Tim Cook, the CEO of the most highly valued corporation in the world, announced recently, “I’m proud to be gay.”

Tim Cook, the CEO of the most valuable corporation in the world, announced recently, “I’m proud to be gay.”

In an essay published in Bloomberg Businessweek, he says that it isn’t something he’s ever hidden, and many of his colleagues at Apple have known for some time.

He notes that they never treated him differently, and expresses how grateful he is to be surrounded by such creative and innovative people.

Cook also acknowledges that not all individuals have the fortune of being amongst such types.)

His decision to make the public statement came in large part as an effort to help those who face torment and discrimination because of their sexual preference.

He writes, "I don't consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I've benefited from the sacrifice of others. So 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."

Just days before Cook’s essay was published, he gave an address in Alabama criticizing his home state for its reluctance to further LBGT rights.