Tim Cook Speaks Up • Hacker News Board

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#21

Post by flexie » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:47 AM UTC

s_q_b wrote: post #9

While everyone already knew, the act of public announcement is one of great meaning and catharsis. Coming out is an important event for a gay person, and for a prominent person such as Tim Cook, for our society as well. As an ally, congratulations for having the courage to be who you are.

Everyone except me, apparently :-)

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#22

Post by gchokov » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:47 AM UTC

rjtavares wrote: post #19

gchokov wrote: post #12

$AAPL down 1% pre-market :)

That would value a CEO's sexuality at 6 billion dollars. I sincerely hope that has nothing to do with this news.

Me too.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#23

Post by simonh » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:47 AM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #5

[deleted]

Perhaps, but I remember watching comedians and entertainers on TV when I was a kid who it seemed pretty obvious were gay, but when the fact came out publicly they were subject to terrible discrimination and public humiliation. For those of us that really don't care about a person's sexual orientation perhaps it's easier to see it clearly, but it seems to me that a lot of people with prejudices have difficulty telling, and are resistant to calling someone out as gay perhaps because to them it seems such a terrible thing. We need to remember that for many people with prejudices gay and Paedophile are basically synonymous. Bearing that in mind perhaps helps explain why they find it so shocking. As always, ignorance is a powerful driver of prejudice.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#24

Post by petercooper » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:48 AM UTC

Mahn wrote: post #8

I wish we lived in a society where people weren't pressured into "publically acknowledge" their sexual orientation just because it's different than the norm. You don't see heterosexual CEOs publically acknowledging they are banging their wife, why should it be different for other sexual orientations? Just let everyone be.

I sorta agree, but I think the core paragraph explains his motivations better:

[I]f 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.

Announcing that you're straight is never going to be controversial, but we're currently in a cultural stage where announcing things like this continues to normalize the reality of diverse types of sexuality and, ironically, over time that should make it less of a big or negative deal to some people.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#25

Post by untothebreach » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:48 AM UTC

flexie wrote: post #21

s_q_b wrote: post #9

While everyone already knew, the act of public announcement is one of great meaning and catharsis. Coming out is an important event for a gay person, and for a prominent person such as Tim Cook, for our society as well. As an ally, congratulations for having the courage to be who you are.

Everyone except me, apparently :-)

And me!

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#26

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:48 AM UTC

s_q_b wrote: post #9

While everyone already knew, the act of public announcement is one of great meaning and catharsis. Coming out is an important event for a gay person, and for a prominent person such as Tim Cook, for our society as well. As an ally, congratulations for having the courage to be who you are.

[deleted]

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#27

Post by paulojreis » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:48 AM UTC

"(...) and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me". I can only imagine the reactions if the same was said by a heterosexual person, about heterosexual orientation... :)

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#28

Post by s_q_b » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:49 AM UTC

broodbucket wrote: post #4

Being in such a progressive community (i.e. young nerdy people), it's easy to forget that this is an enormous deal for some people. A friend of mine recently came out as transgender and the general response was "oh, cool, good for you". It's hard to fathom what it's like for people who aren't in such a supportive environment. There are undoubtedly many people who will no longer purchase Apple products because of this…

Even at my fraternity at school, a kid sent a very long heartfelt message that he was dropping because he was gay. Which was followed by a a series of messages from everyone else saying either "we know, we support you unconditionally" or cracking the occasional good-spirited but crass joke. He later served as an officer and was a member until graduation. While at a liberal college, it's easy to forget the challenges people of different orientations face in many places throughout the country.

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#29

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:49 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Tim Cook Speaks Up

#30

Post by tallanvor » Thu, Oct 30, 2014, 11:50 AM UTC

Mahn wrote: post #8

I wish we lived in a society where people weren't pressured into "publically acknowledge" their sexual orientation just because it's different than the norm. You don't see heterosexual CEOs publically acknowledging they are banging their wife, why should it be different for other sexual orientations? Just let everyone be.

We would all like for that to be the case. Unfortunately, as long as members of the GLBT community have to worry about being physically attacked, even in "safe" places like San Francisco and other progressive cities, it's important for people who are in a position to be able to speak out safely to do so.