Tim Cook says he's 'proud to be gay'

Tim Cook has long topped lists as the "most powerful" gay person in the world, and today he's publicly addressed his sexuality for the first time. "Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level of privacy," the Apple CEO says in a letter published by Bloomberg Businessweek. "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."

In the emotional letter, Cook goes on to say that he doesn't consider himself an activist, but "if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with my own privacy." With his sexuality out in the open, Cook will now return his attention to what he loves: running Apple.