全文翻译：
Throughout my professional life, I've tried to maintain a basic level of
privacy.
在我的职业生涯中，我一直试着保有基本的隐私。
I come from humble roots, and I don't seek to draw attention to myself.
我出身低微，不怎么喜欢受到关注。
Apple is already one of the most closely watched companies in the world, and I
like keeping the focus on our products and the incredible things our customers
achieve with them.
苹果已经是全世界最受瞩目的企业之一了，我希望外界的焦点能集中在我们的产品，还有
我们的客户透过这些产品达到的美妙成果。
At the same time, I believe deeply in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who
said:
同时，我深深相信 马丁‧路德‧金恩 博士曾说过的话：
“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for
others?’
“人生最长久而迫切的问题，是‘你为他人做了什么？’”
I often challenge myself with that question, and I've come to realize that my
desire for personal privacy has been holding me back from doing something more
important.
我经常这样问自己，然后想通了我想保有个人隐私的意愿，阻挡了我去做某些更为重要的
事。
That's what has led me to today.
这就是今天我这么做的原因。
For years, I've been open with many people about my sexual orientation.
多年来，我曾对许多人坦白我的性向。
Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I'm gay, and it doesn't seem to make a
difference in the way they treat me.
在苹果很多同事都知道我是同志，他们对待我的方式仍一如既往。
Of course, I've had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity
and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people's
differences.
当然，我很幸运能够在一家热爱创意与创新的公司工作，并且明白只有懂得拥抱人们身上
的差异，才能使这样的精神发光发热。
Not everyone is so lucky.
并非所有人都这么幸运。
While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven't publicly acknowledged it
either, until now.
我从未否认过自己的性向，但也不曾公开承认这点，直到现在。
So let me be clear:I'm proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the
greatest gifts God has given me.
让我明明白白地坦承：我很骄傲是个同志，我觉得身为同志是上帝赐予我最棒的礼物之一
。
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.
身为同志让我对于少数群体的感受有了更深的理解，也让我有机会去了解身处其他少数群
体中的人们，在日常生活中所遭遇的挑战。
It's made me more empathetic, which has led to a richer life.
这令我更能够感同身受，加深了我人生的厚度。
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.
虽然有时也会感到辛苦与难过，但这给予我自信去做我自己、走自己的路，克服逆境并无
惧社会的眼光。
It's also given me the skin of a rhinoceros, which comes in handy when you're
the CEO of Apple.
这也让我不害怕被批评，成为苹果执行长后这点就派上用场了。
The world has changed so much since I was a kid.
与我童年时相比，世界的变化很大。
America is moving toward marriage equality, and the public figures who have
bravely come out have helped change perceptions and made our culture more
tolerant.
美国开始走向婚姻平权，公众人物勇敢出柜协助改变了人们的观念，使我们的文化变得更
加宽容。
Still, there are laws on the books in a majority of states that allow employers
to fire people based solely on their sexual orientation.
但是大多数州的法律，依然允许企业仅凭性向就能作为开除员工的理由。
There are many places where landlords can evict tenants for being gay, or where
we can be barred from visiting sick partners and sharing in their legacies.
在许多地方，身为同志可能会遭房东驱赶，或被禁止探望生病的伙伴与分享他们的遗产。
Countless people, particularly kids, face fear and abuse every day because of
their sexual orientation.
有无数的人，特别是孩子，只因为他们的性向而每一天都饱受恐惧与欺凌。
I don't consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I've benefited
from the sacrifice of others.
我没将自己视为一名运动者，但我知道其他人的牺牲换来了我的幸运。
So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come
to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or
inspire people to insist on their equality, then it's worth the trade-off with
my own privacy.
所以，如果苹果的执行长是个同志能有助于任何正苦苦挣扎的人接纳他或她自己，能带给
感到孤单的人安慰，或是能鼓舞坚信他们应享有平等权利的人，那么这值得用我自身的隐
私来交换。
I'll admit that this wasn't an easy choice.
我得承认，这不是个轻易的选择。
Privacy remains important to me, and I'd like to hold on to a small amount of
it.
