Apple's Tim Cook accepts Visibility Award at Human Rights Campaign dinner
In accepting his Visibility Award at a Human Rights Campaign dinner on Saturday night, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke about his coming out as gay and argued that there are still obstacles to LGBT acceptance even if much progress has been made.
Making reference to things like this summer's Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, Cook suggested that the U.S. was closer than ever to achieving Martin Luther King Jr.'s goal of people being judged solely on their character. He noted however that that the country isn't there yet, and that LGBT people are still sometimes bullied, seen as defective, or even sent off for "reparative" treatment.
"People need to hear that being gay does not give you limitations in life," he commented in an NBC video of the event.
Cook also received positive words from people like HRC President Chad Griffin, and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who said that Cook serves as an inspiration for kids worried about being different and what they can achieve.
Although Cook's sexuality was rumored for some time, the CEO only officially came out in October 2014, hoping to inspire others. During his tenure Apple has been been more assertive than ever in supporting LGBT causes, for instance by backing the Equality Act meant to end discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
Cook himself has spoken regularly on the topic, and been a major HRC donor. Apple has regularly won perfect scores on the pro-LGBT organization's Corporate Equality Index.
Making reference to things like this summer's Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, Cook suggested that the U.S. was closer than ever to achieving Martin Luther King Jr.'s goal of people being judged solely on their character. He noted however that that the country isn't there yet, and that LGBT people are still sometimes bullied, seen as defective, or even sent off for "reparative" treatment.
"People need to hear that being gay does not give you limitations in life," he commented in an NBC video of the event.
Cook also received positive words from people like HRC President Chad Griffin, and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, who said that Cook serves as an inspiration for kids worried about being different and what they can achieve.
Although Cook's sexuality was rumored for some time, the CEO only officially came out in October 2014, hoping to inspire others. During his tenure Apple has been been more assertive than ever in supporting LGBT causes, for instance by backing the Equality Act meant to end discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
Cook himself has spoken regularly on the topic, and been a major HRC donor. Apple has regularly won perfect scores on the pro-LGBT organization's Corporate Equality Index.
Comments
Jobs was a lot more libertarian than liberal.
I think Tim Cook may be libertarian as well.
Years ago, Steve Wozniak said that Jobs read Atlas Shrugged and it changed his worldview-- did the same thing for me. Was a liberal, became a libertarian after reading that book. (It pretty much demolishes liberalism, which is why liberal media is constantly bashing Ayn Rand)
Strictly speaking, Apple isn't too libertarian- discrimination is the nature of freedom of association. EG: If you don't want to associate with someone because they are gay or christian, that's your right. It might be stupid-- and personally I think it is-- but that's what freedom of association is. Gay Marriage is merely saying you have the right to marry who you want-- also freedom of association.
Tim is representing Tim Cook here. I've got nothing wrong with him being a leading light for gay people everywhere.
In the past, gay kids often committed suicide, in part because they had no role models, and believed they were the only ones like that. Tim Cook dispels that perception, and I commend him for that.
I read Atlas Shrugged. It was a comedy, right?
I read Atlas Shrugged. It was a comedy, right?
Judging by what happened in Chile, yes.
What does a story about a bunch of possible land-scammers have to do with Ayn Rand's Objectivism? Scammers come in all shapes, sizes and philosophical clothing. Their game is to scam people out of money by appealing to their beliefs, which these alleged crooks did. So what?
Need proof that people of every political and philosophical stripe have tricked, stolen, misrepresented, etc.? Try looking at a history book or the news sometime. Most fraud is committed by people who are not Objectivists or Libertarians. What does that tell you?:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_corruption
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swampland_in_Florida
http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/fraud-financial-crimes.html
http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efik45ekdjl/our-take-on-the-10-biggest-frauds-in-recent-u-s-history-2/
Also, both you and the Vice author confuse Objectivism for Libertarianism. They're not the same. Learn the difference by doing five minutes worth of your own research (which I doubt you will do, based on the intellectually lazy comment and response which prompted me to reply).
And Apple is a far better company in every way for that shift.
Far more 'profitable' you could say, but better? Nah
No, I meant better. But the fact that Apple is no longer the underdog, and is very much part of the 'establishment' makes a difference, of course. Apple was definitely 'cooler' then but you can no longer be cool when you are as big as Apple is today. You have to look at today's Apple for what it is and not what it was. The 'golden' era of Apple against the world with a confrontational, take no prisoners visionary at the helm have gone forever. And personally I see the 'new' socially responsible, visually 'inclusive' and more transparent Apple as 'better' though I'd concede that the Jobs era was more exciting and fun.
http://fortune.com/2015/10/04/apple-cook-jobs-gay/
Nice - thanks
You know, I'm starting to think he's not involving Apple at all. This is all him.
But the fact he's the CEO of Apple makes people correlate everything about him with with Apple.
I do remember the gay pride parade thing where he heavily involved Apple.
Anti-workers' rights, anti-consumer rights, anti-regulation. Libertarianism is a scammer's paradise.
That comment is completely in line with your other uninformed comments. At least you're consistent.
John Rogers' quote always tickles me when I read it:
"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."