“I grew up with no gay boys or lesbian girls around me, nothing influenced me” – Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina rubbishes claims that she decided to come out as gay to change her nationality

Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina has hit back at remarks claiming that she chose to come out as lesbian to improve her chances of changing her nationality.

Kasatkina, who recently came out of the closet, revealed to Ksenia Sobchak that she prepared herself for backlash knowing Russia’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community. She was, however, pleasantly surprised by the support she received from her peers.

"I honestly prepared for the worst. I thought it would be dark, knowing our mentality. But in the end, I was surprised how everything turned out. How cool. Not everything is as bad as I thought,” she said.

The 25-year-old also addressed the myth that a person can be influenced into choosing a sexuality. She protested that, as a child, she had no examples to look up to.

"I grew up with no gay boys or lesbian girls around me. Nothing affected me. The maximum that happened was the Tatu group (Russian music group). I don’t think orientation can be promoted at all. It’s either this or that. Nothing influenced me, but I still like girls in the end," she stated.

Kasatkina also stated that a conservative society can lead to self-doubt and secrecy, before asserting that she had realized nobody’s opinion mattered.

“It took me a long time to accept myself because society is pressing. Even if you begin to understand something, you think that it is something wrong. You begin to suppress it yourself. You start hiding, leading a double life. And at some point, you already cease to understand who you are. Not so long ago, I came to the conclusion that I do not care at all," she said.

Daria Kasatkina went on to ridicule the specific claims made by Russian State Duma deputy Biysultan Khamzaev that she planned to come out as gay in order to have a better chance at changing her Russian nationality.

“So let’s write it down. Now I am writing to the immigration service of some country: ‘Guys, I’m for girls, so give me a passport.’ It’s a shame, of course, when deputies make such comments about their citizens, who have done nothing wrong, they just admitted who they are. If this is enough to block a person from entering the country, it is sad,” she raged.

Daria Kasatkina publicly revealed her sexuality in a YouTube video with Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko. Kasatkina thereafter confirmed her relationship with Russian figure-skater Natalia Zabiiako.

At the time, she had talked in detail about the struggles of being gay in her home country.

“So many subjects are taboo in Russia. This notion of someone wanting to be gay or becoming [gay] is ridiculous. I think there is nothing easier in this world than being straight. Living in the closet is impossible. It is too hard, it is pointless,” she had voiced.

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Daria Kasatkina has won two WTA titles since coming out

World No. 9 Daria Kasatkina, who came out late in July, has since won two WTA titles. Although she did not succeed at the on-going US Open, Kasatkina began her North American hardcourt campaign on a winning note. She clinched her fifth WTA title at the Silicon Valley Classic in August.

Kasatkina then suffered a few setbacks but rose to the occasion a few weeks later at the Granby National Bank Championships to win her sixth title.