Pro Strongman Champ Rob Kearney Comes Out As Gay

So, this is pretty cool. Rob Kearney is a 25-year-old professional strongman currently ranked as the #2 middleweight champion in the world. Last week he decided to come out to the world as a proud gay man by posting this to Facebook:

The social media post included some of the pictures at the top of this blog post with his boyfriend Joey.

The reaction to Kearney's coming out has been apparently overwhelmingly (but not entirely, of course) positive.

"I thought it was important to be honest," he told me.  "People need to know that one of the top strength athletes on the planet is also gay.  But I didn't want it to affect my ability to compete.  And that possibility definitely crossed my mind before I made that post." 

But once made, the first reactions were overwhelming.  "I can't remember this many people being this supportive and encouraging in my life!" he raved to me.  "I mean, I have always had people back me for events, but that was nothing compared to the sheer numbers of positive messages that came to me.  It was really humbling!" 

Rob is aware that the real impact of his revelation would be felt more gradually over time.  "I am not only the first actively competitive professional world strongman," he explained to me.  "I am also a gay strength coach."

Just as I did when I blogged about Apple CEO Tim Cook's official coming out this week, I congratulate Rob on his openness. It is precisely because of the examples provided by people like Kearney and Cook  (that people of all sexual orientations are in every walk of life) is why those of us who fight for and believe in full LGT equality are confident that eventually (some days soon!)we will live in a world where everyone will be judged by the content of their character and not have their hopes and aspirations impeded by their sexual orientation.

QUEER QUOTE: Apple CEO Tim Cook Comes Out Publicly

Tim Cook, the chief executive officer of Apple, has finally publicly acknowledged what many people have known for quite awhile: he is an openly gay man. In a first-person essay published today in Bloomberg Businessweek Cook says:

 Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day. It’s made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life. It’s been tough and uncomfortable at times, but it has given me the confidence to be myself, to follow my own path, and to rise above adversity and bigotry. It’s also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you’re the CEO of Apple.

With openly gay Cook as its head Apple has been quite successful, and has flirted with becoming the largest market capitalization of any US corporation in recent years.

Congratulations, Mr. Cook!

Gay Donor Gives $1M To Pro-Obama Super-PAC

Mel Heifetz, 76, gave $1 million dollars to
the pro-Obama Super-PAC Priorities USA

Hollywood celebrities like Bill Maher and Morgan Freeman have each received attention for their 1 million dollar donations to Priorities USA, the super PAC that is working for Barack Obama's re-election campaign.

Now comes word from TowleRoad that an openly gay donor named Mel Heifetz has donated $1 million to the Super PAC as well.

Heifetz explains why in his own words:

"Call it giving back. Call it paying it forward. What I know is I'm 76 years old, I probably don't have too many big elections left in my lifetime, and I have no reason to hold back now. People I admire like Bill Maher and Morgan Freeman have given significantly so why shouldn't I? Whatever I might want to contribute in the future, the future is now -- and I refuse to sit this one out as some try to take us back with policies that will weaken the country I love and have fought for all my life.

As a gay, man, I have lots of political issues that are personal when I look ahead to the November elections. One issue alone -- Gov. Romney's support for a federal marriage amendment -- is as insulting as it is harmful, most especially for gay and lesbian couples of my generation. Romney will take us back to the 1950s. And yet, what motivated me wasn't just one issue. I knew that, if I held back now and failed to help re-elect President Obama, I would regret it for the rest of my life. The urgency of donating in future years will be wasted if we don't get President Obama re-elected this year."

There are not that many openly gay people who can make a $1 million dollar donation without blinking. (I'm looking at you David Geffen, Jon Stryker, Chris Hughes, Tim Cook, Peter Thiel and Tim Gill!)

Cingratulations to Mel Heifetz for standing up for his beliefs.

Hat/tip to TowleRoad.

LGBT Friendly Apple Worth Over $500,000,000,000!

The largest company (by stock market valuation) in the world is Apple, which also happens to be one of the most LGBT-supportive companies in the world. For example, it's CEO is Tim Cook, who is an openly gay man. It is now worth nearly half-a-trillion dollars, according to the Los Angeles Times:

The company's market value passed the rarefied half trillion mark in trading Wednesday, as its stock bumped up more than 1%, or nearly $6, to put its value at closer to $504 billion.  The stock jump came a day after the company sent invitations to members of the media for an event next Wednesday in which it is expected to release its third generation iPad. 

Apple is currently the world's most valuable company by market value -- a measure of the total combined value of all of its outstanding shares of stock.  For much of last year, Apple was neck and neck with Exxon Mobil Corp. for that title, but over the last month Apple has catapulted nearly $100 billion past Exxon, which is now worth about $407 billion.

Interestingly, Apple's rival for the top spot, Exxon-Mobil is one of the most anti-LGBT companies in the Fortune 500, infamous for eliminating policies like domestic partnership benefits and sexual orientation nondiscrimination when it merged with Mobil. It is the only company ever to get a negative rating on HRC"s Corporate Equality Index.

With Apple CEO Resignation, Openly Gay COO Takes Over

New Apple CEO Tim Cook (left) with former Apple CEO Steve Jobs

Wow! This is big news! Tim Cook, the openly gay COO of Apple, has been named the new CEO, effective immediately  following the resignation of Steve Jobs earlier on Wednesday.

Here's the text of the letter co-founded and CEO Steve Jobs sent to the Apple community:

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s C.E.O., I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as C.E.O. of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as C.E.O. of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

I have recently become a MacBook Air user and I'm loving it! I had previously blogged about the openly gay COO of Apple, who now becomes the one of the most famous LGBT people in America. Apple, interestingly, has been flirting with the #1 position on the Fortune 500 in terms of market capitalization as the largest company in the world this summer. The #2 company is the evil Exxon Mobil, which is the only company in the Fortune 500 to have rescinded a gay-supportive non-discrimination ordinance (when Exxon merged with Mobil several years ago).

Hat/tip to Joe.My.God