Tim Cook posted an essay in Bloomberg Businessweek this morning saying, in a nutshell, that he’s proud to be gay and felt it was important to make this public statement. As might be expected, Cook spoke with the Apple Board before releasing the essay.

Why take this step? In Cook’s words:

I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others. 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.

Here’s a link to the essay.

And here’s a thoughtful video interview with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel, in which he discusses being approached by Cook to tell his story.