Why Apple's Tim Cook was right to come out publicly

The news that Apple CEO Tim Cook is homosexual may not come as a surprise, but that doesn't detract from the bravery and importance of his announcement, writes Chris Mandle

CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple event in San Francisco, California
Tim Cook has been chief executive of Apple since 2011 Credit: Photo: Reuters

To some, it will have come as a shock. To others, it was the elephant in the room, something frequently speculated upon within the tech industry but never confirmed. To an even smaller number, it wasn't considered news at all.

But despite the fluctuating opinions on Apple CEO Tim Cook, who yesterday came out via a passionate essay published in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, one thing resonated clearly. “I'm proud to be gay,” he wrote. “I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”

Considering how popular it has been of late to downplay the importance of coming out at all (see: Frank Ocean, Michael Sam, Anderson Cooper), Cook's understanding of the relationship between his sexuality and his identity as a man speaks volumes.

Here is a man who has been out – to friends, family, colleagues – for quite some time (Cook is 53). The press have been discussing his sexuality for years, and Cook has been listed in Out magazine's power rankings as one of the most powerful gay men in America.

When people come out, whether it's Ian Thorpe, Tom Daley or US basketball player Derrick Gordon, the wider-world's instinct is to assume that the significance lies in the shock factor – or lack thereof. The attitude dictates that if you had already guessed someone was gay, their coming out carries less significance.

That stance is hugely misinformed. Whether you saw it a mile off, “had a bit of an inkling” or just have a fine-tuned gaydar is utterly irrelevant. Someone openly discussing their sexuality remains important because it continues to drive discussion and open dialogue about sexuality, and there's no way you can convince me that's something we need less of.

Cook didn't need to make a public statement about his sexuality, which is what makes yesterday's essay all the more powerful. 'Essay' might sound like a bloated, intellectually dense way to say 'blog' or 'article', but the emotionally complex personal and political arguments in his piece surely warrants use of the word.

He's pretty much out in the business world, but the way he spoke about prejudice, discrimination and marginalisation as a minority all point to the fact Cook wants to take this fight beyond the boardroom.

Just as admirable is the way Cook has embraced his sexuality instead of playing it down. Yesterday's essay used his coming out as a conduit to talk about issues on an even bigger scale, such as Apple's advocacy work towards workplace equality, marriage equality and against the controversial anti-gay bill in Arizona.

His attitude to his identity with regards to his sexuality is particularly interesting in this part:

“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.”

Admitting that his sexuality is a major part of who he is feels like a surprisingly radical statement in a culture that's happy to make homosexuality feel like the new normal by stripping parts of it away. Cook's statement says he doesn't want to be defined by his sexuality, but he recognises that it is central to his identity.

Whether it will have an affect on other members of Silicon Valley's tech circles remains to be seen (earlier this year the New York Times reported on the lack of gay CEOs), but ultimately the fight for LGBT equality just gained an incredibly powerful new ally. The outpouring of support – not just for Tim Cook, but for his beliefs and policies – suggests that if anyone else were to do the same, we'd be glad to have them.