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At the moment. Uh, I can say I'm a lesbian one. Yeah, but I have had experience with men. Yeah, in the past. So when did you actually, uh, first, um, acknowledge that you were attracted to female when I was at the university in Brazil? I was 21 years old. Uh, I felt a little bit weird in the beginning. I was like, What's happening to me? Because I was attracted to a girl that [00:00:30] used to play a soccer indoor with me. And I was like, um, trying to understand what what was happening. Uh, And then I had a conversation with one of my best friends, and I explained to her what was happening, and she said to me, Just enjoy it. And then I let it go, and here I am. So you're from Brazil? Well, I I was born in my family, still lives [00:01:00] there, but I was living Florianopolis. That actually is. The gay capital in Brazil is known by the gay capital in Brazil. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, is it a very religious country? Yeah. We have a variety of religions in Brazil. Yeah, it's but we have many, many kinds of religions nowadays, Not only Catholic, Uh, the variety is really increasing. Yeah. Yeah. [00:01:30] So, um, did you come out when you were in Brazil, or did you come out in New Zealand? No. When I was in Brazil when I was 21 years old, I have been in New Zealand only for seven years, So yeah, all all my life I have spent in Brazil. Yeah. Who do you come out to? Your parents or your friends? My friends first. And then after a while, I decided to tell my parents about not hide because they needed to [00:02:00] know this is who I am. Uh, this is part of who I am, so you don't need to accept, But you need to respect. That's it. And then I told them how How did your parents feel about you coming out? Oh, my mom went crazy. Uh, my dad didn't say anything My mom really didn't like. But as I said to, I made very clear to her. You don't need to accept. But I would like you to respect [00:02:30] my choices and who I am. So and that's it. We we've got a little bit, um, separate after, but uh, after a couple of months, we were all fine. Yeah. Yeah. So, um, when did you started getting into boxing? Two years ago. Two years ago. And did you do? Oh, yeah, you did. Uh, amateurs. You did? Uh, 11 corporate. Oh, yeah. One corporate and two amateurs. I started with [00:03:00] the fight night, and I did two corporate fights, one amateur fight, and then I'm on the pro. Yeah, Yeah, yeah. Uh, and your trainer is Terry, isn't it, Terry? And mayhem. Boxing, boxing. When you first started training with him, did they knew that you were a lesbian or Oh, well, I don't know if they knew, but I don't need to tell much about me, because people I think they realise. And Rachel is [00:03:30] always with me. That my girlfriend. So they realise that we were partners and they never asked. I never told, But it's not difficult to figure out there was no problems at all. Nothing at all. No, I never, never had any problems. Because I'm very confident about who I am and what I am. And if people don't like to be, is that you should not mind. So that's it. So, uh, when you became a pro, um, how was [00:04:00] that for you? Uh was a new chapter in my boxing career because I, I had a first fight amateur, and due to my age, I couldn't carry on an amateur. So and my coach really believed on me and thought that I had skills enough. And now I always believed in myself, too. So he asked me if I would like to said, Yeah, let's go for it because I really like challenges. I am a really [00:04:30] high achiever, so and I really have big goals for myself. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, uh, what's it like? Being the first lesbian New Zealand champion was quite surprising for me. I never thought about that because I went, uh, when I started boxing. It's my primary focus is boxing and finding out that I am the first, uh, woman to [00:05:00] win um, a New Zealand boxing time. Being lesbian was quite surprising. I felt very proud, and I think I can be I thought I could be a really role model for other people. And if I can help someone find confidence and fight for what they want, you know, and really be strong and believe in themselves that they can do whatever they want, despite everything, you know, because this, [00:05:30] um being a lesbian is not who I am. It's part of who I am. And if I can help someone, uh, be more confident, Uh, give it being a role model, I'll be more than happy to do it. So what's great is that we're actually not just, uh, getting a lot of support for that. You're also getting a lot of support for the LGBT community. Well, yeah, it's it's amazing. And I feel very grateful. And, [00:06:00] um, if I can touch people and help through this, uh, magazines or websites, you know, um, touch more people, and they are who they are. They are beautiful the way they are. It's I'm happy. And I'm really grateful for this, um, people giving me an opportunity to really try to change other people's lives. So, um, on Facebook, you could, uh, You [00:06:30] probably saw, um there were a couple of comments on Facebook that are saying, um what? Um, this doesn't really