When it comes to being unapologetic about living life on her own terms, Tracee Ellis Ross is that girl. “I do not believe my life is unworthy because I don’t have children,” said the actress.”

Whether it’s keeping it real about dating younger men or defending her decision to forego traditional motherhood, our good girlfriend is an open book. And the transparency continued during her latest conversation at The New York Times‘ Well Festival.

When asked about taking on others’ expectations, the Pattern founder candidly discussed learning to let it all go.

“It undermined my sense of worth and self and joy until I realized it was somebody else’s idea. And I get caught in it still,” she said according to CNBC.

She also spoke on the rise in trad-wife content and the movement encouraging young women to center homemaking, child-rearing and marriage over careers. Ross expressed concern over the concept of a nuclear family being “a narrative that the volume has turned back up on again culturally.”

“I do not believe that my life is unworthy because I don’t have children. I do not believe that my life is unworthy because I do not have a man or partner,” she said. “I do believe that I mother all over the place. I do believe that I do very valued things in the world and for people that I care about and love.”

As previously reported, the 52-year-old blackish star discussed “grieving” the absence of a partner and children in her life during a sit-down on our forever First Lady Michelle Obama‘s new podcast IMO, which she hosts alongside her brother, Craig Robinson.

“As much grief does surface for me around not having children and not having a partner… I still wouldn’t want the wrong partner,” she said. “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.”

The betterment also means not shrinking any part of who she is or conforming to outdated, toxic gender rules, a problem she says often arises with men her own age.

“Anything that starts to smell of that for me—I did enough of it, where I was controlled and felt like I was a possession or whatever those things were…I have no interest in it and I will not do it again.”

Despite all she’s accomplished—including leading two of the most successful and beloved shows in TV history along with being Emmy-nominated—it’s telling that she often has to defend her life choices.

One thing’s for sure, if anyone had a great example of a woman who had both a stellar career and a family at home it’s Ross whose iconic mother, Diana, had five children while being one of the world’s most celebrated trailblazers and artists. That could also be the reason why the Girlfriends star has decided to carve out a life that is solely her own. Either way, we’ll still be over here swooning over all things Tracee as usual.

The post Tracee Ellis Ross Doubles Down On Living Her Best Authentic Auntie Life Despite Other People’s Expectations appeared first on Bossip.