Alongside the release of the new iPhone 6, Apple has made headlines with an announcement by chief executive officer Tim Cook. On October 30, an essay written by Cook was published by Bloomberg Businessweek confirming he is gay. Since then, the media has taken this story and blown it out of proportion. Although Cook is a high-profile CEO, many believe it is unnecessary to focus so much on his orientation. As an important business leader, Tim cook has maintained a rather private life focusing on “one of the most closely watched companies in the world” and has never fully spoken about his sexual identity until now.

“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,” Tim Cook’s essay stated.

He also explains how numerous people, including apple employees, already knew he is gay and continued to treat him the same way.

The Apple CEO also wrote that “being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority” and that his orientation “provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day.” He describes how being gay has benefited him through life making him a tough skinned and confident person which are necessary traits for his occupation.

Although Cook does not consider himself an activist, he hopes that the news of Apple’s CEO being gay can help someone in terms of figuring out their identity or by inspiring a greater deal of equality. Tim Cook also expressed how fortunate he is to lead a company that advocates for human rights and equality for all.

The constant news of Tim Cook’s “I’m proud to be gay” essay can be seen in several ways. For example, in a time like this where people are becoming more accepting about the issue of sexual identity, the topic could seem repetitive and redundant. In other ways, the wave of news about a high profile CEO announcing he is gay can change people’s minds on the topic or even inspire more people to become open about their sexual identity as well.

Cook ends the essay with a moving paragraph stating “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.”

 FSA Connection Questions:

1. Summarize the article in one sentence.
2. Select one sentence from the article that best supports the main idea.
3. Do you agree with the author? Explain.
4. According to the article, what does the word “redundant” mean?
5. Use the word “redundant” in a sentence.