For my part, I’d known for several weeks that the tour was the kick-off of the organization but I hadn’t known that it would also coincide with Ben’s retirement from professional rugby, news of which broke just days before the start of the tour. The idea that a world-famous athlete would leave his sport, and his home country, to start an organization wholly dedicated to eradicating bullying in all forms was more than just inspiring, it was the definition of heroic.
So in mid-May I hopped on a plane from Philadelphia to Atlanta, where I was asked to introduce Ben at the launch of his tour. I was joined by Shane from Campus Pride and quickly whisked away to the offices being used to launch the endeavor. Just as quickly, I was introduced to a filmmaker, Chris Hines, who was in the process of making a documentary film for Logo about Ben’s efforts and about the intersection of athletics and the LGBT community.
My kind of stuff!
What followed was an experience that was entirely unexpected and as inspiring and motivating as anything I’ve had the incredible fortune to do over the last several years. As a gay rights advocate and policy attorney, I have spent years studying the impact that pro-LGBT activism has on our rights and on our allies, and I know that the statistical impact of straight allies of gay rights is oftentimes significantly greater than anything that I or any other gay activists can offer. Quite literally, a Ben Cohen reaches an audience that doesn’t want to be reached by “gay” organizations, or by pro-equality messages. His voice is unique in that regard and it follows that he brings an almost limitless ability to reach new allies.
After filming my own interview and talking about my own experiences as an athlete and gay rights advocate, I was able to sit with Ben on camera and talk openly and honestly about our experiences in athletics, with sports fans in general, and as people fighting for equality. I learned quickly that Ben is not out to make a buck. In fact, I’m fairly certain that he actually is out to save the world, or at least as much of the world as he can get his message out to.
Read in full HERE.
No comments:
Post a Comment