Tracee Ellis Ross, the Emmy-winning star of ABC’s “Black-ish,” has recently opened up about the challenges of her dating life. She got pretty candid in her IMO Podcast appearance, which is hosted by none other than Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson. At 52, Ross was candid about her dating woes. She opened up about her love for younger men and what she’s learned from them.
During the course of the podcast, Ross communicated her longing for intimacy and honesty in her connections. She highlighted that her focus should be on selecting someone that improves her life instead of just occupying an empty. “You have to make my life better. It can’t just be, ‘I’m in a relationship to be in a relationship,’” she stated, highlighting her commitment to ensuring that any romantic involvement aligns with her values and aspirations.
Ross admitted that she spends a lot of time mourning for the life she dreamed about as a kid. “This is how much I grieve the things that I imagined would be… that are not,” she said. The actress opened up about her experience as a newly single woman, trying to find balance in the often frustrating world of dating today. She noted, “Sometimes I think of all of the things I’ve done, the courage that I have had to have, and what I’ve had to learn how to navigate as a single person with no one to hide behind. And, to that effect, I’ve designed a deeply beautiful experience for myself.”
When observed by her in conversations with younger men, she explained the big cultural shift about how to treat people and approach relationships. “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. Ross indicated that she no longer feels inclined to nurture or teach someone in her romantic life, stating, “I have long been past the age where I feel like it’s my job to teach somebody or grow them up.”
Even with her contemplative outlook and occasional remembrances of aspirational paths not taken, Ross’s art radiated appreciation for her present life situation. She encouraged women to be proud of the choices they’ve made and the journeys they’ve produced in their own lives. She said, “Admittedly, I still get sad that I don’t have kids and a spouse. I’m thankful for the large life I do have.”
Going forward, Ross is still looking for a lead investment partner that shares her vision and goals. She won’t accept the one who’s not right. This time around, though, she chooses her happiness and emergency and puts herself first.