"I think I’ve always known": Sophia Bush confirms relationship with Ashlyn Harris, says she "can breathe"

Sophia Bush recently revealed her relationship with the former American woman soccer player Ashlyn Harris. The reveal happened following her coming out and announcing herself as “queer.”

In her self-written cover story for Glamour, published on Thursday, April 25, 2024, Bush stated,

“I’ve experienced so much safety, respect, and love in the queer community, as an ally all of my life, that, 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 further stated,

“I finally feel like I can breathe. I don’t think I can explain how profound that is.”

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Sophia Bush recently confirmed her relationship with former American soccer player Ashlyn Harris

Actress Sophia Bush recently came out as “queer” (Image via Instagram/@ashlynharris24, @sophiabush)

Before filing for divorce in August 2023, actress Sophia Bush and 42-year-old Grant Hughes were married for slightly over a year. Later, by October 2023, she became romantically involved with 38-year-old Ashlyn Harris, a former soccer star, and they eventually grew close.

The actress wrote a thorough article for her Glamour April 2024 cover story about the details of her sexuality and relationships. In the same article, she wrote that she did not intentionally plan her coming out story.

She claimed that she made the decision after hearing online rumors about her and Harris. Speaking on how she met football star, she said,

“It seemed like every week there were more of us, including [former US soccer player] Ashlyn [Harris], whom I’d first met in 2019 and who was in the process of figuring out her own split from her wife.”

However, she also stated that the internet rumors started as they began considering their future together, and things quickly got ugly. Nevertheless, the rumors seemed unjust to Bush. She further said that to handle these issues and be sensible to everyone’s reaction, she and Harris had a detailed discussion.

Bush revealed that after her split with Grant Hughes, she connected with other women struggling with their relationships and formed a close bond. She also stated that as time went on, her relationship with Ashlyn grew in ways neither of them had anticipated.

“What I saw was a friend with her big, happy life. And now I know she thought the same thing about me.”

Additionally, Sophia Bush disclosed that the same group of women suggested that her relationship with Harris was perhaps beyond simple friendship.

Sophia Bush didn’t quite say when their relationship began. However, on March 7, 2024, Us Weekly reported that Ashlyn and Sophia were spotted together, being close while enjoying drinking and dancing during the Netflix series Girls5Eva’s season 3 premiere in New York City.

The same article reported that they also attended the after-party, where Hilarie Burton, Sophia’s former co-star on One Tree Hill, was also present. Furthermore, they reportedly stayed in the bar’s back booth for the entire after-party.

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Actress Sophia Bush opened up about her sexuality and came out as “queer”

In the same story published on April 25, 2024, the John Tucker Must Die actress said the term “queer” best describes her. She also says that she feels great about accepting herself as queer and always smiling as she says it.

“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.”

Sophia further talked about her experiences as an ally and part of the queer community. She described how she felt safe, respected, and loved by the community after coming out. She remarked that her life now feels right.

Sophia Bush also went on to say that she was glad and eager for the next chapter in her life, which she was starting as a proud, out, queer woman. She further claimed that she is loving who she is at this point.