Kerstin Casparij: From Confusion To Confidence — How The Dutch Star Is Using Football To Champion Love And Equality

When You Think Of Football, You Often Picture Grit, Glory, And Goals — But For Manchester City’s Kerstin Casparij, The Game Has Become A Symbol Of Something Deeper: Love, Identity, And Courage.

Growing Up In The Small Dutch Town Of Heerenveen, Casparij Knew She “Fancied Girls” — But Didn’t Even Know Being Gay Was An Option. It Wasn’t Until She Joined Heerenveen’s First Team At Just 15 That She Finally Discovered What It Meant To Be Herself.

“I Always Wanted To Hold Girls’ Hands, Play The Prince In School Plays — I Knew What I Felt, But It Was A Taboo,” She Told BBC Sport.

Fast Forward To Today, And The Netherlands International Has Become One Of The Most Vocal Advocates For The LGBTQ+ Community In Women’s Football. At 25, She’s Not Just Defending On The Pitch — She’s Defending People’s Right To Be Themselves.

Love, Football, And Representation

Now Settled In Manchester With Her Partner, Ruth, Casparij Says Representation Is Everything. She Wears Rainbow Laces, Supports LGBTQ+ Campaigns, And Even Dedicates Her Goals To Marginalized Communities — Like Her April Goal Against Everton, Dedicated To The Transgender Community.

“If It’s Not Against You, You Often Stay Silent,” Casparij Said. “But I Want To Stand For People Who Need Support. I Want To Be A Woman That Helps Women.”

Through Her Work With The LGBTQ Foundation, She’s Helping Fund Helplines And Create Safe Spaces For Queer Women Affected By Domestic Abuse — A Cause She Says Is “Very Close To Her Heart.”

Standing Against Racism

But Casparij’s Activism Doesn’t Stop At Sexuality. She’s Also Vocal Against Racism In Football, Especially After Seeing Team-Mates Like Khadija Shaw And Jess Naz Suffer Online Abuse.

In A Powerful Moment Earlier This Month, Casparij Joined Manchester City And Arsenal Players In A Pre-Match Huddle To Mark Black History Month — A Show Of Unity That Went Viral.

“If One Of My Team-Mates Gets Racially Abused, That Hurts Me,” She Said. “I Should Stand With Them — Racism Has No Place In Football.”

More Than A Game

For Casparij, Football Isn’t Just About Winning Titles — It’s About Using Her Platform To Push For Progress, Whether That’s Equality, Love, Or Acceptance.

She Represents The Future Of The Game — One Where Talent And Humanity Go Hand In Hand. And For Young Fans Watching Her, She’s Proof That Football Can Be Both Fierce And Compassionate.

Because When Kerstin Casparij Steps Onto The Pitch, She’s Playing For More Than Just Manchester City — She’s Playing For Every Girl Who Ever Wondered If She Could Be Herself.