Tracee Ellis Ross recently opened up about her dating life, specifically her tendency to date younger men, and let’s just say it set the internet ablaze!
In a world where everyone has an opinion and access to Wi-Fi, Tracee lit up timelines this week after explaining why she prefers dating younger men. The Black-ish icon didn’t mince words while chatting with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson on their April 16 episode of the IMO podcast. Her honesty hit hard, and depending on where you scrolled, it either earned a standing ovation or sparked digital outrage.
Her honest explanation sparked a whirlwind of reactions, with some applauding her transparency and others throwing around some serious accusations, including the loaded term “grooming.”
According to Tracee, dating men her age just isn’t it. “A lot of men my age are steeped in toxic masculinity,” she said during the interview. “They’ve been raised in a culture where there is a particular way that a relationship looks.”
“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 a prize, I just have no interest in it. And I will not do it again. I have long been past the age where I feel like it’s my job to teach somebody or grow them up. That I’m not interested in.”
As expected, the discourse ignited instantly. Some folks were here for it. Others? Not so much.
“Tracee Ellis Ross said what a lot of men say. She doesn’t want the stress that comes with older partners. But when they do it, it’s called grooming?” one commenter asked.
“If a 52-year-old man said he only dates younger women, Twitter would explode,” another added.
“Does anybody ever think that maybe, just maybe, Tracee is the problem?” one critic posted, clearly missing the nuance.
While Tracee never said how young these partners are, the term “grooming” started floating around online, often used without context, nuance, or any real understanding of its actual meaning. And just like that, her dating preference became a public think piece.
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) April 18, 2025
DEVELOPING: Hollywood actress Tracee Ellis Ross told former First Lady Michelle Obama that she only dates younger men because of the toxic masculinity in men her age. pic.twitter.com/YzfOSiX9mp
Tracee hasn’t responded to the backlash, she said her truth, dropped the mic, and kept it moving.
