Peter Thiel calls Tim Cook's decision to declare his sexuality 'courageous'

Peter Thiel said it was “courageous” of Apple chief executive Tim Cook to publicly declare that he is a gay man.

“I think it’s always good for gay people to come out,” said Thiel, who has long been public about being gay. “I think it was a very courageous move on Tom Cook’s part.”

Thiel made his remarks today while being interviewed on stage at the Web Summit in Dublin.

Last month, Cook said he hoped he could help others by acknowledging what his friends, family, and coworkers have long known

“I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others,” Cook wrote in an essay last month. “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.”

While such a revelation might not be as surprising in a socially progressive region like Silicon Valley, Thiel said people shouldn’t underestimate how much risk was involved for a CEO who operates a truly global company.

“There are many parts of the world where people think very differently about this issue,” Thiel said. “And when you operate a global company you have to worry about your brand.”