The Insider.com

After years of speculation, Anderson Cooper has officially come out as a gay man!

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Spurred on by an article in Entertainment Weekly that highlighted Anderson's decision to stay in "The Glass Closet" (a term for stars who don't comment on their sexual preferences but don't go out of their way to comment either way on it), he spoke to The Daily Beast's Andrew Sullivan, saying, "The fact is, I'm gay."

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Anderson states that his decision to not publicly comment on his sexuality stemmed partly from his job, which often requires he visit dangerous places on earth that are not as progressive as America, and partly from a desire to keep his private life, private.

But, that led to the impression he had something to hide, a fact Anderson was not OK with. "It's become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something," Anderson says. "Something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true."

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"The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud. I have always been very open and honest about this part of my life with my friends, my family, and my colleagues. In a perfect world, I don't think it's anyone else's business, but I do think there is value in standing up and being counted. I’m not an activist, but I am a human being and I don't give that up by being a journalist."

For more of Anderson's "Coming Out" Letter, click here!