Coming out is becoming standard practice for public figures, but Cook’s announcement is one for the history books

Oct 31, 2014 18:03 GMT  ·  By
Apple CEO Tim Cook came out as gay in an op-ed: “I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me”
   Apple CEO Tim Cook came out as gay in an op-ed: “I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me”

The other day, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, a man whose net worth is estimated at more than $400 million (€318.26 million), came out as gay in a beautifully worded and well-thought-out essay in Business Week. There was never really a secret around his orientation, in the sense that it was pretty much an open secret that he was gay, but he never did acknowledge it in public in any way.

And neither did the media, partly because he was a businessman who wasn’t an open LGBT activist, so mentioning his orientation had no relevance to his work.

So why should we care? Public figure or not, rich or not, influential or not, why should we care what a 50something-year-old man does in the privacy of his own home? Why do all these public figures from all areas of activity, and this includes showbiz, feel this urge to come out on the front page / cover of a magazine?

When does this stop being oversharing, just a simple case of TMI, and when does it become something that really matters to us, the world?

No openly gay CEOs in top 1,000 companies in the US

Well, if you’re Tim Cook, coming out in public like this makes the world of a difference. In May this year, NY Times magazine reported that, of the top 1,000 companies in the US, there were very few, if any at all, that had openly gay CEOs. There are more openly gay politicians in the US than there are CEOs of major companies.

The business realm is one that’s hardest to adapt to cultural changes of this kind, the piece argued, so most players in it, especially the top-notch ones, still felt the need to hide their orientation from the larger public in case this aspect of their personal life would seep into their business – and damage sales.

They still had to “uphold” a certain standard, if you will – and they did that by denying an integral part of themselves.

Cook too speaks of that, explaining how he learned what it was like to be a minority, even though he was never as deep in the closet as other gays who have come out (or are yet to do so), and the pressures to keep the secret. By coming out, whether we all agree on that it was a good thing or not, he becomes not just the first openly gay CEO: he becomes one of the most powerful businessman to do so as well.

Openly gay Tim Cook is a beacon of hope, a role model for the LGBT community

Tim Cook’s coming out is the stuff that makes it into history books and not because he’s just a man who suddenly decides to share a very private matter of himself with the world, or because his gesture of calling it to the attention of millions of people took loads of courage.

By coming out, Cook is telling other closeted gays and all minorities that their orientation is nothing to be ashamed of: being gay is not a choice and it’s not something that you can switch on and off at will. It is something part of yourself like your eye color and your personality: it does not change with time or by choice, and it’s definitely not something to be ashamed of.

The same Time piece notes that there are countless businesspeople on all levels of the food chain who still hide their orientation for fear that it might impact their career. All these people have now Apple’s number 1 man to look up to.

Moreover, by coming out publicly, Cook is bringing attention to this very urgent cultural issue: the need for equality. The road to equality starts with accepting that we are different and embracing said differences in both ourselves and others. It starts with coming out for the LGBT community, because acceptance without full disclosure is not possible.

Tim Cook is gay: “So what? Shut up and keep it to yourself!”

Then there’s the other reaction people have had to Cook’s coming out: you’re gay, so what? Why should I be made aware of this, why should I care? Why don’t you have the sense to shut up and keep your private life private?

This kind of response comes from conservatives or just people who don’t understand the importance of Cook’s coming out for the LGBT community because they never thought of it this way.

“So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me,” Cook wrote. He’s not the first gay man or woman to get God’s name involved in his coming out, which, as you can imagine, did not sit well at all with religious people. To them, being gay is still a mortal sin and no amount of people coming out will change that.

Being gay is synonymous with eternal damnation, and all these public figures who come out are sinners who indulge in this “perversity” instead of fighting it, and in the process, destroy the traditional family nucleus.

I’d say, regardless of whether you believe in God or some other deity, regardless of your political alliances or your life principles, kindness towards another human never hurt no one. And I’m pretty sure the Bible doesn’t say anything about one person having the right to abuse another because of their orientation. There is definitely enough room on this planet for all of us, whether we’re gay or straight or bi, fat or skinny, rich or poor, believers and non-believers.

How will this affect Apple?

Until Cook gets to worry about his eternal soul in the afterlife, he will have to face another challenge: coming out took guts, but he will have to have a very thick skin and an iron will to go through the aftermath of his announcement. Only afterwards will he be ready to face the possibility that Apple might take a hit for what was ultimately a personal choice to come out.

Unless they’re a financial analyst, no one can estimate whether or to what extent Apple stock or sales will be negatively impacted by the announcement, but the company is probably at a point where an announcement from its CEO of this type won’t get users to swear off the products they’ve been buying for years. After all, they’re not buying a chunk of Cook with a new phone or tablet, they’re buying the devices and the experiences they make possible.

Celebrities, for instance, have learned a very long time ago that being a bit more gay-friendly opens up a whole new niche they never had access to before. Lady Gaga, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Cher are all gay icons who get involved in LGBT activism and are rewarded with millions of new fans in return. And they’re not even gay.

If anything, Cook’s coming out, his “own part, however small, to help others,” could open new market venues for the company he fronts, but that won’t be noticeable until some time later.

For the time being, what I think we should take from Cook’s bold gesture is this: to the LGBT community, he’s a hero who has just put on a cape (and no mask) and is ready to join them in their fight for equality. Those of you who don’t agree or don’t care shouldn’t hate: there is enough room on Earth for us all without the need for tension. As for Apple users, time will tell.