As a gay man, I found this article inspiring and not at all offensive. Being gay is not offensive. And it sounds as if he's already out in his personal life, this is just the first time it's getting any media attention. But none of the content of this article was offensive in the slightest.
I think it's fantastic that so many people posted here that it doesn't matter that he may be gay.
I bet the microsoft blogsites have stepped up the hatred. Remember that audio clip from someone who played on Xbox with the alias 'gayboy' with all the other players screaming abuse at him?
I am homophobic, in that the thought of it makes me feel a bit ill, but this was meant to be a country where freedom and equality were self-evident.
AI isn't speculating that Tim Cook is gay, they are just reporting that Valleywag is profiling him as such.
As for those offended by AI "outing" him, I remind you that AI is not reporting him as being gay Valleywag is. And seeing that there has been no official confirmation from Cook himself he is hardly "out".
This is even worse. AI is reporting someone else's speculation.Gossip can damage reputations, and spreading gossip shows a clear lack of integrity and ethics on AI's part.
As a gay man, I found this article inspiring and not at all offensive. Being gay is not offensive. And it sounds as if he's already out in his personal life, this is just the first time it's getting any media attention. But none of the content of this article was offensive in the slightest.
We need more people in power to be out and proud.
I agree being gay is not offensive but it is offensive if someone claims that you are and you aren't. What, may I ask, is inspiring about unconfirmed speculation?
Seriously. This is gossip. And AI is reporting on gossip. Especially something as fiercely personal as this. I'd say it was an inappropriate and irresponsible choice to publish this
agreed.. someone's sexual orientation is completely irrelevant and definitely not news worthy.. at least not in a respected tech news site like AI. And by the way, being gay is not a "preference".
What a horrible article. Yes I applaud Apple for not having any prejudice's against any person's sexuality, but that is how it should be.
A person's sexuality is their personal life and has nothing to do with what they can / cannot achieve in working life.
I felt really awful reading this, the tone it is written is of the "gay people should live in their own, separate society and not mix with everyone else" type of way.
Besides that, the article is full of typo's. Seems the person writing it just wanted to do a quick job and not check their own work. Maybe if they had, they would have binned this pointless article.
"notorious manufacturing manufacturing inefficiencies" - What is manufacturing manufacturing?
"marking chief Phil Schiller" - I think that is VP or Worldwide Product Marketing
Demeter's quote "I'm just not sure that my being gay has anything to do with my business" sums up my opinion of the whole thing. He is 100% correct.
"If Cook is in a long term partnership, he's kept it well hidden. Given his brutal work schedule, though, it's hard to imagine how he'd find time. Still, he's got enough experience to have developed some preferences; our tech executive source claims Cook is into Asian guys, a tidbit that prompted another tech observer, with whom we shared the item, to propose some strategic matchmaking that would pair Cook with Google hotshot Ben Ling. It's an inspired match: Perhaps the coupling could build a bridge between two corporate nemeses." I googled "Tim Cook gay"
There is outrage because Appleinsider is an Apple gadget site, this crap isn't about gadgets at all. Frankly it is diving into peoples personal lives for no good reason. It is objectionable in the same way that diving into Steves health issues is objectionable. Of course many don't see the ugliness of that either, to which we can credit to being brought up in leftist households.
Appleinsider simply isn't the place for this. If one of the secretaries at Apple had a history of attending gang bangs would you want it detailed here? Seriously? For some it might be very interesting but let's face it there are plenty of sites on the net for that.
Except Obama has none of those qualities. That has nothing to do with hate it is just a reflection of reality. What is sad here is that you use this forum and pathetic thread to try to elevate this man beyond what he is capable of. I'm not sure if you are trying to pull focus away from the issue at hand or what. As to the issue at hand what does gay sex have to do with Apple gadgets? That in a nut shell is the problem with this thread.