matter. Who cares about, um, being the first LGBT this, Um how do you feel about those sorts of comments that are going across Facebook. To be honest, I haven't seen. And to be honest, I I don't care about because my PRI primary focus is boxing. Um, this came along as a consequence because it's part of who [00:07:00] I am. It's great. But seriously, I don't give, um I don't mind what about people think, you know, because I will keep doing what I do. I will keep being myself. It doesn't matter who. It's on my way. So, um, how's, uh, your partner feel about, uh, going into the boxing ring? Well, I think I think she should answer that because I can't answer for her. It's her [00:07:30] her feeling as well. I don't know. She has to answer. Um, I would say I'm very proud, um, of Giovanna and and her journey and to have been there from when she did fight night and and watching her progress as an athlete and also as a woman, um, and inspiring people around her. She's a role model for other people on her team mayhem, but she's also, um, [00:08:00] a role model for other aspiring athletes, whether it's in boxing or it's in other sports as Well, um, she never lets anything get in her way. She is relentless, um, on achieving her goals. So I'm very proud. Yeah. So, um, before becoming a boxer or even drawing Boxer, did you ever receive any abuse because of your, um, being, um, lesbian or being gay? Not that I remember of, [00:08:30] because I'm very confident about who I am. And, uh, I don't let, uh, negative comments affect me, So I pretty much, uh, try to keep people negative people away from me. I don't like dramas in my life. I'm very short and sharp. Very directive. So if I don't like, I will tell the person I didn't like So, [00:09:00] uh, so from the moment that you are confident about who you are and what you want to achieve, it's much easier to keep focused and isolate, not isolate is not the word, but, uh, keeping these people away from you because he was so focused and he was so confident about what you can achieve and who you are that you can [00:09:30] compartmentalise these bad things and let it go. You know, it's just about to let it go. There are things that out of our control for sure. So external things that we can't control. But for sure. One thing we can't control is the way we feel and the way we react to that external things. So knowing who you are and knowing what triggers you and [00:10:00] how to control yourself really empowers you to keep it going in your journey, journey and not being affected for things that happening around you, the external factors, the external factors, they will always be there. You can't control them, but definitely you can control what's inside of you and how you feel and how you react to these things. So, um, the news of you being champion actually reached [00:10:30] international media as well with, um, with one of the biggest news outlets for boxing with a world boxing news. Um, how how do you feel about you becoming an international star per se? Well, I never thought about that, but just to I will embrace it and, you know, enjoy it. You know, that's it. When you when you love something, when you love you what you do, you have to enjoy it, you [00:11:00] know, and be happy. That's it. So, um, what's next in your career? I don't know yet. What's the next goal? My coach is is studying the possibilities. But I can tell you that I really have huge goals in my mind. Um, and I will try to go as far as I can go. That's the main thing for me. Do you ever want to go back to Brazil and fight there one day? Uh, [00:11:30] I would go back there to fight, but not to leave anymore. No, I here is my home now, But if I had to go there to have a fight, I would I would do it. No problem. Yeah. So, um, I think, uh, we have this, uh, the game. There's a certain games that happen around here sometimes. So it's called the out games. Uh, I think they're also called proud to play sometimes. Um, would you like to see them bring boxing into their, um, [00:12:00] their games? Uh, I never heard about this. To be honest, I don't know how it works. I like the Commonwealth Games, but the gay community, I think, would be great, don't you think? Because would give more chance for people, show their you know and well and have a beautiful life, a beautiful career and experience something different. [00:12:30] I think it wouldn't be nice. And, um, what would you like to say to your fans? I would like to say, um, as a one quote I gave to you and one of our sheds on the over the MS NN Uh, sometimes people with small minds, they can't understand the way we are big spirits, because I strongly believe that, uh, we are big spirits, [00:13:00] you know, because we have a mission to accomplish in this life. And sometimes you are going to be hated. You are going to be mocked in. People are going to talk about you. People are going to, uh, laugh of you, so But, you know, forget it. Try to focus in what you want. Know yourself very well. Be the captain of your own ship and take [00:13:30] the leads of your own life and go ahead And what happens around you just let it go.
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