• Source:JND
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Lara Raj, a member of the rising global girl group KATSEYE, recently came out as queer, sharing her journey with fans on the South Korean platform Weverse. The Indian-American singer, who also speaks Tamil, bravely opened up about her identity and the fears she once held, particularly during her time on the reality survival show The Debut: Dream Academy, which led to the formation of KATSEYE.

In a heartfelt message, Lara reflected on how she had known about her sexuality from a young age. Using a playful metaphor, she said, "I knew I was half a fruitcake when I was like 8, so I really was wanting everybody. Honestly, probably before 8. Isn’t half a fruitcake such a good way to explain it without saying it?"

Lara admitted that while competing in The Dream Academy, she was terrified that her sexuality might affect her chances of debuting. "You know in Dream Academy when it came out I was really really scared tbh. I didn’t know if people would accept me and I really thought it would ruin my chances of getting in [the group]," she confessed.

 
 
 
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However, the support from fans has been overwhelming. Lara expressed her gratitude, saying, "And then you all were so so nice about it and gave me so much love and support and it made me feel so confident in who I am, so I love you for that."

Acknowledging the harsh realities of being a public figure, especially as a queer artist, Lara described the internet as a "very, very scary" place. Despite this, she made it clear that the love she’s received from fans has given her the confidence to fully embrace herself.

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