Daria Kasatkina, twelfth tennis player in the world and number one Russian revealed during an interview to live with a woman. A courageous coming out for the athlete born in a country where the subject remains taboo and where restrictive laws are numerous.
Daria Kasatkina is not the most publicized tennis player among the general public. However, the 25-year-old Russian is twelfth in the world rankings and first in her country. But it is not for her sports results that the young woman is talking about her today. On Monday, she revealed in an interview with a youtuber, living with a woman. A courageous and rare coming out for the champion born in a country which decriminalized homosexuality in 1993 but regularly restricts LGBT + rights. In the video posted online earlier this week, YouTuber Vitya Kravchenko opens up the conversation with his guest by telling the story of Russian women’s soccer star Nadya Karpova, who also just came out as gay. “She did what no Russian athlete had ever done”, explains the videographer who then shares the title of the article in which she makes this revelation, “I am no longer afraid now”.
“She has all my respect. It’s important to all girls, it empowers them. Not only was Nadya able to take the weight off her chest, for herself, but she also helped other people,” comments Daria Kasatkina. She adds: “It is important for all young people in our society, who are going through difficult times and need support. It is important that influential personalities, from sport or elsewhere, take the floor”. While her comrade asks her if she feels ready and at ease to talk about it too, the young woman explains that she is nervous and has never broached the subject publicly until then, while acknowledging that she appreciates this moment. She then confirms living with a woman and explains how the subject “like so many others” is taboo in Russia. “This idea that people want to become gay is ridiculous. There is nothing simpler than being heterosexual in this world. If it was a choice, why would you decide to be gay? Why make your life even more difficult? And especially in Russia. What would be the goal?” she wonders.
“Fuck the others”
If homosexuality has been decriminalized since 1993 in Russia, restrictions on the LGBT+ community are particularly numerous in the country. Until 1999, it was still considered a mental illness. The government is also fighting what it considers to be “homosexual propaganda” in the media, in movies or in books. It is currently prohibited for minors. A bill that has just been tabled this time aims to completely censor information “about non-traditional sexual relations”. Vladimir Putin, however, regularly claims that his nation is not homophobic, saying however that he is opposed to the way Western countries welcome the LGBT movement.
“When will it be possible in Russia to hold hands in the street?” asks Vitya Kravchenko to Daria Kasatkina. “Never,” she replies. But, brave, she refuses to keep the secret any longer. “It’s not possible to live in hiding, to live in the closet. In the long term, it’s too difficult. It’s useless because you’re only going to think about it until you come out. Obviously, everyone is free to decide how to announce it and to decide what it means. But being at peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, and screwing the others”.
Following this interview, Daria Kasatkina posted on Instagram a photo of a young woman and her, accompanied by a purple heart.
She shared another photo with this same woman, who appears to be her girlfriend, on Twitter and whom she calls her “little cabbage”.
my cutie pie @NataliaZabiiako pic.twitter.com/Jao9iRiOGq
— Daria Kasatkina (@DKasatkina) July 18, 2022
This is Natalia Zabiiako, a Russian-Estonian figure skater who won bronze in pairs with Aleksandr Enbert at the 2018 European Championships in Moscow. She also shared a snapshot taken with her companion, ironically captioned with the words: “Mom, I am a criminal”
@DKasatkina mama I’m a criminal pic.twitter.com/cCU05hr9tv
— Natalia Zabiiako (@NataliaZabiiako) July 19, 2022
On Instagram, they received the support of the one who inspired this coming out, Nadya Karpova. “You are beautiful ! I’m proud,” she wrote in the comments. On her page, Daria Kasatkina also received hundreds of words of encouragement, thanks or congratulations. “Your courage is going to be so inspiring to other young girls struggling with their sexuality. I am proud of you and wish you all the happiness”, “A courageous act! It will inspire many other people to open up. Everyone deserves love, family, security, equality. And one day, it will cease to be disputed”, can we read.