Anderson Cooper officially steps out of the closet

Anderson Cooper, the prestigious, long-time CNN talk show host who has faced gay speculation for years, has finally admitted to the general public that he is in fact gay.

“I’m gay, always have been, always will be,” Cooper said. “I couldn’t be any more happy, comfortable with myself, [or] proud.”

Cooper has led a notoriously private life as a public figure, failing to disclose political, religious, or sexual preferences in the past in an effort to keep an objective image as a leading figure in mainstream journalism. Recent tragedies, however, in combination with a public perception that Cooper had been “ashamed,” led the reporter to finally open up about his sexual preference.

“There continue to be far too many incidences of bullying of young people, as well as discrimination and violence against people of all ages, based on their sexual orientation, and I believe there is value in making clear where I stand,” he said.

Regardless of the reason, we couldn’t be happier that Silver Fox has finally joined the growing ranks of openly-gay celebrities.