Former rugby star Ben Cohen is calling
on people to be “upstanders” in the fight against homophobia.
Cohen, 35, launched the StandUp
Foundation after his retirement in 2011.
He's advocated against homophobia and
the bullying of LGBT teens. Cohen is particularly interested in
promoting greater acceptance in the world of sports.
The foundation's purpose “is to get
people not to be bystanders, to be upstanders and to make a
difference in someone's life. If someone could speak up at the right
time or stand alongside someone who needs to be stood next to, [it]
can make a massive impact in their lives.”
“Whether it be casual homophobia in
the playground, where kids will say 'gay,' 'faggot,' 'homo' and
teachers walk by and ignore it. They wouldn't necessarily do that
with racism.”
“Sport shouldn't discriminate. You
should be judged on your talent and not your sexual orientation,”
he added. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)