By definition they are defective, just like anybody else with a birth defect. The great shame here is that any sort of birth defect associated with sex gets classed differently than any other birth defect. There is no justification for that. You can't go around treating people as leapers simple because of an accident of birth.
As to censorship that is BS in this case. Most of us come to AI to read up on Apple hardware, software and rumors. It isn't the place to discuss anybodies sex life, in that regard AI has failed miserably to excercise editorial control. Frankly this whole thread should be pulled because it pollutes the forum with crap that has nothing to do with Appleinsiders mission.
This post is offensive top to bottom. It's the reason we need to use the word gay in public once in a while. It allows us to identify these thoughts and counter them. Others have done that point by point already quite well.
As far as outing him- there is a 0% chance he hasn't considered this. It's the second largest company in the world, it's gonna come up. It sounds like he's comfortable with himself but won't let discussions of him being gay get in the way of apple. If he's going to run apple he's going to have to have that skill. I don't think it will be much of a challenge. He has bigger fish to fry and much bigger shoes to fill. Temporarily.
There is outrage because Appleinsider is an Apple gadget site, this crap isn't about gadgets at all. Frankly it is diving into peoples personal lives for no good reason. It is objectionable in the same way that diving into Steves health issues is objectionable. Of course many don't see the ugliness of that either, to which we can credit to being brought up in leftist households.
Appleinsider simply isn't the place for this. If one of the secretaries at Apple had a history of attending gang bangs would you want it detailed here? Seriously? For some it might be very interesting but let's face it there are plenty of sites on the net for that.
Except Obama has none of those qualities. That has nothing to do with hate it is just a reflection of reality. What is sad here is that you use this forum and pathetic thread to try to elevate this man beyond what he is capable of. I'm not sure if you are trying to pull focus away from the issue at hand or what. As to the issue at hand what does gay sex have to do with Apple gadgets? That in a nut shell is the problem with this thread.
By definition they are defective, just like anybody else with a birth defect. The great shame here is that any sort of birth defect associated with sex gets classed differently than any other birth defect. There is no justification for that. You can't go around treating people as leapers simple because of an accident of birth.
As to censorship that is BS in this case. Most of us come to AI to read up on Apple hardware, software and rumors. It isn't the place to discuss anybodies sex life, in that regard AI has failed miserably to excercise editorial control. Frankly this whole thread should be pulled because it pollutes the forum with crap that has nothing to do with Appleinsiders mission.
What AppleInsider publish is up to AppleInsider and NOT you.
Your choice in the matter is if you read it or not.
You said yourself you come her to read 'rumors', you can't have it both ways!
I think it is absolutely great if Tim Cook really is gay. His success could be a source of inspiration to young gay people.
However, the problem here is that Apple Insider is reporting gossip as if it is fact. What if Tim Cook actually isn't gay. What if he's a hard-working loner who is heterosexual but just never wanted to get married or be in a relationship. He is then placed in the position of having to say, "Actually, I'm not gay"... it's difficult to deny you are gay in a way that is gracious and where you don't come off looking like a homophobic douche bag (see: Tom Cruise).
If he wants to make an issue of his sexuality by e.g., giving an interview to The Advocate then fine, report it. But don't "out" someone who hasn't asked for it.
Seriously. This is gossip. And AI is reporting on gossip. Especially something as fiercely personal as this. I'd say it was an inappropriate and irresponsible choice to publish this
I'm not sure what I think about this. It's the oddest article to have come across on AI and seems irrelevant and yet though we are used to pop stars and celebrities and increasingly politicians saying they are gay it's still very rare in the business world.
I'm old enough to remember my teenage years when the only role models I had were Danny La Rue, Larry Grayson and Liberace! Hardly inspiring for a young man trying to work out why I felt different and what that meant. So, if a gay man or woman can see that you can be in Tim Cook's position and be gay then that's a big help to those who have doubts about their own place in the scheme of things.
