Recently retired rugby star Ben Cohen turns 33 today. Retired for less than a year, Cohen has been extremely active in promoting his Stand Up Foundation, “the world’s first foundation dedicated to raising awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it.” Many people perceived as different may be victims of bullying, and specifically the LGBT community is a popular target. Cohen’s foundation “[includes] removing homophobia from sports as central to [its] mission.” Is it any wonder Cohen is so popular among gay men? He’s a vocal LGBT ally in what many consider one of the last safe havens for narrow-mindedness, the world of professional sports; it doesn’t hurt that Cohen is also smoking hot. Sexy pic after the jump.
“They probably see me as a sex object, I suppose,” Cohen told The New York Times back in May when questioned about his gay male following. Gee, Ben, you think?? With his annual beefcake calendar and posters available for purchase on his website, Cohen knows exactly how to court his gay fans. Yet it’s more than a simple tease. Fans have opened up to Cohen about their experiences with bullying, which has in part fueled his mission to fight against homophobia.
The fight against bullying is also deeply personal for Cohen, whose father died following an attack. As Ben explains on his foundation’s website: “I lost my own father to violence when he stood up for an employee who was being attacked.”
Happy birthday, Ben. This world needs more people like you.
Pic via Cohen’s Facebook page.
