Swiss wrestling champion Curdin Orlik made history by coming out as gay
Curdin Orlik came out as gay (Instagram)
Swiss wrestler Curdin Orlik has made history by coming out as gay, saying he would “rather be free than fearful”.
Orlik, who plays a form of wrestling unique to Switzerland called “swing wrestling”, came out as gay in an interview with The Magazine. His public coming out makes him Switzerland’s first openly gay male professional athlete.
“I can’t help it. That’s how I was born,” the 27-year-old said.
“For far too long I have pushed out who I really am,” he continued.
“I am not someone who kisses in front of people, but I want to lie down with a man and be able to touch him.”
Swiss wrestler Curdin Orlik knew he was gay since he was 12-years-old.
“I always knew that I was gay, for sure since I was 12. But I thought: this is wrong, it cannot be. I heard things on the school building square [like] ‘you gay pig’, ‘you faggot’. Or in soccer, ‘Such a gay pass!’ Even when swinging [wrestling],” Curdin Orlik said, according to Outsports.
“Sure, nobody really meant that, but if you’re like that yourself, you think, ‘S**t, that’s not a good thing.’ I thought: I don’t want to be gay. But it’s me. Now it’s out.”
I always knew that I was gay, for sure since I was 12. But I thought: this is wrong, it cannot be.
Sadly, Orlik also opened up about the negative experiences he has had in the gay community. He said he felt “abused” after hooking up with men he met on dating apps.
“I thought if being gay meant you were so miserable, it wasn’t for me. Getting to know good gays is doubly difficult if you keep your gayness hidden. You are defenceless because fear always resonates that you are exposed.
Wrestling star married a woman and had a son before coming out as gay.
“And who should I have talked about bad experiences with? I was alone. It may sound stupid, but I figured I needed a girlfriend again.”
Following those experiences, Curdin Orlik married a woman and had a son with her, but soon realised that he had to come out as gay. The couple have since separated but he maintains a good relationship with both his ex-wife and son.
The professional wrestler’s coming out has been greeted with positivity by the public. Writing on Facebook, Orlick said he was “overwhelmed” by the positive response.
“With your wonderful feedback, I’m now starting a new, open and free period of my life,” he wrote.