Having said that, I hate people being 'outed' (unless they are hypocritical gay men or women) and I have never heard of Valleywag though it sounds like some kind of Silicon Valley gossip mag. If he's acknowledged being gay already then that's one thing but I don't know much background.
However, the article has dragged a few interesting response from AI posters the vast majority of which I'm pleased to see are very adult which is encouraging amongst a load of tech geeks I had to respond to a few:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eye
I've been looking for an article:
"Steve Jobs, the most powerful heterosexual man in Silicon Valley"
But... I didn't find it...
Well, obviously you won't find it - everyone is automatically assumed to be heterosexual until proved otherwise. Doh!
Quote:
Originally Posted by nvidia2008
Seriously though, there needs to be more info on gay people that do other things besides the above to counter that stereotype! I can't stand watching all that next fashion/model/bimbo-superstar crap on TV with all the flamboyant gay men. Imagine if you're gay and you don't have a great haircut (dyed a flamboyant colour), super-snazzy outfits or a tight body... it can be tough.
Spot on and goes to my opening remarks!
Quote:
Originally Posted by solsun
Well I'm a gay man, and no, I'm not offended by the headline, but yes, it is a silly story... Of course Tim Cook is gay. who cares? and furthermore, did anyone really not know that already?
..
Well, I had no idea. How would I have known that? I am in the UK admittedly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
If sexual orientation was a choice, then I would be worried about hiring him, because someone who would let that be done to them, what else might they do that could harm my company? But to the best of my knowledge the current science has gayness being genetic, so no worries.
An amazingly homophobic comment. " ? because someone who would let that be done to them, what else might they do that could harm my company?" Let what be done to them? What has this bizarre idea to do with what else they might to do your company? This is very twisted thinking indeed.
Secondly, what the hell has choice to do with anything? The idea that if you choose to love someone of the same sex it's hideous and horrible and wrong but if genetics "made me do it" then it's OK is SO bigoted. The questions for all things humans do should be "Does it cause suffering to another?", "Who is being hurt by this?" (And I don't mean whose morals are upset). If I suddenly chose to enter a relationship with a woman would that be completely wrong because I'm genetically gay? The twisted 'logic' people use to cloak their bigotry never fails to amaze. If you think something is wrong or immoral then say so and then we can discuss it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Gay? Who cares?
The real story is that Steve Jobs requires that Tim Cook and Phil Schiller wear colla'd shirts. Only The Anointed One may wear the black turtleneck.
Love it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by newbee
... but AI took it upon themselves to talk about an individual without even asking permission from said individual .... at least, afaik.
When was the last time that the media wrote about someone only after they'd asked them if it was OK first?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorre
... personally I feel like a gay CEO should be a total non-issue. However, many people (and countries) don't see it that way. In big parts of the world, homophily is still a very big taboo.
And many of those areas where it's taboo are important growth markets for Apple.
I wonder how this will affect Apple's growth in areas such as China and the Middle East. I really cannot imagine those Saudi oil sheikhs buying $2000 laptops from a company that has a "sinfull" CEO. Maybe they'll even ban Apple products...
This is an interesting point around who you are and how much of yourself you hide. What if Steve Jobs announced last year that he was gay and that the "friend" he'd taken to all those staff parties etc. was in fact his partner? Should he pretend to be someone he's not just so that Apple's share price stays high? Should he in effect say that "Yes, your bigotry in [Apple export Market X] is entirely justifiable and as you you would hate me for being me I'll pretend I'm straight to ensure our company's health and your continued purchases". This is something many music artists and other 'media people' have grappled with. I suppose Elton John is a prime example - he got married and hid everything away for years. His career has not suffered for now being completely out. Of course
Quote:
Originally Posted by womble2k2
What a horrible article. Yes I applaud Apple for not having any prejudice's against any person's sexuality, but that is how it should be.
A person's sexuality is their personal life and has nothing to do with what they can / cannot achieve in working life.
