Anderson Cooper Comes Out

“What took you so long?” says world

Sexy and silver CNN anchor Anderson Cooper (finally!) admitted he’s gay in an email sent to his friend Andrew Sullivan, the blogger and columnist at The Daily Beast. Cooper gave Sullivan permission to share the missive, which emerged after Sullivan asked him his opinion about public figures and coming out of the closet.

The fact is, I’m gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud,” Cooper wrote.

I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don’t think it’s anyone else’s business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don’t give that up by being a journalist.”

Cooper defended his choice not to come out earlier, despite rampant curiosity among gay and mainstream media—and insisted that his lag was tied to his desire to remain a disinterested journalist, not shame or self-loathing. “Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I’ve often found myself in some very dangerous places. For my safety and the safety of those I work with, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people’s stories, and not my own. I have found that sometimes the less an interview subject knows about me, the better I can safely and effectively do my job as a journalist,” he wrote.


What Do You Think?