Anderson Cooper has come out and admitted that he’s gay. The CNN anchor, who has his own show on the network, wrote a revealing public letter after reading an article on EntertainmentWeekly, which addressed the issue of gay celebrities who are in the closet because they are afraid of the public’s reaction.

However, in his letter, Cooper reveals that his colleagues and his friends and family had already known that he was gay because he wasn’t shy about it – he just didn’t see the reason to make the announcement public because to him, it’s no one’s business to know what’s going on his life.

“I’ve always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. As long as a journalist shows fairness and honesty in his or her work, their private life shouldn’t matter,” Cooper insisted.

His statement continued: “Recently, however, I’ve begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle… 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.”