In some way I agree ? but you see we are for the most part invisible. Let's say that you are gay and want to be a top footballer. You look to see what other footballers there are who you know are gay. How many do you find. 0. In the world. What is the conclusion? There are NO gay footballers. One, Justin Fashanu is still, 13 years on, the only professional footballer ever to have come out whilst he was still playing. He later committed suicide. Almost every single sports person we know to be gay came out after they left the sport with Gareth Jones as one of the very few exceptions.Why is this? Although being gay has no effect on whether you are or aren't able to play it could crush your spirit. Sitting in the changing rooms listening to homophobic abuse, hearing it shouted from the terraces at football matches and providing no role models. Imagine how it would feel if you were a straight sportsperson and every single footballer you knew of was gay? How would you feel?
I am a gay positive straight man and I think that this information is so intensely irrelevant that it defies expression. ALL I care about is that Apple continue to make me money and supply me me with good toys.
I'm not sure what I think about this. It's the oddest article to have come across on AI and seems irrelevant and yet though we are used to pop stars and celebrities and increasingly politicians saying they are gay it's still very rare in the business world.
I'm old enough to remember my teenage years when the only role models I had were Danny La Rue, Larry Grayson and Liberace! Hardly inspiring for a young man trying to work out why I felt different and what that meant. So, if a gay man or woman can see that you can be in Tim Cook's position and be gay then that's a big help to those who have doubts about their own place in the scheme of things.
Having said that, I hate people being 'outed' (unless they are hypocritical gay men or women) and I have never heard of Valleywag though it sounds like some kind of Silicon Valley gossip mag. If he's acknowledged being gay already then that's one thing but I don't know much background.
However, the article has dragged a few interesting response from AI posters the vast majority of which I'm pleased to see are very adult which is encouraging amongst a load of tech geeks I had to respond to a few:
Well, obviously you won't find it - everyone is automatically assumed to be heterosexual until proved otherwise. Doh!
Spot on and goes to my opening remarks!
Well, I had no idea. How would I have known that? I am in the UK admittedly.
An amazingly homophobic comment. " ? because someone who would let that be done to them, what else might they do that could harm my company?" Let what be done to them? What has this bizarre idea to do with what else they might to do your company? This is very twisted thinking indeed.
Secondly, what the hell has choice to do with anything? The idea that if you choose to love someone of the same sex it's hideous and horrible and wrong but if genetics "made me do it" then it's OK is SO bigoted. The questions for all things humans do should be "Does it cause suffering to another?", "Who is being hurt by this?" (And I don't mean whose morals are upset). If I suddenly chose to enter a relationship with a woman would that be completely wrong because I'm genetically gay? The twisted 'logic' people use to cloak their bigotry never fails to amaze. If you think something is wrong or immoral then say so and then we can discuss it.
Love it!
When was the last time that the media wrote about someone only after they'd asked them if it was OK first?
This is an interesting point around who you are and how much of yourself you hide. What if Steve Jobs announced last year that he was gay and that the "friend" he'd taken to all those staff parties etc. was in fact his partner? Should he pretend to be someone he's not just so that Apple's share price stays high? Should he in effect say that "Yes, your bigotry in [Apple export Market X] is entirely justifiable and as you you would hate me for being me I'll pretend I'm straight to ensure our company's health and your continued purchases". This is something many music artists and other 'media people' have grappled with. I suppose Elton John is a prime example - he got married and hid everything away for years. His career has not suffered for now being completely out. Of course
In some way I agree ? but you see we are for the most part invisible. Let's say that you are gay and want to be a top footballer. You look to see what other footballers there are who you know are gay. How many do you find. 0. In the world. What is the conclusion? There are NO gay footballers. One, Justin Fashanu is still, 13 years on, the only professional footballer ever to have come out whilst he was still playing. He later committed suicide. Almost every single sports person we know to be gay came out after they left the sport with Gareth Jones as one of the very few exceptions.Why is this? Although being gay has no effect on whether you are or aren't able to play it could crush your spirit. Sitting in the changing rooms listening to homophobic abuse, hearing it shouted from the terraces at football matches and providing no role models. Imagine how it would feel if you were a straight sportsperson and every single footballer you knew of was gay? How would you feel?
