Inspiring News Moment: Anderson Cooper Publicly Admits He’s Gay

Silver fox and journalist extraordinaire Anderson Cooper has always been the subject of rumors regarding his sexual orientation, but the reporter has been notoriously mum on the subject, over the years. However, the CNN correspondent (and generally awesome dude) admitted today, in a letter to Andrew Sullivan, that he was, indeed, homosexual. His letter is honest, beautiful, and points out the fact that political, sexual, and religious affiliations should not be a part of a newscaster's identity — but he is committed to helping to remove the stigma from being gay.

He writes: "I've always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. As long as a journalist shows fairness and honesty in his or her work, their private life shouldn't matter. I’ve stuck to those principles for my entire professional career, even when I’ve been directly asked 'the gay question,' which happens occasionally. I did not address my sexual orientation in the memoir I wrote several years ago because it was a book focused on war, disasters, loss, and survival. I didn't set out to write about other aspects of my life.

"Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. It’s become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something — something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed, or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true."

Look, we'll be honest: Anderson Cooper would have trouble doing wrong in our book. He's a well-spoken, passionate journalist (who somehow gets hotter with age — like a delicious, silver-tinted fine wine?), and we applaud his strength, articulate admission, and relentless pursuit of the truth. You go, Anderson! (The Daily Beast)