Status As A Gay Icon
Off the field he is considered a gay icon, and often speaks favourably of his gay following. He ousted David Beckham as Gay Times' sports personality of the year in 2008, and came second as their sexiest man of the year. Among other Ben Cohen merchandise, he has released calendars since 2009 in which he is often shirtless. He has often made appearances at the gay retail store Prowler in Soho to sign calendars and other merchandise for fans.. Ben appeared on the covers of Attitude (magazine) in October of 2009, the cover of Compete Magazine July 2011 issue and the cover of Out (magazine) in August of 2011.
In 2010, Cohen donated a signed jockstrap to support GMFA, a British charity addressing gay men's health issues, which was sold at auction at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. He also featured on the front cover and in an interview section of GMFA's printed FS Magazine in November 2010.
Cohen founded The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation to combat homophobia and bullying. Following his retirement he announced plans to focus on the Foundation.
During March 2011 High and Mighty, the big and tall menswear specialist, appointed Cohen as the new face of the brand for 2011.
Read more about this topic: Ben Cohen (rugby Union)
Famous quotes containing the words status and/or gay:
“Knowing how beleaguered working mothers truly are—knowing because I am one of them—I am still amazed at how one need only say “I work” to be forgiven all expectation, to be assigned almost a handicapped status that no decent human being would burden further with demands. “I work” has become the universally accepted excuse, invoked as an all-purpose explanation for bowing out, not participating, letting others down, or otherwise behaving inexcusably.”
—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)
“I am savage enough to prefer the woods, the wilds, and the independence of Monticello, to all the brilliant pleasures of this gay capital [Paris].”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)