Noooooo, Kilted! Not Larry Grayson!!!
Used to know a guy at school who would always do Larry's leg kicks when he left a room -- and he's married now with kids. If that man isn't sneaking out at night, I'm a monkey's uncle.
Comments
A little piece of the Apple love inside of me just died. Guess it's time to find something else to love in the tech world.
If someone else being gay determines your love it wasn't really love.
We need more people in power to be out and proud.
I bet the microsoft blogsites have stepped up the hatred. Remember that audio clip from someone who played on Xbox with the alias 'gayboy' with all the other players screaming abuse at him?
I am homophobic, in that the thought of it makes me feel a bit ill, but this was meant to be a country where freedom and equality were self-evident.
Hopefully this will encourage other young men to become gay.
AI isn't speculating that Tim Cook is gay, they are just reporting that Valleywag is profiling him as such.
As for those offended by AI "outing" him, I remind you that AI is not reporting him as being gay Valleywag is. And seeing that there has been no official confirmation from Cook himself he is hardly "out".
This is even worse. AI is reporting someone else's speculation. Gossip can damage reputations, and spreading gossip shows a clear lack of integrity and ethics on AI's part.
As a gay man, I found this article inspiring and not at all offensive. Being gay is not offensive. And it sounds as if he's already out in his personal life, this is just the first time it's getting any media attention. But none of the content of this article was offensive in the slightest.
We need more people in power to be out and proud.
I agree being gay is not offensive but it is offensive if someone claims that you are and you aren't. What, may I ask, is inspiring about unconfirmed speculation?
Seriously. This is gossip. And AI is reporting on gossip. Especially something as fiercely personal as this. I'd say it was an inappropriate and irresponsible choice to publish this
agreed.. someone's sexual orientation is completely irrelevant and definitely not news worthy.. at least not in a respected tech news site like AI. And by the way, being gay is not a "preference".
A person's sexuality is their personal life and has nothing to do with what they can / cannot achieve in working life.
I felt really awful reading this, the tone it is written is of the "gay people should live in their own, separate society and not mix with everyone else" type of way.
Besides that, the article is full of typo's. Seems the person writing it just wanted to do a quick job and not check their own work. Maybe if they had, they would have binned this pointless article.
"notorious manufacturing manufacturing inefficiencies" - What is manufacturing manufacturing?
"marking chief Phil Schiller" - I think that is VP or Worldwide Product Marketing
Demeter's quote "I'm just not sure that my being gay has anything to do with my business" sums up my opinion of the whole thing. He is 100% correct.
Please AI - Delete this article.
Phil
There is outrage because Appleinsider is an Apple gadget site, this crap isn't about gadgets at all. Frankly it is diving into peoples personal lives for no good reason. It is objectionable in the same way that diving into Steves health issues is objectionable. Of course many don't see the ugliness of that either, to which we can credit to being brought up in leftist households.
Appleinsider simply isn't the place for this. If one of the secretaries at Apple had a history of attending gang bangs would you want it detailed here? Seriously? For some it might be very interesting but let's face it there are plenty of sites on the net for that.
Except Obama has none of those qualities. That has nothing to do with hate it is just a reflection of reality. What is sad here is that you use this forum and pathetic thread to try to elevate this man beyond what he is capable of. I'm not sure if you are trying to pull focus away from the issue at hand or what. As to the issue at hand what does gay sex have to do with Apple gadgets? That in a nut shell is the problem with this thread.
By definition they are defective, just like anybody else with a birth defect. The great shame here is that any sort of birth defect associated with sex gets classed differently than any other birth defect. There is no justification for that. You can't go around treating people as leapers simple because of an accident of birth.
