially if he's serious about valuing his privacy like he claims), otherwise?
Big woop, this isn't the 50s anymore (-1)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271221)
Coming out posts/articles only serve to further one's own agenda and have nothing to do with being "brave" nor "special".
Quite a bit of tone deafness in the responses here (3, Insightful)
Anonymous Coward | about two weeks ago | (#48271249)
To all those saying "who cares?" it matters precisely for the reasons Cooks give. Not everyone enjoys the same benefits as straight people in our society due to bigotry and ignorance enshrined in various State laws. If Cook can help bring attention to this, more power to him.
We don't care (0)
wonkey_monkey (2592601) | about two weeks ago | (#48271251)
Proud? Why? No-one* cares any more. And that's awesome.
"We're here! We're queer! Get used to it!"
"We are used to it! You do this every year!"
"Oh, be nice."
*well, no-one worth listening to, probably
Hmm. If someone proclaimed they were proud to be straight, wouldn't that sound a bit homophobic?