Apple CEO Tim Cook said he is proud to be gay, and considers being gay among the greatest gifts God has given him. Mr. Cook had neither confirmed nor denied his sexual orientation earlier, and this is his first public statement on the matter, as a column for Businessweek.

Here are some excerpts you may like:

• 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.
• 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.
• I’ve made Apple my life’s work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be.

[Image courtesy: Apple]