Out Magazine Names Tim Cook, Ellen DeGeneres Most Powerful LGBT Voices

The magazine’s ninth annual list also includes Anderson Cooper, Sam Michaels, and Laverne Cox.

Out magazine announces 2015 Power 50 list (Getty Images)
Getty Images

Last year, Ellen Degeneres topped Out’s Power 50 List, but Apple CEO Tim Cook took the reigns this year. The list ranks editors’ choices of the most influential LGBT voices in America.

Cook, who has an estimated net worth of $400 million, runs one of the largest technology companies in the world, and was now voted as the most powerful gay man in the United States. Cook came out last October, which makes him the only openly gay CEO in the Fortune 500 list. Apart from the release of the iPhone 6 raising the company to a remarkable high, he also added three women to Apple’s executive team to make it commit to pursuing more women for the board of directors.

Degeneres was dubbed second, and for good reason: She hosts a top-rated syndicated talk show, has a massive social media following, a series of bestselling books, three new shows (with five more on the way), two stints as Oscar host on her resume, and she tweeted the most-shared selfie in history. Also, she is now the producer of her own company, A Very Good Production.

MSNBC television host Rachel Maddow came third. Although the ratings for MSNBC have slipped a little this year, Maddow still remains a political example for the media. She also continues to tackle topics like women’s reproductive rights, immigration reform, LGBT rights, and ongoing threats of a government shutdown.

This year’s list includes a multitude of television personalities, politicians, members of the media, activists and business luminaries.

Other notable names on the list consist of Anderson Cooper, ACLU’s Anthony Romero, Chad Griffin, Laverne Cox, Ryan Murphy, Michael Sam, Jane Lynch, Zachary Quinto, Lee Daniels, and Alexander Wang.

Here are the top 10 of Out’s 2015 Power List:

1. Tim Cook (Apple CEO)

2. Ellen Degeneres (talk show host)

3. Rachel Maddow (MSNBC host)

4. Tammy Baldwin (U.S. Senator)

5. Anderson Cooper (news anchor)

6. Anthony Romero (ACLU Executive Director)

7. Chad Griffin (President, Human Right’s Campaign)

8. Mary Kay Henry (International President, SEIU)

9. Laverne Cox (actress)

10. Andy Cohen (TV host/anchor)

See the complete Top 50 at Out.com.

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