Tim Cook consulted with Anderson Cooper ‘multiple times’ before coming out
Apple CEO Tim Cook sought the advice of CNN anchor Anderson Cooper before coming out publicly in 2014.
‘I talked to Anderson Cooper at length — multiple times,’ Cook tells The Washington Post. ‘Because I thought that the way that he handled his announcement was really classy. I was getting advice from people who I thought were really great people who had really deeply thought about it.’
Like Cooper, Cook’s official coming out was not surprising news even to the public, as both men had been featured in Out Magazine’s annual Out Power List. Cooper finally made the announcement himself in an email to writer Andrew Sullivan. Cook chose to write a coming out essay for Bloomberg Businessweek.
‘I wanted it to be in a business [publication]. That’s what I know, that’s who I am,’ Cook says.
Cook decided to come out publicly because he hoped it would benefit the younger generation.
‘I was getting notes from kids who knew I was gay, or assumed I was, because of something they had read on the Web. And they were kids who were distraught,’ he tells The Post.
‘Some had been pushed out by their families. They thought they couldn’t achieve anything. They couldn’t do anything. They were seeing the national discourse around it and feeling isolated and depressed. And I just thought — I’ve got to do something…I thought it would minimally say you can do pretty good in this world and be gay. That it’s not a limiter. It’s okay to be. That it’s okay to be honest about it. I figured if I could help one person, it would be worth it.’
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14 Comments
Canis VY Majoris
August 16, 10:23See we need pace setters in Nigeria if we ever hope to be OuT & PrOuD!
bain
August 16, 10:28Ooh well.
Mitch
August 16, 11:05Gay Naija celebrities, business men and politicians, do you see what it takes to be a role model? Nooo, we’re all comfy in our closets, subscribing to societal norms and living on the down low. Wawu! Shior!
Pjay
August 16, 14:28They are all MGMs. *grinning sheepishly*
bain
August 16, 14:40God help me if I catch any influencial gay nigerian,I’ll out his life,nobody should judge me ooh.
Pink Panther
August 16, 14:50No of course we won’t judge you. We’ll laud you for your amazing contribution to the cause.
Mandy
August 16, 17:06Ladies and gentlemen, a true activist here. ?????????
Mitch
August 16, 22:22Oga, is nor laik that oh!
Dickson Clement
August 16, 16:36There is a rule in 48 Laws of power that talked about preaching the need for change but not changing so much!
@Bain, coming out or being out is an individual decision. Outing someone while your closet doors are water sealed?
For these top shots that are comfortable in their true forms, I laud them!
I also think everyone of them waited for the RIGHT time! Timing is everything, not a second earlier.
bain
August 16, 20:35Aff hear!
Peak
August 17, 07:59Bless you DC for this
Mandy
August 16, 17:09So it was not even a big secret, his sexuality, before he came out. That’s nice. Oh to wish for the day when Nigeria will get to the point where her celebrities can just come out as a duty to the LGBT community in the country. 🙁
Dim
August 17, 03:34Out some devious people and bear the consequences, those people you compare our celebrities with have friendlier environment. A word is enough for the wise.
BlurryFace
August 18, 20:20I only see two powerful men. mm!