Entertainment TV Tracee Ellis Ross Slams Pressure to Get Married and Have Kids: 'Society Spoon-Feeds It to You' "I would still love all of that, but what am I going to do, just sit around waiting?" the actress said of a future with a husband and children By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Instagram Twitter Nicholas Rice is a Staff Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. People Editorial Guidelines Published on May 21, 2021 11:14AM EDT Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Christine Hahn Tracee Ellis Ross is perfectly content living life as a single woman without kids. In a new interview with Marie Clare, the 48-year-old actress opened up about the societal pressures placed on women to get married and have children. When asked by the outlet if she once dreamed of a life with a large family, Ross said, "Well, how could you not?" "Our society spoon-feeds it to you," the Blackish star said. "I used to put myself to sleep dreaming of my wedding." Added Ross: "And I would still love all of that, but what am I going to do, just sit around waiting? Shut up. I've got so many things to do." Christine Hahn 21 Celebs Who Are Absolutely, 100% Okay With Being Single Last year, Ross made similar statements when she covered the May 2020 issue of Porter. "I wish I had known there were other choices, not just about how I could be living, but how I could feel about the way my life was," Ross told the publication. "I was raised by society to dream of my wedding, but I wish I had been dreaming of my life." Christine Hahn Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "There are so many ways to curate happiness, find love and create a family, and we don't talk about them," she continued. "It creates so much shame and judgment." "People misinterpret being happily single as not wanting to be in a relationship. Of course I want to be in a relationship, but what am I going to do? Spend all the time that I'm not [in one] moping around?" Ross argued. "No. I'm going to live my life to the fullest and I'm going to be happy right here, where I am." RELATED VIDEO: SeeHer Story: Tracee Ellis Ross While chatting with Marie Claire, the Girlfriends alum also spoke about smashing beauty standards and loving her natural hair. "Learning to love my hair in a world that doesn't mirror that celebration has been a form of both resistance and the claiming of my identity, my selfhood, my legacy, my ancestral lines, the history that I come from," Ross said. Ross voiced in pride in all she's achieved with Pattern Beauty, her two-year-old haircare company focused on curly and coily textures. The star said balancing the CEO role and work as an actress can be stressful, "but I have to remind myself to stay connected to my heart and my gut."