Former rugby player and straight ally Ben Cohen started The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation to raise awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it. Cohen's foundation stands up against bullying regardless of to whom it happens, although it pays particular attention to bullying suffered by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Removing homophobia from the sports world is also central to the Foundation's mission. (All this empathy and he looks like this. Wow.)
At an event this week, Cohen discussed how proud he is of his work with international partners Microsoft and Nike, as well as Wicked the Musical, to ending the abusive pandemic. And he recently posted the above picture of him and Prince Harry, who is an ardent supporter of Cohen's work. (Princess Diana would have been proud of her son.)
Their aesthetic appeal notwithstanding, it's amazing to see a former professional athlete in a sport like rugby—and a heterosexual athlete at that—take a stand against bullying and advocate for the eradication of homophobia in sports. And it's equally gratifying to see someone in the public eye as much as Prince Harry be willing to publicly support this effort, too.
Hopefully others will follow their example. And they don't even have to be this handsome!
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