保有隐私对我来说依旧重要，我希望能有小小的保留。
I've made Apple my life's work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of
my waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be.
我已把苹果当作一生努力的目标，我将继续把几乎所有醒著的时间，都专注在尽我所能当
个最好的执行长这件事上。
That's what our employees deserve — and our customers, developers,
shareholders, and supplier partners deserve it, too.
这是我们的员工应得的─还有我们的客户、开发商、股东与供应伙伴也是。
Part of social progress is understanding that a person is not defined only by
one's sexuality, race, or gender.
明白一个人不能只因为他的性向、种族或性别而被定义，是社会进步的一部分。
I'm an engineer, an uncle, a nature lover, a fitness nut, a son of the South,
a sports fanatic, and many other things.
我是个工程师、叔叔、大自然爱好者、健身狂、南方人、运动迷以及其他种种。
I hope that people will respect my desire to focus on the things I'm best
suited for and the work that brings me joy.
我希望人们尊重我的意愿，把注意力放在我最适合并能带给我快乐的工作上。
The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human rights and
equality for all.
我有幸带领的这家公司，长期提倡人权与所有人都享有平等。
We've taken a strong stand in support of a workplace equality bill before
Congress, just as we stood for marriage equality in our home state of
California.
我们在国会面前强烈支持工作场所平等法案，就像我们公司所在的加州支持婚姻平权一
样。
And we spoke up in Arizona when that state's legislature passed a
discriminatory bill targeting the gay community.
在亚利桑那州通过针对同志社群的歧视性法案时，我也提出抗议。
We'll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this
incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, would
do the same.
我们将继续为我们所抱持的价值观奋斗，我相信任何担任这家不可思议公司执行长的人，
无论种族、性别或性向，都会这么做。
And I will personally continue to advocate for equality for all people until
my toes point up.
我个人也将继续倡议所有人皆平等，直到身死的那天
When I arrive in my office each morning, I'm greeted by framed photos of Dr.
King and Robert F. Kennedy.
每天早上当我走进我的办公室，都会看着相框中金恩博士与罗伯特‧甘迺迪的照片。
I don't pretend that writing this puts me in their league.
我不会假装写了这篇文章就能让我足以与他们并列。
All it does is allow me to look at those pictures and know that I'm doing my
part, however small, to help others.
这一切只是让我能够看着他们的照片，知道我正在尽自己所能做的努力，无论多微小，去
帮助他人。
We pave the sunlit path toward justice together, brick by brick.
我们一砖一瓦合力筑起一条受阳光照耀的道路，通向公理正义。
This is my brick.
这块砖属于我。
Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple
※ 引述《Reedred (Reedred)》之铭言：
: 新闻来源: http://goo.gl/5DlGu9
: 因为文章略长，我大概贴一下重点段落，附上一点弱弱的个人中文翻译。
: Throughout my professional life, I’ve tried to maintain a basic level of privacy. I come from humble roots, and I don’t seek to draw attention to myself. Apple is already one of the most closely watched companies in the world, and I like keeping the focus on our products and the incredible things our customers achieve with them.
: While I have never denied my sexuality, I haven’t publicly acknowledged it either, until now. So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.
: 我从未否认我的性向，我也从未公开承认，直到现在。让我现在来说明白：我很骄傲我是Gay，而我相信我是Gay这件事情是上帝赐给我最好的礼物之一。
: So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy.
: 所以，如果有人听到，Apple的执行长是Gay，可以帮助他们了解他们是谁，或者让那些感到寂寞的人感到安心，或能激发人们去坚持种族平等及性别平等，那么牺牲我个人的隐私就值得了。
: I’ll admit that this wasn’t an easy choice. Privacy remains important to me, and I’d like to hold on to a small amount of it. I’ve made Apple my life’s work, and I will continue to spend virtually all of my waking time focused on being the best CEO I can be.
: 我承认这不是件简单的决定。我仍十分重视隐私，并希望能继续保有少部分的隐私权。苹果是我的人生事业，而我也会尽我所有的时间，及我的能力，做最好的CEO。