Louis Tomlinson supports gay Apple CEO Tim Cook - days after Harry Styles' comments on gender and sexuality

The the 22-year-old singer wore a T-shirt bearing a rainbow Apple icon to the X Factor studio, where the band recorded a special performance

Louis Tomlinson showed his support for gay Apple CEO Tim Cook on a trip to The X Factor studio in November 2014

Days after Harry Styles’ comment about gender and sexuality became a viral talking point, his bandmate Louis Tomlinson seemingly showed his support for the recently out Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Cook publicly addressed his sexuality for the first time in a moving open letter, published by Bloomberg Businessweek at the end of October.

In it, he declared himself “proud to be gay” and considers being gay “among the greatest gifts” God had given him.

The Independent's Rainbow List 2014

His admission was mostly met positively, though not in Russia, where a memorial tribute to late Apple founder Steve Jobs was torn down in St Petersburg because of the country’s strict anti-gay laws.

But at least Cook appeared to have the 22-year-old singer on side when he wore a T-shirt bearing Apple's original rainbow-striped icon to the X Factor studio.

His statement comes after a trying week for One Direction fans left perplexed by Styles' answer to one question during an interview with the YouTube channel ODE.

Asked the age-old question of what they look for in a girl, Payne answered: “Female, it’s a good trait.”

To which Styles replied: “Not that important.”

Far from negative – and aside from the odd weeping post on Twitter – the fan’s reaction to Styles’ comments have thus far been supportive.

Many Directioners have also affixed the rainbow badge to their social media profiles to pledge their support to the band, and any fans who might be struggling with their own sexuality.