As a gay man, I feel as though that any kind of person coming out is a step in the right direction. Although I agree with the commenter in many ways, I do think that as more different kinds of gay people come out- the more mundane "being gay" will be seen in greater society. It will give the sense that gay people come in many forms: rich, famous, successful, poor, etc. In the future, we may even reach a point where people think you are just mentioning it for attention.

We obviously aren't there yet, though. And I think this is where the frustration for some of us comes from. I identify as gay cis male- and I'm openly out to my friends and family. But "coming out" is not a process that ends the first time you do it. You have to eventually come out to every one you (at least) associate closely with. Now, nobody is by any means obligated to reveal their sexuality in the workplace. But straight people have nothing to lose when they mention their partner in casual conversation. Gay people might have to lie, give the runaround or be honest and ready to deal with the potential consequences.

Ultimately that is part of the problem. As a 21 year old who is just starting out in the workforce, I can't afford to come out to my boss or coworkers. I don't have the luxury of affirming my sexuality in the work environment- because discrimination against gays is still very much a relevant issue (whether it is overt or not). There is no doubt in my mind that had Tim Cook come out earlier in life, he most likely would not be in the same position that he is in today. He has the ability to say he is proudly gay because it doesn't matter at this point- he's the fucking CEO of Apple. He's untouchable. He's got nothing to lose- unlike myself. I'll have to wait until I reach a certain age or status where I know I can comfortably be out at work. It is for this reason that I respect someone less privileged being out at work more. They don't have the so-called safety net that Tim Cook has.