WNBA player Natasha Cloud and professional softballer Aleshia Ocasio reportedly tied the knot in a secret ceremony last fall. Cloud made the heartwarming revelation during a “Women’s Basketball” conversation on the social media app Clubhouse Wednesday, according to sports reporter Greydy Diaz, though the couple has not yet publicly confirmed the news elsewhere. Cloud said she was partially motivated to marry out of fear that Trump’s reelection could lead to further assaults on queer rights.
The marriage didn’t come out of nowhere, though: fans may have noticed clues about the athletes’ nuptials on their social media accounts. Over the holidays, Cloud uploaded a photo of her and Ocasio to Instagram with the caption “The Cloud’s”.
In reaction to the news, one fan shared that her recent wedding was also propelled by a fear of losing the right to marry whoever she wants. These experiences reflect how the 2020 appointment of Amy Coney Barrett, which further tilted the Supreme Court into a conservative majority, instilled fear in millions of LGBTQ+ Americans about losing access to health care, marriage equality, gender-affirming spaces, and a host of other legal protections.
Cloud and Ocasio first announced their engagement in July 2019. Last year, Cloud joked about the fast (and heartwarming!) courtship between her and Ocasio, which all began with a “like” and a DM. “You know what they say about lesbians: We move really quick,” the championship player shared in an interview with OutSports this January. “So the next week, she flew out, we played in Atlanta. She was still finishing up her degree at the University of Florida, so she came and watched. From there, it was over. I won her over.”
Cloud discussed how exploring her biracial and bisexual identities felt linked, with both requiring her to interrogate who she was as a person. “For me, it was so transformational to finally be out as who I am as a bisexual woman, as a biracial woman,” she said. “It’s so crazy, because when I finally did tap into those feelings, it really brought my whole world together.”
Marriage aside, Cloud experienced the pressures of living in Trump’s America in other ways. The basketball star made headlines last year after announcing that she would sit out the 2020 WNBA season to advocate for social justice and equality, inspired by the international protests surrounding the murders of George Floyd Jr. and Breonna Taylor. The decision was not without its consequences — Cloud was forced to pay back her year’s salary. Thankfully, Cloud signed a sponsorship deal with Converse last summer that allowed her to focus on activism without severe financial hardship. Now, Cloud is ready to hit the court again. This week, she signed a lucrative multiyear contract with the Washington Mystics for the 2021 season.
Secret weddings seem to be having a moment during the pandemic, especially among queer women of color. Claws star Niecy Nash made waves last fall when she married Jessica Betts, whom she affectionately calls her “hersband,” in a surprise ceremony. And during the summer, Disney star Raven-Symoné held her own socially distanced backyard wedding to social media manager Miranda Maday. The nuptials also served as the first time Raven publicly shared the relationship.
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