Tracee Ellis Ross is living her best life at 49 years old, single and all! Over the course of her career, the Black-ish star has been admired for her talent, sense of humor, and her bangin' bawdy so many fans have questioned, why is she still single?Why hasn't she had kids yet? But according to Tracee, she doesn't live her life for others, therefore our questions don't matter to her.
However, the Girlfriends star did speak about her single status and living life on her own terms. In an interview with Harper's BAZAAR, Tracee dove into how men have long been behind what happiness is supposed to look like for a woman.
"I didn't see enough examples of different versions of how a woman can find happiness and joy and power and sensuality, sexuality, all of that, without it being through the lens of how I'm seen by a man. People are like, 'You're the poster child for being single.' And I was like, 'Great.' But what I would prefer is that I'm the poster child for living my life on my terms. And that there's a version of that for everyone."
"I don't live my life for other people," she continued. "I just totally live it for me. This is something that has really solidified itself into an unbreakable, unshakable foundation in the last four or five years."
Period, Ms. Ross!
This isn't the first time the former model had to address being single and childless. In a May Marie Claireinterview, Tracee discussed the pressures put on women to have a family and live a traditional life.
"Our society spoon-feeds it to you," she said. "I used to put myself to sleep dreaming of my wedding. And I would still love all of that, but what am I going to do, just sit around waiting? Shut up. I've got so many things to do."
But Tracee isn't alone. There are many other successful Black women who aren't letting being single and childless over 40 define them.
Celebrities like Sanaa Lathan and Regina Hall have also spoken out about society's obsession for women, particularly Black women, getting married and settling down with kids and a white picket fence.
During 2020 CultureCon, Sanaa gave her opinion on the romanticized view of marriage and kids that women grew up seeing in TV and films.
"We read all these fairy tales---Snow White, Cinderella--...[and] they're being chosen by a man. That's when you win when you are chosen by a man. That's not the truth!" she said.
"I'mma choose me first."
Featured image by Rich Fury/Getty Images