Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was an American professional tennis player. He was born to Arthur Ashe Sr. and Mattie Cordell Cunningham on July 10, 1934, in Richmond, Virginia. Arthur Ashe was the first black player who joined the United States Davis Cup Team. He was also the only black man to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. Ashe was named the number 1 Tennis Player in the World in 1975.
Ashe’s mother died young, and Ashe and his brother were raised by their father. Ashe Sr. was a caring but strict father. He encouraged Ashe to excel in school and sports but disallowed him from entering American football. Ashe was a skinny boy, being called “Skinny” and “Bones” as he grew up. This led to Ashe gaining a strong interest in tennis.
He began his career in 1961 and quickly rose through the ranks. He won numerous tournaments and, at the time, became known as one of the best tennis players in the world. Throughout the ’60s, he won the Eastern Clay Court Championships, Pacific Southwest Championships, National Collegiate Athletic Association Cup, and the United States Amateur Championships, to name a few.
Ashe acquired HIV in 1983. He publicly announced his illness almost ten years later, and by 1993, he had passed away. Ashe died from complications brought about by AIDS-related pneumonia. HIV and AIDS are commonly linked to homosexuals, and, at the time, the belief was that only homosexuals and those who engaged in sodomy contracted it. This led to many becoming curious about Ashe’s sexuality. Was Arthur Ashe gay? How did he get HIV and AIDS? Let’s take a closer look at the tennis player’s personal life to find out.
VOTE: What was Arthur Ashe’s Sexuality?
Arthur Ashe’s Relationships
There is very little known about Arthur Ashe’s personal life and relationships. Most of the information known about the athlete is related to his sports career. He also didn’t make a spectacle of his personal relations as he preferred to keep them private. This didn’t stop fans of Ashe and of the sport from making assumptions about his sexuality.
Arthur Ashe and Jeanne Moutoussamy (1976)
Ashe met Jeanne Moutoussamy, a graphic artist and photographer, in 1976. They met at a United Negro College Fund benefit. Moutoussamy is the daughter of architect John Moutoussamy. Ashe proposed to Moutoussamy, and they tied the knot in New York on February 20, 1977. The ceremony was officiated by Andrew Young, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
The couple decided to adopt a daughter in December of 1986. Their daughter was named Camera, after Moutoussamy’s professional instrument.
Arthur Ashe’s Military Service
Ashe gained higher education at the University of California, Los Angeles. There, he honed his skills even more as he got a scholarship for playing tennis. He was also part of the university’s ROTC program, which meant that he would need to enter active military service after graduation. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
After university, Ashe joined the United States Army. He officially enlisted on August 4, 1966. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant after completing basic training in Washington. He was then assigned to the Adjutant General Corps.
He stayed in West Point for most of his military career, working as a data processor. He headed the academy’s tennis program in West Point, where he was temporarily promoted to 1st Lieutenant on February 23, 1968. He was later discharged a year later. He served a total of two years in the United States Army and received a National Defense Service Medal for his service.
During his time at West Point, Ashe headed the academy’s tennis program. He was temporarily promoted to 1st Lieutenant on February 23, 1968, and was discharged from the Army on February 22, 1969, as a 1st Lieutenant. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal for his service. He served a total of 2 years in the United States Army.
Arthur Ashe’s Health and Death
Ashe suffered a heart attack in 1979 at the age of 36. His father had suffered the same medical emergency a week prior. Due to his high level of fitness, Ashe’s heart attack drew much attention. Findings revealed that one of Ashe’s arteries was completely closed, another was 95% closed, and another was only half open. He then underwent a quadruple bypass heart surgery later that year.
In 1988, it was discovered that he was HIV-positive. Doctors claimed that the athlete may have contracted HIV from blood transfusions he received during one of his heart surgeries. Ashe and Moutoussamy chose to keep his illness private. In 1992, he suffered another heart attack.
Ashe would later die in New York on February 6, 1993, from AIDS-related pneumonia. He was only 49 years old.
Arthur Ashe’s Legacy and Impact on HIV and AIDS
Shortly after revealing to the public that he had contracted HIV, Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS. He worked to raise awareness about the virus, advocating sex education and safe sex. He was also adamant in correcting the misconception that only homosexuals and bisexual men were at risk of getting HIV.
On December 1, 1992, World AIDS Day, he gave a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. He addressed the need for AIDS awareness and campaigned for increased research in HIV and AIDS funding.
He founded the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health two months before his death. The institute was established to help address the issues of inadequate healthcare delivery. Ashe was later named Sports Illustrated magazine’s Sportsman of the Year.
Was Arthur Ashe Gay?
No, Arthur Ashe was not gay. Ashe’s decision to adopt a child, as well as his contraction of HIV, led many to consider the possibility that he might be a homosexual. But records show that he did not make any comments about circulating rumors about the true origins of his contraction of HIV and AIDS. He also didn’t acknowledge any of the claims that he was homosexual.
Featured Image: “Arthur Ashe”, by Art Rogers, licensed under CC-BY-4.0