Anderson Cooper Talks Coming Out As Gay, Brother's Suicide And GLAAD Awards With Madonna

Anderson Cooper said that "being gay is a blessing" and he "couldn't be more proud" of his sexuality in an exclusive chat with HuffPost Gay Voices Editor-at-Large Michelangelo Signorile.

The award-winning CNN anchor, 45, joined Signorile's SiriusXM OutQ program from Rome, where he is covering the Vatican conclave. In what was deemed as Cooper's only full-length interview ahead of his scheduled appearance at the 2013 GLAAD Media Awards in New York on March 16, the CNN anchor spoke at length about coming out both personally and professionally, being honored with the prestigious Vito Russo Award and the pain of his brother's suicide.