Apple CEO Tim Cook has come out of the closet. He publicly confirmed he is gay in an opinion piece published Thursday (October 30, 2014), becoming the highest-profile chief executive to come out.

In an essay published by Bloomberg Businessweek advocating for human rights and equality, Cook cited Dr. Martin Luther King as his inspiration who helped him to set aside his desire for privacy to do something “more important.” Cook writes,”While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now, So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”

Even though he’s been open with others about being gay, Cook says that he has compelled to publicly come out to help others. “I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others,” writes Cook. “So if 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.”

On Twitter, Apple’s chief of global marketing, Philip Schiller, showed support for Cook. “Proud to work for you and be your friend,” Schiller said.