Celebrities Who Have Recently Come Out

The Apple boss became the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company when he came out on October 30, 2014.

"While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now," Cook wrote in a public statement. "So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me."

The Juno actress came out in a speech at a benefit for the Human Rights Campaign in February 2014. 

"I am tired of hiding and I am tired of lying by omission," Page told the audience, to resounding applause. "I suffered for years because I was scared to be out. My spirit suffered, my mental health suffered and my relationships suffered. And I'm standing here today, with all of you, on the other side of all that pain."

The Good Morning America anchor posted a photo to Facebook in December 2013, after a year in which the breast cancer survivor battled a serious bone marrow disease. 

"At this moment I am at peace and filled with joy and gratitude," Roberts wrote. "I am grateful to God, my doctors and nurses for my restored good health…I am grateful for my entire family, my long time girlfriend, Amber, and friends as we prepare to celebrate a glorious new year together."

The actress came out fairly nonchalantly on Twitter in August 2013, after the United States Supreme Court struck down a law barring federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

"I can finally get married!" Symone told her followers. "Yay government! So proud of you."

The Prison Break star denied rumors that he was gay during his time on the popular Fox crime drama, but went public in August 2013 after being invited to attend the St. Petersburg Film Festival in Russia, a country which suffers from large-scale anti-gay violence.

"As someone who has enjoyed visiting Russia in the past and can also claim a degree of Russian ancestry, it would make me happy to say yes," Miller wrote in a letter to the festival's director, which was posted to GLAAD's website. "However, as a gay man, I must decline."

The subject of speculation for many years, Foster publicly confirmed her sexuality in a heartfelt acceptance speech at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. 

Bello came out in a 2013 New York Times essay, detailing her friendship with a woman that blossomed into a long-term relationship. 

"She is the person I like being with the most," the actress wrote, "the one with whom I am most myself."

The CNN anchor came out in an email to journalist Andrew Sullivan in July 2012. Sullivan posted the message to his blog on The Daily Beast, with Cooper's permission.

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

The Big Bang Theory star came out indirectly in a New York Times profile, when reporter Patrick Healy wrote about Parsons' role in the 2011 revival of Larry Kramer's AIDS drama The Normal Heart.

"The Normal Heart resonated with him on a few levels," Healy wrote. "Mr. Parsons is gay and in a 10-year relationship, and working with an ensemble again onstage was like nourishment, he said."

Bomer publicly acknowledged his sexuality when he thanked his partner and their children in an acceptance speech at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards in 2012.

"I'd really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry. Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment."

The Star Trek star came out after the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, a bisexual teenager who killed himself as a result of near-constant bullying about his sexuality.

"In light of Jamey's death — it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it — is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality," he told New York magazine in 2011.

Best know for his role as the flamboyant Jack on Will and Grace, Hayes faced speculation about his sexuality for many years, but didn't officially announce that he was gay until 2010.

"I am who I am," he told The Advocate. "I was never in, as they say. Never. I believe that nobody owes anything to anybody."

The country singer same out to family and friends beginning in 2004, but didn't announce it publicly until 2010, in an interview with People Magazine. Her coming out was documented in the film Wish Me Away, which was released in 2011. 

The performer posted a message on his website in March 2010 which read, "I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."