XPost: ba.politics, dc.media, soc.penpals   
   XPost: alt.burningman   
   From: billsteele@apple-queers.com   
      
   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.   
      
   I’ll admit that this wasn’t an easy choice. Privacy remains   
   important to me, and I’d like to hold on to a small amount of   
   it. I’ve made Apple my life’s work, and I will continue to spend   
   virtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I   
   can be. That’s what our employees deserve—and our customers,   
   developers, shareholders, and supplier partners deserve it, too.   
   Part of social progress is understanding that a person is not   
   defined only by one’s sexuality, race, or gender. I’m an   
   engineer, an uncle, a nature lover, a fitness nut, a son of the   
   South, a sports fanatic, and many other things. I hope that   
   people will respect my desire to focus on the things I’m best   
   suited for and the work that brings me joy.   
      
   The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for   
   human rights and equality for all. We’ve taken a strong stand in   
   support of a workplace equality bill before Congress, just as we   
   stood for marriage equality in our home state of California. And   
   we spoke up in Arizona when that state’s legislature passed a   
   discriminatory bill targeting the gay community. We’ll continue   
   to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this   
   incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual   
   orientation, would do the same. And I will personally continue   
   to advocate for equality for all people until my toes point up.   
      
   When I arrive in my office each morning, I’m greeted by framed   
   photos of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy. 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.   
      
   http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-30/tim-cook-im-   
   proud-to-be-gay   
      
       
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)