Anderson Cooper joins the few celebrities to announce publicly that he is gay.

In an email reply to Daily Beast political blogger Andrew Sullivan, Cooper wrote to Sullivan, "The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud."

Cooper, 45, a well-known CNN anchor and host of Anderson Cooper: 360, finally confirms this detail about his private life, which has been in question for a long time. He never confirmed or denied, until now.

Sullivan, who is openly gay and a longtime friend of Cooper, asked him to comment on the idea of gay public figures who declare their sexuality in a "restrained and matter-of-fact way."

Cooper, in the email, said that he remained silent for professional reasons, stating:

"I've also wanted to retain some privacy for professional reasons. Since I started as a reporter in war zones 20 years ago, I've often found myself in some very dangerous places. For my safety and the safety of those I work with, I try to blend in as much as possible, and prefer to stick to my job of telling other people's stories, and not my own. I have found that sometimes the less an interview subject knows about me, the better I can safely and effectively do my job as a journalist."

However, Cooper decided that he was doing more harm than good by not speaking up.

"It's become clear to me that by remaining silent on certain aspects of my personal life for so long, I have given some the mistaken impression that I am trying to hide something - something that makes me uncomfortable, ashamed or even afraid. This is distressing because it is simply not true. I've also been reminded recently that while as a society we are moving toward greater inclusion and equality for all people, the tide of history only advances when people make themselves fully visible," Cooper wrote.

According to the Huffington Post, Cooper becomes the fifth, though the most high-profile, openly gay anchor in the cable news business. Among him are CNN journalists Don Lemon and Jane Velez-Mitchell, as well as MSNBC's Thomas Roberts and Rachel Maddow.

Cooper also hosts his own syndicated daytime talk show Anderson.

He tells Sullivan towards the end of his letter, "But while I feel very blessed to have had so many opportunities as a journalist, I am also blessed far beyond having a great career.

I love, and I am loved."