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Tim Cook Comes Out
Oct. 30th, 2014 08:13 amSeriously, I'm kind of flailing here so you'll have to excuse a certain level of incoherence. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, Inc. has come out.
The head of one of the most valuable and successful companies in the entire world is gay.
(Source and complete article)
I've been a huge fan of Apple products since the first Macintosh came out in 1984. I've stuck with Apple through their long slide into near-irrelevance and rejoiced each time I'd see one of their products appear on television or in the movies (from Star Trek IV to Independence Day). I've owned almost every iteration of the iPod, I've stood on line (I'm a New Yorker, we're not sheep to wait "in" line) for hours waiting for the latest releases of the OS and on one very memorable day, was at an Apple store, on line in the dark at 5:30 AM to ensure I'd get the very first iPhone.
Some people think I'm nuts about Apple, and I try to explain why - citing better design, reliability, build quality - the whole "it just works" ethos.
But that's not really it.
In 1993, Apple Computer was offered significant tax incentives to set up a customer support center in Texas, outside of Round Rock. The local Texas county government revoked the incentives when they found out that Apple offered equal health care benefits to same-sex couples, saying that they didn't want to be the ones who "introduced homosexuality to Texas".
Apple was willing to walk away from the deal, and away from Texas. Retaining the tax breaks was both a matter of economics and a matter of principle for the company. The county quickly conceded and granted Apple an equivalent set of tax incentives. (The article in the New York Times is like going through a time capsule of the history of intolerance).
To me, Apple has always been a beacon for fairness and tolerance and equality. That is a large part of why I love Apple. And today, reading Tim Cooks words - especially "I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me" makes me twice - no, a thousand times - as proud to be a consumer and user of Apple products.
Thank you, Tim Cook, for your courage and your leadership.
The head of one of the most valuable and successful companies in the entire world is gay.
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.
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. 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. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.
Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.
The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant. Still, there 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.
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.
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.
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. 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. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.
Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.
The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more tolerant. Still, there 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.
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.
(Source and complete article)
I've been a huge fan of Apple products since the first Macintosh came out in 1984. I've stuck with Apple through their long slide into near-irrelevance and rejoiced each time I'd see one of their products appear on television or in the movies (from Star Trek IV to Independence Day). I've owned almost every iteration of the iPod, I've stood on line (I'm a New Yorker, we're not sheep to wait "in" line) for hours waiting for the latest releases of the OS and on one very memorable day, was at an Apple store, on line in the dark at 5:30 AM to ensure I'd get the very first iPhone.
Some people think I'm nuts about Apple, and I try to explain why - citing better design, reliability, build quality - the whole "it just works" ethos.
But that's not really it.
In 1993, Apple Computer was offered significant tax incentives to set up a customer support center in Texas, outside of Round Rock. The local Texas county government revoked the incentives when they found out that Apple offered equal health care benefits to same-sex couples, saying that they didn't want to be the ones who "introduced homosexuality to Texas".
Apple was willing to walk away from the deal, and away from Texas. Retaining the tax breaks was both a matter of economics and a matter of principle for the company. The county quickly conceded and granted Apple an equivalent set of tax incentives. (The article in the New York Times is like going through a time capsule of the history of intolerance).
To me, Apple has always been a beacon for fairness and tolerance and equality. That is a large part of why I love Apple. And today, reading Tim Cooks words - especially "I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me" makes me twice - no, a thousand times - as proud to be a consumer and user of Apple products.
Thank you, Tim Cook, for your courage and your leadership.
