CNN anchor Don Lemon : ‘I Was Born Gay’

Lemon has not made a secret of his sexual orientation in his work life, reported The New York Times on Sunday. Many of his CNN co-workers and managers have long been aware that he is gay. But he still acknowledged that going public in his book carries certain risks.

“I’m scared,” Lemon said. “I’m talking about something that people might shun me for, ostracize me for.”

“I think if I had seen more people like me who are out and proud, it wouldn’t have taken me 45 years to say it,” Lemon said, “to walk in the truth.”

Lemon was voted as one of the 150 most powerful African-Americans by Ebony magazine in 2009.