[Closed] Apple's CEO ...

Whilst I applaud the sentiment, it's bloody ludicrous that in the 21st century someone's sexuality should be of any concern to anyone else. I just cannot grasp why it's still such an issue for some people to accept that sexual relationships don't have to be between a man and a woman.

Hey ho!

Woody, I agree fully with you, but sadly it is still the case. 🙁 Hence why so many sportspeople/politicians/business leaders etc feel a misplaced need to keep things secret.

They're not the ones at fault, yet they're the ones that cop the flak. It's gradually improving (I hope), but we're still a way off yet.

Good for him,

I'll be honest though, I'm really not sure it matters a jot...

He essentially flogs computers and phones for a living, precisely why should I care if He forms a loving relationship with a Man, a Woman or a even pot plant?

Whilst I applaud the sentiment, it's bloody ludicrous that in the 21st century someone's sexuality should be of any concern to anyone else. I just cannot grasp why it's still such an issue for some people to accept that sexual relationships don't have to be between a man and a woman.

Well said.

Hopefully it will help (though,m as above, it shouldn't mater a damn either way).
Only need to look at John Browne at BP (though that was slightly murkier background w.r.t. a court case as well).

Different kettle of fish the other side of the pond (between the coasts anyway). Water off a ducks back over here mostly.

Yup, good for him. Unfortunately this sort of thing still seems to be considered "news". Hopefully the more of these sorts of stories there are then the less people will care.

it's bloody ludicrous that in the 21st century someone's sexuality should be of any concern to anyone else

It is the 21st century but the 21st century is largely populated with people from the 20th century. Its great not to have care about these things but for that to be the case requires you to be able standing on the shoulders of people who had to care an awful lot.

Its apt, for instance, for the head of Apple to be able to say these things in the light of the plight of someone like Alan Turing. The difference between the world Turing inhabited and the one where Tim Cook can say what he has just said took pretty much Tim Cooks lifetime to happen.

I'll be honest though, I'm really not sure it matters a jot...

His sexuality matters not a jot, but him speaking publicly about it does. There are still people out there who make an issue out of it, and this is a good way to address this. The more people who are out, the more it is normalised (for those for whom it isn't already) and the more acceptable it becomes. The CEO of a big company is in a position to talk without fear of reprisals, and it'll get coverage, so it's a good move.

The original article is worth 5 mins to read

[url= http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-30/tim-cook-im-proud-to-be-gay ]Tim Cook for Bloomberg[/url]

Hats off to him for doing it, whilst we all hope it shouldn't be necessary or even note-worthy to speak about it publicly it remains such that it is.

Does this make all the Apple haterz homophobic, now?

I suddenly understand why the Lightning connector fits both ways.

Well done that man, at Apple, i still want /cant afford to buy your overpriced products though.

Whilst I applaud the sentiment, it's bloody ludicrous that in the 21st century someone's sexuality should be of any concern to anyone else

Why should he feel the need to broadcast it.
Column inches? Apple got a new product out?

To help normalise it and give confidence to others who might be nervous about coming out, perhaps?

Seems like a song and dance to me.

no kids, no animals.

Anything else is no one else's business

In 2014 his sexuality should not matter - unfortunately it does still for some... Very brave of him to come out as a result.

I find this a bit weird:

“among the greatest gifts God has given me”.

“Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day,” he writes.

“It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.”

Sort of seems to be implying that gay people are superior.

Sort of seems to be implying that gay people are super[s]ior[/s]!

[img] [/img]

Maybe if you're homophobic it does? I'm not seeing that at all (and what if it is?).

Seems to me to be implying that being in an oppressed minority gives you a different outlook on life.

He's not saying being gay makes him more empathetic - he's saying that being part of a minority does. Which is fair enough I think. Doesn't matter what that minority is but you have a different perspective.

And in some ways he can blend in with the majority too, because he's white, and a male in a tech firm.

Among the greatest gifts God has given me

Just went down in my estimation. Always disappointing to find an obviously smart person believes in magic.

White is a majority? In the UK / US perhaps, but not globally.

Of course.. but he's an American in America isn't he?

Always disappointing to find an obviously smart person believes in magic.

Always disappoint to see someone letting their own prejudice overrule actual evidence 🙂

Maybe if you're homophobic it does?

That's quite an insulting thing to say and I'm really not sure where you're getting that from.

It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life.

More empathetic than what/who? How does he know how empathetic he would be if he wasn't gay? Richer life than who?

Seems to me to be implying that being in an oppressed minority gives you a [s]different[/s] better outlook on life.

you just have to read comments in youtube e.t.c to see that homophobia is very much alive (used as a form of insult to people e.t.c).

if it was the n word,then it would rightly be condemned,but anti gay sentiment is seen as fine by a lot of people.

respect to anyone who comes out,as it cannot be easy for some to do so.

I just think it's a weird thing to see your sexuality as a 'gift' and something to be proud of. Even if it's a big part of who you are it's just a quirk of genetics or whatever.

It's like being proud of having a birthmark, or being tall.

I'm not even remotely homophobic - maybe this is just one of those things you don't get being part of the majority.

Of course.. but he's an American in America isn't he?

True enough.

Always disappoint to see someone letting their own prejudice overrule actual evidence

I think that's what he was trying to say.

That's quite an insulting thing to say and I'm really not sure where you're getting that from.

Seemed a bit of a bizarre conclusion to draw otherwise.

Seems to me to be implying that being in an oppressed minority gives you a [s]different[/s] better outlook on life.

And? Maybe it does. Is that bad?