As to censorship that is BS in this case. Most of us come to AI to read up on Apple hardware, software and rumors. It isn't the place to discuss anybodies sex life, in that regard AI has failed miserably to excercise editorial control. Frankly this whole thread should be pulled because it pollutes the forum with crap that has nothing to do with Appleinsiders mission.
This post is offensive top to bottom. It's the reason we need to use the word gay in public once in a while. It allows us to identify these thoughts and counter them. Others have done that point by point already quite well.
As far as outing him- there is a 0% chance he hasn't considered this. It's the second largest company in the world, it's gonna come up. It sounds like he's comfortable with himself but won't let discussions of him being gay get in the way of apple. If he's going to run apple he's going to have to have that skill. I don't think it will be much of a challenge. He has bigger fish to fry and much bigger shoes to fill. Temporarily.
There is outrage because Appleinsider is an Apple gadget site, this crap isn't about gadgets at all. Frankly it is diving into peoples personal lives for no good reason. It is objectionable in the same way that diving into Steves health issues is objectionable. Of course many don't see the ugliness of that either, to which we can credit to being brought up in leftist households.
Appleinsider simply isn't the place for this. If one of the secretaries at Apple had a history of attending gang bangs would you want it detailed here? Seriously? For some it might be very interesting but let's face it there are plenty of sites on the net for that.
Except Obama has none of those qualities. That has nothing to do with hate it is just a reflection of reality. What is sad here is that you use this forum and pathetic thread to try to elevate this man beyond what he is capable of. I'm not sure if you are trying to pull focus away from the issue at hand or what. As to the issue at hand what does gay sex have to do with Apple gadgets? That in a nut shell is the problem with this thread.
By definition they are defective, just like anybody else with a birth defect. The great shame here is that any sort of birth defect associated with sex gets classed differently than any other birth defect. There is no justification for that. You can't go around treating people as leapers simple because of an accident of birth.
As to censorship that is BS in this case. Most of us come to AI to read up on Apple hardware, software and rumors. It isn't the place to discuss anybodies sex life, in that regard AI has failed miserably to excercise editorial control. Frankly this whole thread should be pulled because it pollutes the forum with crap that has nothing to do with Appleinsiders mission.
What AppleInsider publish is up to AppleInsider and NOT you.
Your choice in the matter is if you read it or not.
You said yourself you come her to read 'rumors', you can't have it both ways!
However, the problem here is that Apple Insider is reporting gossip as if it is fact. What if Tim Cook actually isn't gay. What if he's a hard-working loner who is heterosexual but just never wanted to get married or be in a relationship. He is then placed in the position of having to say, "Actually, I'm not gay"... it's difficult to deny you are gay in a way that is gracious and where you don't come off looking like a homophobic douche bag (see: Tom Cruise).
If he wants to make an issue of his sexuality by e.g., giving an interview to The Advocate then fine, report it. But don't "out" someone who hasn't asked for it.
Seriously. This is gossip. And AI is reporting on gossip. Especially something as fiercely personal as this. I'd say it was an inappropriate and irresponsible choice to publish this
Especially from this author.
I'm old enough to remember my teenage years when the only role models I had were Danny La Rue, Larry Grayson and Liberace! Hardly inspiring for a young man trying to work out why I felt different and what that meant. So, if a gay man or woman can see that you can be in Tim Cook's position and be gay then that's a big help to those who have doubts about their own place in the scheme of things.
Having said that, I hate people being 'outed' (unless they are hypocritical gay men or women) and I have never heard of Valleywag though it sounds like some kind of Silicon Valley gossip mag. If he's acknowledged being gay already then that's one thing but I don't know much background.
However, the article has dragged a few interesting response from AI posters the vast majority of which I'm pleased to see are very adult which is encouraging amongst a load of tech geeks
I've been looking for an article:
"Steve Jobs, the most powerful heterosexual man in Silicon Valley"
But... I didn't find it...
