Tracee Ellis Ross: I want to be the poster child for living on my own terms

Tracee Ellis Ross wants to be seen as “the poster child” for living life “on her terms”.

The 48-year-old actress – who will celebrate her 49th birthday on Friday (29.10.21) – has said people have called her the “poster child for being single”, but she would rather to be known for living her life “on her terms” instead of relying on other people to make her happy.

She said: “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. 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.”

The ‘Black-ish’ star said it took her a “long time” to learn to “accept” herself after spending years trying to have a smaller personality than she actually has.

She added: “Listen, learning to be me has been a really long journey. I tried being small and feeling things in little ways.

“It took me a long time to get to know myself, to accept myself, and even on some days to really like and love myself. And then it took me a whole other load of years to have the courage to actually live in the world as that person. And it’s been trial and error, chewing on ground glass. It’s been a hard-earned journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. I mean, I came out of the womb like this. I literally think I was like, ‘Woo-hoo! I’m here. What have you got? Let’s go!’ ”

Tracee also discussed getting older, and insisted she is “the sexiest” she’s ever felt.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar magazine, she explained: “I’m the sexiest I’ve ever been. And when I say that I mean I feel the most myself.”