Russia dismantles Apple iPhone monument over gay CEO

A memorial to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has been dismantled in Russia after current CEO Tim Cook came out as gay last week.

The large-scale iPhone – located outside a college in St. Petersburg – is now regarded as “gay propaganda” by the country’s politicians.

A group of companies known as ZEFS commented on the monument removal, saying: “In Russia, gay propaganda and other sexual perversions among minors are prohibited by law.

They added that the memorial was “in an area of direct access for young students and scholars”.

“After Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly called for sodomy, the monument was taken down to abide to the Russian federal law protecting children from information promoting denial of traditional family values,” they explained.

Cook – who succeeded the late Steve Jobs as Apple CEO – said in a recent essay that he is “proud” to be gay, adding that his sexuality is “among the greatest gifts God has given” him – read more here.

Cook’s announcement officially makes him one of the most prominent openly gay men in business and technology. Despite only just coming out publicly as a gay man, he wrote an open letter to the US Congress in November 2013, calling on it to outlaw job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

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