Ashlyn Harris Praises Girlfriend Sophia Bush After Publicly Coming Out as Queer

"Proud of you, babe."

Ashlyn Harris praises girlfriend Sophia Bush for coming out as queer.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Ashlyn Harris is one proud partner.

After her girlfriend, actress Sophia Bush, came out publicly as queer in a moving essay for Glamour, the soccer star took to Instagram to praise her romantic partner for her bravery and authenticity.

On Friday, Harris posted a photo of Bush posing for Glamour's cover story on her Instagram stories. On the photo, Harris wrote "proud of you babe" along with a big, teary-eyed emoji and a melting face emoji.

In her emotional personal essay, Bush wrote that she feels like she can "finally breathe" now that she has publicly disclosed her sexuality.

"I don’t think I can explain how profound that is,” she wrote for the publication. "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."

Ashlyn Harris praises her girlfriend Sophia Bush on Instagram after she publicly came out as queer in a moving personal essay for 'Glamour.'

Ashlyn Harris praises her girlfriend Sophia Bush on Instagram after she publicly came out as queer in a moving personal essay for 'Glamour.'

(Image credit: Instagram | @ashlynharris24)

Bush went on to write that while her feelings "might sound crazy," she thinks that "other people in trauma recovery will get" how she feels.

"I am taking deep breaths again. I can feel my legs and feet. I can feel my feet in my shoes right now," she continued. "It makes me want to cry and laugh at the same time."

In August 2023, Bush filed for divorce from her former husband and entrepreneur Grant Hughes after one year of marriage, People reported at the time.

In the wake of their split, the actress started dating Ashlyn Harris, a former soccer player who recently filed from divorce from her former wife Ali Krieger in September 2023, again according to People who first broke the story.

In November 2023, Harris announced her split on Instagram via a written statement posted on her Instagram account.

"Several weeks ago, a process that had been ongoing privately for some time became public,” she wrote. “Ending a relationship after almost 13 years of friendship, teammate-ship, marriage, and co-parenting (many of them good years) is a decision that is not made lightly.”

A post shared by Ashlyn Harris

A photo posted by ashlynharris24 on

Harris' statement went on to say that the co-parents had agreed to "center our children, continue therapy, separate, and to move forward with our lives.”

“Two happy families are always better than one unhappy one,” she continued. “This process is never easy, but we are making our way through.”

In her recent essay, Bush addressed the end of her marriage as well as the beginning of her relationship with Harris.

"The idea that I left my marriage based on some hysterical rendezvous—that, to be crystal-clear, never happened—rather than having taken over a year to do the most soul crushing work of my life? … It feels brutal," she wrote.

"It took me 41 years to get here,” she continued, discussing her sexuality. “When I take stock of the last few years, I can tell you that I have never operated out of more integrity in my life. I hope that’s clear enough for everyone speculating out there, while being as gentle as I possibly can be.”

Danielle Campoamor is an award-winning freelance writer covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mental health, politics, celebrity, and feminist issues. She has been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, and more.