Was Arthur Ashe Gay? What was His Actual Sexuality?

What was former Tennis legend Arthur Ashe's sexuality? Let's see, was he gay or straight?
Arthur Ashe by Los Angeles Times license under CC BY 4.0

American tennis player Arthur Ashe made history by becoming the first African American man to win a Grand Slam match, among other significant achievements. But this wasn’t his only accomplishment.

Despite his many accomplishments, there has been a lot of discussion about Ashe’s personal life, specifically about his sexual orientation. To determine if Ashe was gay or straight, we shall look at the information about his sexuality in this article.

Arthur Ashe’s Early Life and Career

On July 10, 1943, Arthur Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia. He was in a local neighborhood, but because of his tennis talent, UCLA offered him a scholarship. Ashe progressed fast in tennis, taking home his first Grand Slam victory at the 1968 US Open.

He entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame and finished his career with three Grand Slam singles victories.

Additionally, he was a passionate supporter of social justice and civil rights, and his activity earned him much respect and appreciation.

Assumptions About Arthur Ashe’s Sexual Label

Ashe’s personal life has remained somewhat of a mystery despite his achievements. There has been a lot of discussion concerning his sexuality in particular. Ashe and photographer Jeanne Moutoussamy were married from 1977 until Ashe’s passing in 1993. 

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Yet, others have claimed that Ashe’s marriage was an attempt to conceal his accurate sexual label. 

“Days of Grace,” a book Ashe co-wrote with writer Arnold Rampersad, is one of the primary pieces of proof cited to support the claim that Ashe was gay. 

Arthur covered a variety of intimate issues in the book, including his battle with HIV/AIDS. Yet, many people have also pointed out how the novel does not mention Ashe’s sexual orientation. Others have argued that Ashe was gay and refrained from coming out in public due to his quietness.

Moreover, Ashe’s relationships with other men have been the subject of rumors. Doctor Walter Lob, who was openly gay, was one of his close friends. Some have claimed that Ashe’s tight bond with Lob proves he was also gay.

Counterarguments About Arthur Ashe’s Sexuality

Besides the allegations and speculations, there is no proof that Arthur was homosexual. In fact, a lot of individuals who knew Ashe well ignored the suggestion that he wasn’t straight. His widow, Jeanne Moutoussamy, thinks their union is sincere and that Ashe is attracted to females.

His advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community has also supported the claim that he was not gay. Ashe strongly advocated for LGBTQ+ rights, even going so far as to criticize homophobia in the tennis community.

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Several have argued that it would be doubtful for someone who was secretly gay to support LGBTQ+ rights with such boldness.

Final Words

Arthur Ashe’s sexual orientation is still a mystery. Although there have been many stories and theoretical discussions about this matter, there is no hard proof that he was anything other than straight.

Most of his fans think he is heterosexual. Whatever his sexuality was, Ashe left a lasting legacy as a tennis champion and social justice activist that continues to motivate people worldwide.

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