Anderson Cooper: 'I'm Gay'

Anderson Cooper, 45, is a reporter who doesn't necessarily want to be a topic of discussion himself, which explains why he only recently came out as gay after years of speculation about his sexuality.

"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," Cooper wrote in an email to the Daily Beast, for whom political activist friend, Andrew Sullivan, writes.

"Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I've often found myself in some very dangerous places. For my safety and the safety of those I work with, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people's stories, and not my own," Cooper explained in the lengthy email.

"Recently, however, I've begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. 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 — something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true."

Cooper also tried to impress the fact that he strives for transparency in his job as a reporter, which is of utmost importance to him. "Since my early days as a reporter, I have worked hard to accurately and fairly portray gay and lesbian people in the media — and to fairly and accurately portray those who for whatever reason disapprove of them. It is not part of my job to push an agenda, but rather to be relentlessly honest in everything I see, say and do. I've never wanted to be any kind of reporter other than a good one, and I do not desire to promote any cause other than the truth."

Cooper also laid to rest any speculation about whether or not he is involved with someone. "I love, and I am loved," he said simply, in its own paragraph.