爱华网Throughout my professional life, I’ve tried to maintain a basiclevel of privacy. I come from humble roots, and I don’t seek todraw attention to myself. Apple is already one of the most closelywatched companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on ourproducts and the incredible things our customers achieve withthem.
At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. MartinLuther King, who said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent questionis, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ” I often challenge myselfwith that question, and I’ve come to realize that my desire forpersonal privacy has been holding me back from doing something moreimportant. That’s what has led me to today.
For years, I’ve been open with many people about my sexualorientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I’m gay, and itdoesn’t seem to make a difference in the way they treat me. Ofcourse, I’ve had the good fortune to work at a company that lovescreativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when youembrace people’s differences. Not everyone is so lucky.
While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publiclyacknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud tobe gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God hasgiven me.
Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means tobe in the minority and provided a window into the challenges thatpeople in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made memore empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been toughand uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence tobe myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity andbigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comesin handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.
The world has changed so much since I was a kid. America ismoving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who havebravely come out have helped change perceptions and made ourculture more tolerant. Still, there are laws on the books in amajority of states that allow employers to fire people based solelyon their sexual orientation. There are many places where landlordscan evict tenants for being gay, or where we can be barred fromvisiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies. Countlesspeople, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because oftheir sexual orientation.
I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’vebenefited from the sacrifice of others. So if hearing that the CEOof Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms withwho he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, orinspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth thetrade-off with my own privacy.
I’ll admit that this wasn’t an easy choice. Privacy remainsimportant 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 spendvirtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I canbe. 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 notdefined 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, asports fanatic, and many other things. I hope that people willrespect my desire to focus on the things I’m best suited for andthe work that brings me joy.
The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated forhuman rights and equality for all. We’ve taken a strong stand insupport of a workplace equality bill before Congress, just aswestood for marriage equality in our home state of California. Andwe spoke up in Arizona when that state’s legislature passed adiscriminatory bill targeting the gay community. We’ll continue tofight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this incrediblecompany, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, woulddo the same. And I will personally continue to advocate forequality for all people until my toes point up.
When I arrive in my office each morning, I’m greeted by framedphotos of Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy. I don’t pretend thatwriting this puts me in their league. All it does is allow me tolook at those pictures and know that I’m doing my part, howeversmall, to help others. We pave the sunlit path toward justicetogether, brick by brick. This is my brick.
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