Well, obviously you won't find it - everyone is automatically assumed to be heterosexual until proved otherwise. Doh!
Seriously though, there needs to be more info on gay people that do other things besides the above to counter that stereotype! I can't stand watching all that next fashion/model/bimbo-superstar crap on TV with all the flamboyant gay men. Imagine if you're gay and you don't have a great haircut (dyed a flamboyant colour), super-snazzy outfits or a tight body... it can be tough.
Spot on and goes to my opening remarks!
Well I'm a gay man, and no, I'm not offended by the headline, but yes, it is a silly story... Of course Tim Cook is gay. who cares? and furthermore, did anyone really not know that already?
..
Well, I had no idea. How would I have known that? I am in the UK admittedly.
If sexual orientation was a choice, then I would be worried about hiring him, because someone who would let that be done to them, what else might they do that could harm my company? But to the best of my knowledge the current science has gayness being genetic, so no worries.
An amazingly homophobic comment. " ? because someone who would let that be done to them, what else might they do that could harm my company?" Let what be done to them? What has this bizarre idea to do with what else they might to do your company? This is very twisted thinking indeed.
Secondly, what the hell has choice to do with anything? The idea that if you choose to love someone of the same sex it's hideous and horrible and wrong but if genetics "made me do it" then it's OK is SO bigoted. The questions for all things humans do should be "Does it cause suffering to another?", "Who is being hurt by this?" (And I don't mean whose morals are upset). If I suddenly chose to enter a relationship with a woman would that be completely wrong because I'm genetically gay? The twisted 'logic' people use to cloak their bigotry never fails to amaze. If you think something is wrong or immoral then say so and then we can discuss it.
Gay? Who cares?
The real story is that Steve Jobs requires that Tim Cook and Phil Schiller wear colla'd shirts. Only The Anointed One may wear the black turtleneck.
Love it!
... but AI took it upon themselves to talk about an individual without even asking permission from said individual .... at least, afaik.
When was the last time that the media wrote about someone only after they'd asked them if it was OK first?
... personally I feel like a gay CEO should be a total non-issue. However, many people (and countries) don't see it that way. In big parts of the world, homophily is still a very big taboo.
And many of those areas where it's taboo are important growth markets for Apple.
I wonder how this will affect Apple's growth in areas such as China and the Middle East. I really cannot imagine those Saudi oil sheikhs buying $2000 laptops from a company that has a "sinfull" CEO. Maybe they'll even ban Apple products...
This is an interesting point around who you are and how much of yourself you hide. What if Steve Jobs announced last year that he was gay and that the "friend" he'd taken to all those staff parties etc. was in fact his partner? Should he pretend to be someone he's not just so that Apple's share price stays high? Should he in effect say that "Yes, your bigotry in [Apple export Market X] is entirely justifiable and as you you would hate me for being me I'll pretend I'm straight to ensure our company's health and your continued purchases". This is something many music artists and other 'media people' have grappled with. I suppose Elton John is a prime example - he got married and hid everything away for years. His career has not suffered for now being completely out. Of course
What a horrible article. Yes I applaud Apple for not having any prejudice's against any person's sexuality, but that is how it should be.
A person's sexuality is their personal life and has nothing to do with what they can / cannot achieve in working life.
In some way I agree ? but you see we are for the most part invisible. Let's say that you are gay and want to be a top footballer. You look to see what other footballers there are who you know are gay. How many do you find. 0. In the world. What is the conclusion? There are NO gay footballers. One, Justin Fashanu is still, 13 years on, the only professional footballer ever to have come out whilst he was still playing. He later committed suicide. Almost every single sports person we know to be gay came out after they left the sport with Gareth Jones as one of the very few exceptions.Why is this? Although being gay has no effect on whether you are or aren't able to play it could crush your spirit. Sitting in the changing rooms listening to homophobic abuse, hearing it shouted from the terraces at football matches and providing no role models. Imagine how it would feel if you were a straight sportsperson and every single footballer you knew of was gay? How would you feel?
