The courage it took for Daria Kasatkina to come out as gay was laid bare at the moment in her interview with Russian vlogger Vitya Kravchenko when she paused to consider the potential ramifications of her actions.
“Aren’t you afraid they’ll take away your house?” Kasatkina, the Russian No 1 and recent Roland Garros semi-finalist, was asked. “Aren’t you afraid that you simply can’t go back to Russia?”
Kasatkina, who had just spoken of her sense of powerlessness in the face of the war in Ukraine, looked disconsolate. “Yes, I have thought about it,” she replied, her gaze fixed downwards. The 25-year-old then leaned into Kravchenko’s shoulder and covered her face with her hands.
Like the words that preceded it, Kasatkina’s show of emotion bore eloquent testimony to the challenges facing LGBT people in Russia, where a federal law was passed in 2013 banning “gay propaganda”. The measure effectively legalised discrimination towards homosexuality and gender variance, deepening social prejudices in a country where conservative values have long held sway.
Kasatkina, who revealed in the interview that she is in a relationship with the Tallinn-born figure skater Natalia Zabiiako, said she could not foresee a time when it would be deemed permissible to hold hands with her girlfriend publicly in Russia.
“Judging by [the way] things are going now, it will never be OK,” said Kasatkina, who posted pictures of herself with Zabiiako on social media within hours of the video’s publication.
The world No 12’s misgivings appear well founded. On Monday, a new bill was submitted to the Duma that would introduce further restrictions on information that “denies family values” or promotes “non-traditional sexual relations”. Kasatkina said she was nonetheless “ready to talk” in order to support others who might who find themselves demonised because of their sexuality.
“Living in the closet is impossible,” said Kasatkina. “Not for the long run. It is too hard. It is pointless, you will be completely focused on that until you choose to come out. Of course, it is up to you to decide how to do it and how much you tell.
“Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters, and fuck everyone else.”
Kasatkina said her decision to speak out was partly inspired by Nadya Karpova, the Russia striker who plays her club football for Espanyol. Karpova came out as gay last month, saying she felt a “special responsibility” to make her voice heard, a sentiment that Kasatkina reiterated.
“It is important for the young people who have a hard time with society and need support,” said Kasatkina.
“It has empowered them for sure, supported them. Not only did Nadya help herself by coming out and getting this burden off her chest, she has also helped others.
“I believe it’s important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really, speak about it.”
Following her run to the last four of the French Open, where she was beaten by Iga Swiatek, Kasatkina reached grass-court quarter-finals in Berlin and Bad Homburg. Wimbledon’s decision to ban players from Russia and Belarus in response to the war in Ukraine meant, however, that she was unable to compete at the All England Club, where she was a quarter-finalist in 2018.
Kasatkina told Kravchenko the conflict was a “complete nightmare” and called for “the war to end” – further risking the wrath of the Kremlin, which takes a dim view of criticism of the invasion.
“So many subjects are taboo in Russia,” said Kasatkina. “This 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’s the point?”