I just think it's a weird thing to see your sexuality as a 'gift' and something to be proud of. Even if it's a big part of who you are it's just a quirk of genetics or whatever.

It's like being proud of having a birthmark, or being tall.

I'm proud of being left-handed, and Aspie. These things have shaped my life, and I feel that I'm better, and stronger, as a result. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Seemed a bit of a bizarre conclusion to draw otherwise.

You're going to have to explain that one. Also a bit rich from someone who's come out with borderline racist stuff on here before.

And? Maybe it does. Is that bad?

I think implying that any group is intrinsically better than any other is bad, yup.

lilchris - Member
Whilst I applaud the sentiment, it's bloody ludicrous that in the 21st century someone's sexuality should be of any concern to anyone else
I agree with the sentiment, but I certainly don't applaud it.
[b]Why should he feel the need to broadcast it.[/b]
Column inches? Apple got a new product out?

As someone above said, he's an American, CEO of one of the most valuable companies in the world, and many Americans have serious issues with his sexuality.

Yeah I applaud this bit of it and it's ridiculous that it's still even a potential issue. Just think he's said some fairly odd things while doing it.

I just think it's a weird thing to see your sexuality as a 'gift' and something to be proud of.

He's not saying that. He's saying membership of a minority group has given him insight.

Which is fair enough - I consider myself privileged to have had close friends and groups of friends from a wide variety of backgrounds, for similar reasons.

You're going to have to explain that one.

I thought I'd done that in the first post. I don't see it at all, I don't follow the logic where you think he's implying that being gay is superior (and I really don't see why it's a problem that he's proud of who he is).

Also a bit rich from someone who's come out with borderline racist stuff on here before.

Excuse me?

I thought I'd done that in the first post.

No - you haven't explained anything, you've just insulted me without giving any reasoning at all.

Excuse me?

Some of the stuff you've said about Muslims on here is pretty unpleasant TBH. Basically that they should all have to prove that they aren't terrorist sympathisers.

If by the apple CEO, declaring his sexuality openly, like all straight people do repeatedly, then just perhaps it may help and promote, a young person or mature married or single man to come to terms with their sexuality and not live a lie from their freinds.

Sexuality is no longer a crime, and shoouldnmt be used as a hate word,or a word to mean poor or pathetic, in the saying thats so gay.

But then some people who lead very sheltered lives being drip fed by the media, still think hommosexuality is the start of the failure of society as we know it, not just the beggining of an all inclusive society.

Also a bit rich from someone who's come out with borderline racist stuff on here before.

No, I'm really going to call you on that.

I believe that people should be treated equally, whether they're gay, straight, furry, black, white, brown, green with blue spots, able-bodied or disabled, male, female, undecided. I am the single least -ist person you will ever hope to meet.

I'm strongly against positive discrimination, and I don't think that being, say, Asian or Christian gives you special dispensation to do what you want or get preferential treatment and play the minority card when you get challenged on it.

This applies to my sense of humour, I believe that either everything is fair game or nothing is; anything else is censorship and prejudice. I feel comfortable in making jokes which are blatantly not serious like "are you one of them gayers" because I'm confident in my world view and that anyone who knows me knows that I don't have a prejudiced bone in my body.

I can only assume you've taken a joke the wrong way at some point because, frankly, that comment makes absolutely no sense to me.

Some of the stuff you've said about Muslims on here is pretty unpleasant TBH. Basically that they should all have to prove that they aren't terrorist sympathisers.

Right. I've said in the past that I think British Imams should be more proactive in speaking out against terrorism (thinking back I may have said "Muslim Community" but that's what I meant). But that was a while ago, and they are doing now.

I have never, ever remotely, suggested that "all muslims" should prove that they aren't terrorist sympathisers. Largely because I'm not a bloody idiot.

No - you haven't explained anything, you've just insulted me without giving any reasoning at all.

Have I explained sufficiently now?

I sincerely apologise if you felt I was insulting you, incidentally. I was just being flippant because you didn't make any sense to me.

Where's the bit where you've explained why I appeared homophobic?

BTW here you go Cougar:

Regardless of everyone else's beliefs or efforts, Islam seems to be making a fair fist of demonising itself in our society at the moment. When it condemns terrorism across the board, renounces Sharia law, stops persecuting its own womenfolk, and promotes blanket tolerance towards non-Muslims, then it can come and play with the other children again.

A billion people follow Islam but, what, they're all too scared of their own religion to speak out against the more extreme bits of it? Have we really got a situation where a billion people are all following a mob mind that many of them don't actually fully believe in?

Ill-informed sweeping generalisations if you're being generous, or simply racism/bigotry if you're not.

Where's the bit where you've explained why I appeared homophobic?

"I don't see it at all, I don't follow the logic where you think he's implying that being gay is superior (and I really don't see why it's a problem that he's proud of who he is)."

BTW here you go Cougar:

Wow, you must be stuck for something to do.

The first quotation was probably a generalisation, granted, but I wasn't talking about "all muslims", I was talking about Islam which is not the same thing, and you've taken it out of context. I was talking about the [i]image[/i] of Islam in the west and of people's perceptions of it. That's what people here see, and are the real or imagined issues which the faith needs to address if it wants to fit into modern Western society. (And if it doesn't, that's its prerogative, of course.) Pretty sure I clarified that in the original thread.

Not really seeing the issue with the second; I don't remember the exact context but it was a question I posed in the middle of a fairly heated discussion to spark conversation IIRC, it's a bit low-handed to be playing the race card when I'm not actually stating opinion but taking part in a debate.

EDIT: and how long has "Islam" been a race, anyway?