Anderson Cooper On Coming Out As Gay: 'I Wish I Had Done It Sooner'

Anderson Cooper recently shared how he wished he had come out of the closet “sooner.”

During his guest appearance in “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Thursday (May 14), Cooper, 52, recalled his journey of realizing his gender identity, and how he had braved coming out to his family, friends and the public.

The CNN anchor shared that although he was “open at work,” he wasn’t exactly upfront about it in public. "I was open at work, but, yes, in a public way, I was not," Cooper told Ellen DeGeneres in their online interview.

"I hadn't made a statement about it,” he added. “I never said I wasn't gay or tried to hide it or pretend anything else. I just didn't want to talk about it."

Before his public revelation, Cooper believed that his choice to be tightlipped about his true identity, only suggested that he was shameful of his own distinctiveness. The broadcast journalist also stated how he “felt bad” and thought that “by not saying something” he was already “saying something.”

"By not saying something, it seemed like I was indicating that I was somehow ashamed of something or not happy being gay," the 52-year-old anchor said. "The complete opposite has always been the case."

In 2010, Cooper had appeared in DeGeneres’ talk show, two years before he publicly announced his gender identity. The pair recalled how it was during his appearance that they were already able to discuss his sexuality, but in private.

Meanwhile, during their video interview, DeGeneres addressed the importance of gay people to feel represented and entitled to opportunities especially on television and the media.

"To me, that's the reason to do it," he said, highlighting how gay people shouldn’t distinguish themselves apart from others. Cooper agreed to DeGeneres’ statement and added that he regretted being late to his public declaration.

“I wish I had done it sooner," the CNN anchor remarked.

When Cooper had decided to confirm his sexuality, the anchor emailed political commentator and longtime friend, Andrew Sullivan. Cooper chose to deliver his explicit announcement by giving Sullivan permission to publicize it via his website.

In the email, the CNN anchor had openly expressed his sexuality. "The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be,” he wrote. “I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud."

Cooper’s public declaration came in 2012 along with the help of his former partner and nightclub owner, Benjamin Maisani. The pair are reportedly co-parenting their newborn son Wyatt, whom they have welcomed just a few weeks back.

"I thought, 'OK, well, I want to say something.' So I did and I couldn't be happier,” the journalist shared. “Even though you think you're out, you think everybody knows, it doesn’t matter, [but] it does matter. It makes a difference."

"And I think it's important for me to have said the word 'gay.' That I'm gay and I'm proud of it," he added.