Rui Takahashi, a 26-year-old professional male volleyball player for the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka and elder brother of Japanese national team player Ran Takahashi, disclosed he is gay after suppressing and denying his feelings since childhood. He stated that talking with his younger brother allowed him to accept himself for the first time.
Rui Takahashi, a male volleyball player for the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka in Japan's top professional men's volleyball league and elder brother of national player Ran Takahashi, announced he is gay via his personal Instagram today (29 Sept).
Rui Takahashi, 26, posted a message titled "Report" explaining that since childhood he had feared confronting a part of himself, struggling with and denying these feelings. He stated, "That part is that I am gay and part of the LGBTQ community."
Rui Takahashi described his path to coming out, saying that spending about two years on the same team as his younger brother Ran Takahashi was very meaningful. Conversations with his brother became the turning point that enabled him to accept himself for the first time.
He said expressing his feelings in words helped him organize his thoughts and mind, gradually leading him to feel that "being myself is a good thing."
Rui Takahashi also thanked his family, teammates, staff, and everyone involved who have supported him throughout. He noted that the support from those around him, including the conversations with his brother, were crucial in helping him face himself to reach this point.
Regarding why he chose to come out at this time, he explained that as the new season approaches, he wanted to share his truth directly with fans who have supported him. He affirmed that coming out does not change his dedication to volleyball, and he will continue to devote himself to the sport and personal growth.
Additionally, he sent a message to those struggling with self-acceptance, saying that although everyone has different reasons and backgrounds, if his choice to face himself and express his feelings in words can be a small beginning or encouragement for someone, he would be glad.
Rui Takahashi concluded by thanking fans and many supporters, stating he will continue to grow through playing volleyball as his authentic self.
Rui Takahashi was born on 14 January 2000 in Kyoto city. He began playing volleyball in second grade after being inspired by Megumi Kurihara, a former Japanese women's national volleyball player. He attended Higashiyama High School in Kyoto, then Nihon University, where as a third-year student he helped the university secure third place in the Japanese university volleyball championships—the best result in 45 years—and served as team captain in his fourth year before joining Suntory in 2022.
He is 185 centimeters tall, weighs 82 kilograms, plays as a middle blocker, and has a maximum spike reach of 330 centimeters.
Rui Takahashi's coming out occurs amid a relatively small number of professional athletes in Japan publicly identifying as LGBTQ. Previously, female footballer Shiho Shimoyamada came out as gay in 2019, and former Japanese women's national footballer Kumi Yokoyama, who played in the Women's World Cup, later came out as transgender.
Moreover, in June 2021, the Japanese Olympic Committee appointed Fumino Sugiyama, a former transgender fencer, as an executive member ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games that year.
. Sourcenews.yahoo.co.jp/AFP