UK rugby star Ben Cohen is talking size
in a cover story for UK gay glossy Gay Times.
Cohen recently retired from playing
rugby to concentrate on campaigning for greater acceptance of LGBT
people and end homophobia in the world of professional sports.
Commenting on his Big Ben nickname,
Cohen told the magazine: “Rugby's a diverse group of people size
wise. I've always been a big lad. I have a big backside obviously,
big legs – long legs. I struggle to get jeans that fit.”
The remark prompted the writer to
comment in an aside: “Talk of his big backside. He knows how to
make a boy blush.”
During a recent visit to the United
States, Cohen told MSNBC host Thomas Roberts that he expects a gay
athlete to come out at the height of his or her career to effect the
most people.
“I think … you're better off coming
out on top of your game,” Cohen said. (The video is embedded in
the right panel of this page.)
Cohen's anti-homophobia campaign –
the Standup
Foundation – in the U.S. will be based out of Atlanta.