Sophia Bush Comes Out

Sophia Bush, best known for her role on One Tree Hill, has publicly identified as queer in a new cover story for Glamour magazine. “I think I’ve always known that my sexuality exists on a spectrum,” she said. “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 expressed frustration at the need to come out in a time marked by attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community, but still feels relief. “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 says.

Bush also confirmed her romantic involvement with soccer star Ashlyn Harris, emphasizing the impact of their relationship amid their respective divorces. “I don’t believe it’s my place to discuss details of Ashlyn’s circumstances or her children, but I will say that I am absolutely in awe of her relentless integrity,” she explained. “Falling in love with her has sutured some of my own childhood wounds, and made me so much closer to my own mother.”