Sonya Deville Dishes on Her Coming Out Journey & Proposal to Toni Cassano

This might be her biggest win yet!

Sonya Deville, whose real name is Daria Berenato, is gearing up for the next chapter of her life. The WWE star put a ring on it by proposing to her girlfriend, Toni Cassano, just after Valentine’s Day.

"It's been really cool for me personally to be able to become more comfortable with myself, while sharing that journey with everyone watching. I wasn't comfortable with my sexuality seven and a half years ago when I came out. It was a nerve-racking experience," Deville tells Out.

Fans of Deville's will remember her publicly coming out back in 2015 while filming the WWE competition series Tough Enough. The star was only 21 at the time and felt pressured to come out on the show.

"It's forced me or pressured me to be okay with myself. I started seeing all these stories of people now seeing what I do and they want to do the same. They look up to me, [so] I needed to step up and be comfortable with myself and I think it happened in the best way. I don't know how much longer I would have delayed that process, had this not happened."

Fast forward eight years later, and now Deville is ready to make Toni Cassano her wife.

The fiancés had their first date after one of Deville's WWE matches. After the superstar was announced as a last minute competitor for the night, Cassano drove three hours to meet Deville and watch her perform. Following the match, the two spent the night getting to know each other at a bar and the rest is history.

"It's been absolutely unreal. We still get into bed every night and [wonder] how this is our life. How did this happen?! It still feels like a dream," Cassano says.

"We both admired each from afar via Instagram for years. I feel like I'm dating my best friend. I feel like I didn't know what love was until I met her. It's just so easy and it's so right. I'm the best version of me when I'm with her," Deville adds.

Since the two have a huge following thanks to the passionate WWE fanbase, the couple is inspiring others to pursue healthy and long-lasting relationships.

"Even as a woman, LGBTQ+ aside, I want women to watch what we do and [think they] can do anything. Hopefully we're breaking it down and making some of these goals more tangible for people watching and learning. That's the goal... just being that representation that I didn't see on TV coming from a super small town," Deville says.

"The more we can put it out there to fully be accepting of whoever you really feel like you are... I think that's a really important thing for us to help get across to the younger generation," Cassano adds.

As queer women, the couple is hoping that fans can learn from their example to embrace their own individualities to live more authentic and fulfilling lives.

"Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken. You are created as this unique individual. Put your imprint on the world. Enjoy being you, because there's only one you," Deville concludes.

Congratulations to the happy couple! To see the full interview with Sonya Deville and Toni Cassano, check out the video below.

WWE's Sonya Deville Dishes on Her Coming Out Journey & Proposing to Toni Cassanoyoutu.be