Hockey Star Marie-Philip Poulin Says Accepting Her Sexuality Made Her a Better Athlete
The Canadian icon recently spoke about her journey to self-acceptance.
Canadian hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin is getting candid about how accepting her sexuality made her a better athlete.
The three-time Olympic gold medalist recently appeared on the Canadian interview series The Assembly, where she was asked whether she ever tried to deny her sexuality or force herself to hide who she was.
“Yes, I did deny it. Yes, I tried to hide it. Yes, I isolated myself,” she admitted.
Poulin’s recollection of how it felt to not be herself in front of family or friends out of fear they would judge her for being gay is likely relatable for many people who struggled with their own coming out journey.
“I think those are the moments, the years that I wish I could kind of take back and be okay to who I am,” she said. “But my family was there first to support me and that’s probably the people I isolated myself from the most.”
Although it’s unclear exactly when Poulin first came out to her friends and family, she publicly revealed her relationship with fellow Canadian hockey star Laura Stacey when the two announced their engagement in May 2023. The longtime teammates, who had previously kept their romance private, tied the knot in September 2024.
But what was particularly striking about Poulin’s comments about hiding her sexuality was what she had to say about how finally accepting herself changed her life.
“I could sincerely say that when I started to love myself, be okay with myself, that’s probably when I became a better athlete,” she said, “because I could show up at the rink and be the best version of myself.”
Her remarks resonated with fans as the clip circulated online and people praised Poulin for her candor.
“Here I am today,” she said, “the most happy.”
