UK rugby star Ben Cohen endorsed gay
marriage before participating in London Gay Pride.
Roughly a million people were expected
to join in Saturday's annual parade.
Cohen, who retired from the sport
earlier this year to concentrate on running his anti-homophobia
group, the
Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, told gay
weekly Pink Paper that gay marriage in New York “is
going to do wonders.”
“It's nice to be in love with someone
and, of course, you want to have that extra bond of being married and
not perceived to be different,” Cohen told the paper. “And that
because you're gay you can't experience being married is wrong. For
me being married is very important.”
Cohen is married to Abbie, and the
couple has 2 children.
The 32-year-old Cohen added that the
UK, which recognizes gay and lesbian couples with civil partnerships,
should follow New York's lead.
“This is my first Pride and it's
something I've been looking forward to,” he said. “Everyone has
made me feel very welcome and I am delighted to be part of today's
event.”