Tracee Ellis Ross continues to show us what it looks like to be an empowered woman who knows her worth. Over the years, the 52-year-old has been open about her love life and refusal to settle for less than what she knows she’s worth. During a recent chat with Michelle Obama and her brother on their podcast IMO, the Girlfriends actress admitted that she experiences grief around being single and child-free.
“I grieve the things that I thought would be and that are not,” she said. “I’m not married. I don’t have children… and I think I grieve that at times.”
She continued, “As much grief does surface for me around not having children and not having a partner… I still wouldn’t want the [wrong] partner. I am not interested in that, you have to make my life better it can’t just be I’m in a relationship just to be in a relationship,” Ross explained.
Despite experiencing that grief, the actress isn’t willing to be with anyone just to avoid being alone. The Black-Ish actress also expanded on issues she runs into when dating.
“A lot of men my age are steeped in a toxic masculinity and have been raised in a culture where there is a particular way that a relationship looks,” she explained. The 52-year-old added that she’s been in relationships with those types of men in the past and has no desire to do that again. Ross added that she finds younger men tend to be more open and less traditional.
Ross is also not here for parenting a partner.
“…I have been long past the age where I feel like it’s my job to teach somebody or grow them up,” she said.
Ellis Ross continues to date and describes herself as open.
“I do date and it’s a fascinating adventure out there,” the actress reflected. “Mostly though, I think there’s really good men out there. I think to a certain extent, I’m a very unique sort of unicorn of a woman and so it’s gonna take a unique person and in the meantime i’ve really learned how to live my life and enjoy it and not sit around waiting. “
Ross has also come up with her own dating philosophies. One of them is sticking to meeting prospects in person at events or through friends versus dating apps. The actress also said she ends up dating individuals who have a level of recognition and something to lose.
Although she hasn’t found her person yet, the star has acknowledged she’s making progress.
“I don’t know, I haven’t had great luck lately, but I do have to say I’m moving up on what it is that I’m looking for as a match.”
