Shout Out Health

Apple CEO Tim Cook Comes Out: What Will Be Your Brick on the 'Path Toward Justice'?

In what may be the biggest 'coming out' of all -- and that includes Ellen DeGeneres, George Michael, Elton John, and maybe even Michael Sam -- Apple CEO Tim Cook declared to the world a long-rumored but never publicly declared truth, stating "I am a proud gay man" in an op ed for BloombergBusinessweek.com.

Homophobic business and financial leaders, and conservative politicians probably share limited respect for prowess in music or the arts, but when the global leader of arguably the world's most talk-about and valued brand adds himself to this ever-growing 'out and proud' list, it changes the game (except in places like Russia).

The fact remains in our society that success, money and power equals respect, and can also shatter stereotypes. Cook is without doubt one of the world's most influential, powerful business leaders, so it's safe to say that homophobia in the boardroom will be more frowned upon than ever thanks to Cook's declaration.

In his thoughtful piece, the 53-year-old Cook also speaks to something equally important -- there is no singular definition of 'out and proud' anymore. To be sure, the LBGT community owes a mountain of debt to those brave souls - such as Harvey Milk, Larry Kramer, and so many others -- whose coming out paved the way for massive progress such as gay marriage and other civil rights victories.

Forgiveness and Faith: Do Anti-Gay Bakers Deserve LGBT Forgiveness?

A recent ShoutOutHealth post on the power of forgiveness generated a lot of discussion/debate, but now one gay activist is putting that often difficult practice to the test.

When Evangelical Christian (and gay man) Matt Stolhandske wrote this stunning piece in the Washington Post, he set off a firestorm of controversy in both LGBT and religious circles. Was he really going to help raise the astonishing sum of $150,000 to cover the punitive fine that Melissa and Aaron Klein -- the Portland-based Christian bakery owners who refused to make a cake for a lesbian couple’s wedding in 2013 -- received from the state of Oregon?

Stolhandske says following his faith and practicing forgiveness ultimately made the decision a (pardon the pun) straightforward one. He writes:

It wasn’t until I stepped away from the church, albeit briefly, that I was I able to find love and forgiveness for myself and the true heart of the Christian gospel; the love of a Father so stubbornly refusing to condemn that He would send His Son to die in my place. And that gospel has so deeply permeated my soul that I cannot find it in myself to hate the Kleins.

In the face of intolerance, I am yet called to love.

HIV Study Shocker: What Many Gay Men Still DON'T Know ...

In the "say what?" side of the news, a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed some pretty shocking evidience on level of ignorance about HIV/AIDS in the gay community. The highlights (or should we say, lowlights) include:

• Only a third of the participants knew that HIV infections are increasing among gay men.
• Not even half the men (46 percent) knew that doctors recommend that people who are newly diagnosed with HIV begin antiretroviral therapy immediately.

But perhaps the most disturbing findings seem to reflect a stunning failure taking place in health care settings. Consider this:

• 56 percent of the men surveyed said a doctor has never recommended that they get tested for HIV.
• 47 percent of the men said they've never discussed their sexual orientation with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

Results like this shine a light on the fact that homophobia remains alive and well in doctor's offices around the country. Too many patients continue to refuse to even tell their primary doctor they're gay, and too many doctors are refusing to ask about their patient's sexual behavior, thereby endangering their patient's health.

Stunning progress has been made over the past decade to educate, test for and treat HIV, and many lives have been saved. But when it comes to even the basics of HIV education, apparently there's still a very long way to go.

Do these results surprise you? Leave your comments and discuss!