Sophia Bush has finally broken silence on her relationship with American former soccer player Ashlyn Harris, stating that she considers herself as queer.
In a self-written cover story for Glamour, which was release on Thursday, One Tree Hill alum also rejected the allegations that she cheated on ex-husband Grant Hughes.
“As I came into myself, I already felt it was my home. I think I’ve always known that my sexuality exists on a spectrum,” she wrote. “Right now I think the word that best defines it is queer. I can’t say it without smiling, actually. And that feels pretty great.”
Bush, who has been a staunch supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community, stressed on the necessity of coming out in 2024, the period she called the most intense onslaught on the LGBTQIA+ group in modern history. She further underlined how crucial it is to respect the act of coming out in the face of prejudice and hatred.
With the help of counseling and family support, the actress said she was able to let go societal expectations and embrace who she really is.
{{/usCountry}}With the help of counseling and family support, the actress said she was able to let go societal expectations and embrace who she really is.
{{/usCountry}}Stressing that she received love and respect in the queer community, Bush said: “There were more than 500 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills proposed in state legislatures in 2023, so for that reason I want to give the act of coming out the respect and honor it deserves.”
“I finally feel like I can breathe. I don’t think I can explain how profound that is. I feel like I was wearing a weighted vest for who knows how long. I hadn’t realized how heavy it was until I finally just put it down," she mentioned.
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Bush denies claims of infidelity: ‘I was always faithful in my marriage’
Bush disclosed that her relationship with Harris developed during both of their divorces. She was first seen with Harris at the 32nd annual Academy Awards viewing party hosted by the Elton John AIDS Foundation in West Hollywood, California, in March.
She further lamented the invasion of her privacy and the dissemination of fabricated stories around her split from 42-year-old ex-husband Grant Hughes and her subsequent romance with Harris.
The actress refuted the claims of infidelity and highlighted the psychological cost of being the target of gossip and abuse.
Calling the whole experience “unbearably painful”, Bush stressed all marriages do not last forever, adding that “I did not step out on my marriage. I was always faithful in my marriage, if not always totally happy.”
Bush parted her ways with Hughes in August 2023 as she filed for divorce following their 13 months of marriage.