Russia: Removed Steve Jobs memorial ‘up for auction’
A memorial to Steve Jobs in Russia, that was torn down when Apple CEO Tim Cook came out as gay, has been put up for auction.
The giant interactive iPhone display was originally placed in St Petersburg after Mr Jobs died of cancer in 2011.
However, the 6-foot monument was torn down by the Russian Holdings Company (ZEFS) in October, after Apple’s current CEO came out of the closet.
The company has now quietly put the statue up for auction – with the proviso that it is not put on display inside Russia.
The memorial to the tech giant has a starting price of 5 million roubles (£60,000), according to Vocativ – and it must be delivered to a buyer outside Russia.
Apple CEO Tim Cook came out in October, saying: “So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.
“For years, I’ve been open with many people about my sexual orientation. Plenty of colleagues at Apple know I’m gay, and it doesn’t seem to make a difference in the way they treat me.
“Of course, I’ve had the good fortune to work at a company that loves creativity and innovation and knows it can only flourish when you embrace people’s differences. Not everyone is so lucky.
He came second on this year’s list, edged out by TV host Ellen DeGeneres.
