role in a new queer-themed British anthology series, Patterns, is so perfect. In one of the episodes, a teenager named Liam is coming out, and looks for guidance from the poster on his wall: a shirtless picture of Cohen.
Miraculously, Cohen answers Liam’s request, and comes alive! The former winger helps Liam build up the confidence to overcome school bullies, and come out to his dad, who’s described as “pretty DILF-y.” (In our opinion, Cohen would’ve been great for that role, too!)A post shared by Ben Cohen (@bencohenrugby)A post shared by Ben Cohen (@bencohenrugby)A post shared by Ben Cohen (@bencohenrugby)A post shared by Ben Cohen (@bencohenrugby)A post shared by Ben Cohen (@bencohenrugby)The 44-year-old was one of the heroes of England’s championship-winning 2003 Rugby World Cup team.
Over his illustrious career, he scored 155 points for his home country in international play. He was a force on the field, and in retirement, he’s been a force in the world LGBTQ+ advocacy.Following his father’s sudden death, Cohen set up the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, a charity that combats bullying.
He’s been honored by the Human Rights Campaign for his work. Through the years, he’s embraced his gay icon status, even putting out his own calendar.