I'm not sure what I think about this. It's the oddest article to have come across on AI and seems irrelevant and yet though we are used to pop stars and celebrities and increasingly politicians saying they are gay it's still very rare in the business world.
I'm old enough to remember my teenage years when the only role models I had were Danny La Rue, Larry Grayson and Liberace! Hardly inspiring for a young man trying to work out why I felt different and what that meant. So, if a gay man or woman can see that you can be in Tim Cook's position and be gay then that's a big help to those who have doubts about their own place in the scheme of things.
Having said that, I hate people being 'outed' (unless they are hypocritical gay men or women) and I have never heard of Valleywag though it sounds like some kind of Silicon Valley gossip mag. If he's acknowledged being gay already then that's one thing but I don't know much background.
However, the article has dragged a few interesting response from AI posters the vast majority of which I'm pleased to see are very adult which is encouraging amongst a load of tech geeks
Well, obviously you won't find it - everyone is automatically assumed to be heterosexual until proved otherwise. Doh!
Spot on and goes to my opening remarks!
Well, I had no idea. How would I have known that? I am in the UK admittedly.
An amazingly homophobic comment. " ? because someone who would let that be done to them, what else might they do that could harm my company?" Let what be done to them? What has this bizarre idea to do with what else they might to do your company? This is very twisted thinking indeed.
Secondly, what the hell has choice to do with anything? The idea that if you choose to love someone of the same sex it's hideous and horrible and wrong but if genetics "made me do it" then it's OK is SO bigoted. The questions for all things humans do should be "Does it cause suffering to another?", "Who is being hurt by this?" (And I don't mean whose morals are upset). If I suddenly chose to enter a relationship with a woman would that be completely wrong because I'm genetically gay? The twisted 'logic' people use to cloak their bigotry never fails to amaze. If you think something is wrong or immoral then say so and then we can discuss it.
Love it!
When was the last time that the media wrote about someone only after they'd asked them if it was OK first?
This is an interesting point around who you are and how much of yourself you hide. What if Steve Jobs announced last year that he was gay and that the "friend" he'd taken to all those staff parties etc. was in fact his partner? Should he pretend to be someone he's not just so that Apple's share price stays high? Should he in effect say that "Yes, your bigotry in [Apple export Market X] is entirely justifiable and as you you would hate me for being me I'll pretend I'm straight to ensure our company's health and your continued purchases". This is something many music artists and other 'media people' have grappled with. I suppose Elton John is a prime example - he got married and hid everything away for years. His career has not suffered for now being completely out. Of course
In some way I agree ? but you see we are for the most part invisible. Let's say that you are gay and want to be a top footballer. You look to see what other footballers there are who you know are gay. How many do you find. 0. In the world. What is the conclusion? There are NO gay footballers. One, Justin Fashanu is still, 13 years on, the only professional footballer ever to have come out whilst he was still playing. He later committed suicide. Almost every single sports person we know to be gay came out after they left the sport with Gareth Jones as one of the very few exceptions.Why is this? Although being gay has no effect on whether you are or aren't able to play it could crush your spirit. Sitting in the changing rooms listening to homophobic abuse, hearing it shouted from the terraces at football matches and providing no role models. Imagine how it would feel if you were a straight sportsperson and every single footballer you knew of was gay? How would you feel?
Noooooo, Kilted! Not Larry Grayson!!!
Used to know a guy at school who would always do Larry's leg kicks when he left a room -- and he's married now with kids. If that man isn't sneaking out at night, I'm a monkey's uncle.
A little piece of the Apple love inside of me just died. Guess it's time to find something else to love in the tech world.
I suspect some other parts inside of you were already dead.