Reese Witherspoon’s daughter, Ava, has made a striking declaration about her sexual identity in a heartfelt Instagram post celebrating Pride Month.
Ava, who is 24 years old, has previously made headlines by hinting at her sexuality online. Residing under the spotlight due to her famous parents—Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe—Ava has been quite open about her journey of self-discovery. Reese, known for her role in “Legally Blonde” and other hit films, shares Ava and her brother Deacon with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, and another son, Tennessee, with former partner Jim Toth.
The actress has consistently expressed support for her children’s personal growth and explorations. Speaking to InStyle, Witherspoon mentioned, “Ava is so down-to-earth. She wants to do great things in the world. Ava is trying to find herself and figure out her path in life.”
Ava, who has also established herself in the modeling world, credits her parents for their unwavering support. During an interaction with E!’s Daily Pop, she stated, “My parents have always encouraged me to choose the path that’s right for me and, you know, guide me along the way to make better choices than I might make. I’m so grateful for that. That is such a privilege to have parents that support you in that way and want you to be who you truly are meant to be.”
In a candid reveal with Variety, Witherspoon shared her own lack of guidance about sexuality during her formative years. “I didn’t understand what homosexuality was. My grandparents didn’t explain it, my parents didn’t explain it. I had to learn from somebody I met on an audition in Los Angeles.”
In 2022, Ava seemingly came out when she answered a fan’s query about her romantic interests on social media. She replied, “I’m attracted to… people!” adding “(Gender is whatever).” This statement suggests Ava identifies with pansexuality, which according to GLAAD, means being attracted to all gender identities, or attracted to people regardless of gender.
Ava has openly addressed and dismissed any negative backlash regarding her identity. She has been proactive on her social media, stating via People, “I can and will block profiles commenting bigoted/hateful messages under my posts. My Instagram profile is not a place for cruelty/hate speech and I intend to do what I can to keep it that way. Peace and love.”
Celebrating the commencement of Pride Month 2024, Ava shared a vibrant Instagram post where she is seen donned in sunglasses, a red crop top, and cargo pants, waving a rainbow flag by a pond. The post drew positive reactions, with celebrities like Alyssa Milano and TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney sending love and support. A fan commented, “Oh my god this is adorable. Happy Pride Month!!!”
In her post, Ava reflected on the past misinterpretations of her words, stating, “Once upon a time, some gal on the internet said ‘gender is whatever’ in reference to her own sexuality. Many took her words out of context, but she knew what she meant. Anyways, this is her posting for the first day of Pride Month 2024.” She also extended a ‘Happy Pride Month’ greeting to the LGBTQ+ community and even addressed her detractors in a follow-up story.
Reese Witherspoon showed her solidarity by liking Ava’s post. While Ava’s dating life, including her past relationship with fellow UC Berkeley student Owen Mahoney, remains private, her public affirmation of her identity and her celebration of Pride are clear indications of her confidence and authenticity.