Sophia Bush Talks About the 'Online Rumor Mill' and 'Blatant Lies' After She Came Out; Details Here (2024)

Sophia Bush also discussed the rumors about her relationship with Ashlyn Harris, an ex-soccer player she's been dating for almost a year.

Sophia Bush with Ashlyn Harris (PC: Getty)

Sophia Bush, a famous actress known for TV shows like One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D., has talked openly about her recent life since she publicly shared that she is queer. On her podcast Work in Progress, she discussed dealing with untrue stories and gossip about her personal life circulating online.

The 42-year-old actress talked about these difficulties with Nico Tortorella, who is known for acting in The Walking Dead: World Beyondand for using they/them pronouns.

Sophia Bush shares struggles with online criticism after coming out

Bush shared that she chose to publicly come out to stop people from guessing about her personal life, which often happens to famous people. She stressed how crucial it is to manage her own story instead of letting others decide it for her.

"People will really take your self-discovery from you," Bush said on her podcast. "What made me make the decision was knowing that we’ve gotten into a post-fact vacuum. So I was like, ‘What I’m gonna do is sit and just sit and wait, but eventually what I'm gonna do is clarify very firmly but gently what’s real, cause it matters to me.'"

Bush expressed concern about the damaging effects of negative online comments, particularly on young and vulnerable individuals who might be hurt by harsh or false information. She described these attacks as harsh and violent, fearing they could negatively impact how young people view themselves.

The actress also shared how she wrote an essay forGlamourmagazine to publicly discuss her queer identity for the first time. Additionally, she addressed rumors about her relationship with Ashlyn Harris, an ex-soccer player she has been dating for almost a year.

"What felt like seconds after I started to see what was in front of me, the online rumor mill began to spit in the ugliest ways," Bush wrote in her Glamour essay. "There were blatant lies. Violent threats. There were accusations of being a home-wrecker."

In her podcast, Bush discussed how dealing with rumors and criticism emotionally affected her. She shared her experience of dealing with negative media portrayals of her personal life. Despite these difficulties, she felt free and powerful for being able to express who she is and her relationship with Harris.

“I finally feel like I can breathe. I don’t think I can explain how profound that is," Bush explained. "I’m gonna take my power back and I’m actually gonna stand up and say the purest and most special thing that’s ever happened to me in my life has happened to me and you’ve treated it like the ugliest because you’re looking at optics and not reality."

Sophia Bush champions LGBTQ+ visibility and self-acceptance amid public scrutiny

Through her experiences, Bush has emerged as an advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility and acceptance. She emphasized the importance of using her platform to support others who may be struggling with their own identities and to combat the harmful effects of online negativity.

“I don’t care if you’re 14 or 41, you can choose yourself,” Bush said, encouraging others to embrace their true selves regardless of external pressures.

Sophia Bush's experience shows how tough it is to deal with public attention without changing who you are. She shares her personal struggles to show the difficulties LGBTQ+ people face when they're famous and to emphasize the need for a welcoming and accepting community.

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