Well June is Gay Pride month: CNBC Host Accidentally "Outs" Apple CEO Tim Cook As Gay

[telemann.livejournal.com]

On Friday morning, a CNBC segment of “Squawk on the Street” turned awkward after co-anchor Simon Hobbs accidentally “ outed” Apple (AAPL +1.18%) CEO Tim Cook as being openly gay. “I think Tim Cook is fairly open about the fact that he’s gay at the head of Apple isn’t he?” asked Hobbs to columnist Jim Stewart. During the segment, The New York Times journalist was discussing his upcoming column on John Browne, the former CEO of oil giant BP whose book, The Glass Closet: Why Coming Out Is Good For Business, details his life as a closeted executive. “No,” Stewart answered after an awkward silence. “I don’t want to comment on anybody who might or might not be,” he added. “I’m not going to out anybody. I called a lot of people and no one at any major company would allow their names to be used.” Cook has never confirmed nor denied his sexual orientation.

More here, with video of the segment.

I think it's one thing to out a closeted politician who is consistently hurting people in their day-to-day lives by the legislation they're advocating and enacting into law (Charlie Crist was horrible in that regard in Florida, when he was governor). But I'm not sure about businessmen or executives. If their company's business policies are fair, sane, and not hurting anyone, I think outing them is unfair and a breach of their privacy.

Comments

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

I think it's one thing to out a closeted politician who is consistently hurting people in their day-to-day lives by the legislation they're advocating and enacting into law (Charlie Crist was horrible in that regard in Florida, when he was governor). But I'm not sure about businessmen or executives. If their company's business policies are fair, sane, and not hurting anyone, I think outing them is unfair and a breach of their privacy.

I agree on the second part, not on the first, but I was surprised when this came up because I thought Cook was out as well. It probably speaks a lot to how little a big deal it is in this day and age with some of the assumptions if anything, compared to even a decade ago.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I thought Cook was out as well. It probably speaks a lot to how little a big deal it is in this day and age with some of the assumptions if anything, compared to even a decade ago.

To whom?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

To society in general?

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

Scott Lively is part of society in general, yes? I think there exists pockets where there are superior sets of problems, but homophobia and oppression are not over by a long shot.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

No, it's not over, but it's generally not a big deal except for those pockets.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I agree it shouldn't be, but the slightest mention he may be is national news.

[lafinjack.livejournal.com]

I also thought it was already known he was gay.

[deborahkla.livejournal.com]

I agree on the second part, not on the first

So you don't agree that it's all right to out a hypocrite whose actions are hurting others? What's your reasoning for not agreeing?

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

Mainly because it's unclear whether there's a hypocrisy involved, and that the privacy of outing is either important or it isn't.

[deborahkla.livejournal.com]

I think you're unclear on the definition of "hypocrisy". If a man is a closeted gay and speaks out repeatedly against gay rights as well as actively works against granting human rights to gays he is a hypocrite, plain and simple.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

I don't agree. That implies that he's a perfect individual who is happy with what he is and would like to see it protected, for example.

[deborahkla.livejournal.com]

In your mind perhaps, but in reality it doesn't imply anything of the sort. I know people who are gay and have decided not to act on it and are married with children, but they don't go around persecuting gays who do. To be a closeted gay and go around persecuting gays or speaking up against them is to be a hypocrite, plain and simple. Whether or not that person is happy or unhappy with being gay has nothing whatsoever to do with whether he's a hypocrite or not. He's still a fucking hypocrite for treating other gay people who are happy as though they shouldn't be. If anything his personal psychology is what brings about the hypocrisy. You have an extremely limited view of what hypocrisy actually is.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

To be a closeted gay and go around persecuting gays or speaking up against them is to be a hypocrite, plain and simple.

I disagree. You first need to surmise that they want their gay activity to be okay, but no one else's, before you can call them a hypocrite.

[deborahkla.livejournal.com]

You can disagree all you want; that doesn't make you right. The hypocrisy is in the behavior, not the motivations. Your mind is so way out there you'll make up anything rather than admit you're dead wrong.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

It's all about motivation in this case. To simply assume "anti-gay gay person = hypocrite" assumes you know more about them than you do.

This is the sort of simplistic thinking that makes you believe in things like the pay gap.

[oslo.livejournal.com]

Would you say the same about a black CEO, if he or she were light-skinned enough to be able to "pass," and chose to do so?

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

In today's Internet world, I don't know how strong a powerful person's (whether in politics or business or even entertainment) expectations can be to keep big secrets like that. When it comes to homosexuality, the best hope may be that it will no longer be something that one would need to hide.

[telemann.livejournal.com]

Matt Drudge has been rumored for a very long time to be a closet case. There are others.
I watched a documentary about this a while ago. Pretty interesting.

[hardblue.livejournal.com]

It is very interesting. I imagine these political outings have helped to move gay rights in this country.

[pacotelic.livejournal.com]

To be fair, Tim Cook is neither Gay nor Straight.

He is Moneyed.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

It seems very prurient for peacetime, but there is a war at play.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

I think understanding that it's so controversial right now is exactly why we should respect people's privacy about such issues, as long as hating on it isn't central to their message. Hopefully its not always the case.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I concede your point and the exception.