Apple CEO Tim Cook will be honored for
his LGBT rights advocacy during the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC)
19th annual National Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Cook, who took over the reigns at Apple
in 2011, quietly came out roughly a year ago in an essay published in
Bloomberg Businessweek, where he stated that he considers
being gay “among the greatest gifts” God had given him.
At Saturday's event, Cook will receive
the group's Visibility Award.
“Tim Cook is a visionary whose
leadership of Apple has been nothing short of remarkable,” said HRC
President Chad Griffin. “His willingness to bravely and directly
speak his truth has not only given hope to countless people around
the world, it has saved lives. Through his example and Apple's
commitment to equality, LGBT young people in particular can look to
Tim Cook's incredible career and know that there is nothing holding
them back. They can dream as big as their minds allow them to, even
if they want to be the CEO of one of the world's largest companies.
HRC is honored to welcome Tim to our National Dinner.”
Also being honored is out actress Ellen
Page.
Seven-time Emmy Award winner Allison
Janney will present Page with HRC's National Vanguard Award.
Vice President Joe Biden, who has not
said whether he will make a run for the White House in 2016, will
headline Saturday's event, while retired NBA player Jason Collins and
Blossom Brown, the 28-year-old transgender woman who believes she was
denied
entry into a nursing program because of her gender identity, are
also scheduled to speak at the gathering.
Democratic presidential candidate
Hillary Rodham Clinton will address the group earlier in the day.
(Related: Hillary
Clinton to address LGBT advocate HRC.)