Russian Tennis Star Daria Kasatkina Says There Was Less Pressure After She Came Out As Gay
Image: Daria Kasatkina. Image: Facebook
Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina has expressed her relief after having come out as gay last year, with news of her sexuality lifting a weight off her shoulders.聽
Kasatkina, who is competing at the Australian Open, spoke about her anxieties of being unable to see her family in an interview room in Melbourne Park on Monday. She emphasised how important it was to her to be open about her sexual orientation as she continues in her tennis career.聽
Last year, Kasatkina came out as gay in an interview with Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko and shared her experiences of living as an out gay person in Russia. She revealed that she was in a relationship with professional figure skater聽Natalia Zabiiako.
Speaking Out Against Homophobia In Russia
Kasatkina is Russia鈥檚 highest-ranked female tennis player and condemned the ongoing homophobic attitudes where she鈥檚 from, stating that she would not be able to hold hands with her girlfriend in her home country.聽
鈥淭his notion of someone wanting to be gay or becoming one is ridiculous. I think there is nothing easier in this world than being straight. Seriously, if there is a choice, no one would choose being gay. Why make your life harder, especially in Russia? What鈥檚 the point?鈥� Kasatkina said.聽
Kasatkina explained the need for her to speak out against homophobic attitudes in Russia, even if this came at the cost of her being unable to see her family.
鈥淥f course I鈥檓 worried. I have so many friends and people I know from Ukraine and hearing the stories, what they鈥檙e telling me. It鈥檚 painful because I鈥檓 thinking, imagine if I鈥檓 in their spot.”
‘I’m Happy’
“It鈥檚 difficult that I cannot see the people I love, often. Actually, I can see them almost never. I didn鈥檛 see my father for two years. But it is what it is. It鈥檚 life, unfortunately. I have to say thanks that it鈥檚 not a worse scenario. I鈥檓 just happy they鈥檙e healthy and I have them鈥�, Kasatkina said.聽
The world number 8 women鈥檚 tennis star reflected on the experience of coming out, stating that it has 鈥渉elped鈥� her to feel 鈥渓ess pressure鈥�.聽
鈥淚 felt less pressure. I put this pressure out of my shoulders because when you have to think about tennis but also to think about some deep things inside your head, it鈥檚 just not good.聽
Kasatkina said that she felt 鈥渕uch better鈥� after coming out and called it 鈥渙ne of the best decisions of the last year鈥�, expressing her gratitude to the people in her life that had supported her since the news broke. “I just felt much better… I鈥檓 happy with the outcome,” added Kasatkina.聽
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