Emily Ratajkowski Revealed Which Relationship Led Her to Be ‘Aggressive’ Around Men

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Emily Ratajkowski‘s dating life is always a hot topic, and while the model, author, and single mama has been casually dating singer Shaboozey, don’t expect her to sprint down the aisle anytime soon. After her marriage to producer Sebastian Bear-McClard, which ended with accusations of infidelity on McClard’s part, Ratajkowski’s views on matrimony have taken a sharp turn — and honestly, who can blame her?

Ratajkowski’s marriage to the Uncut Gems producer ended in September 2022 after four years, and she’s been quite candid about the revelations she has come to in the aftermath.

“I felt marriage was a romantic thing. I thought that it would ultimately be a partnership,” she shared in conversation with novelist Sarah Manguso for Vogue. “After having a child, I found myself accepting what was happening. I never cooked, and suddenly I was not just cooking but also being the breadwinner while simultaneously organizing our social schedule and being the primary caretaker of our child.” The two share a three-year-old son, Sly, who was born a year before the divorce.

Following her split, the model has been linked to a slew of A-listers, from Eric André to Pete Davidson. Yet, none of these flings seemed to shake her to the core like her marriage did.

“I have a really complicated relationship with powerful men. I certainly didn’t want someone who needed me to feel small. I’m quite unpleasant around men who need that,” she admitted. “By the end of my marriage, I found myself very much in the same position as Jane, which was that my world was suddenly extremely small and less important, less valuable,” she said, referencing the character from Manguso’s latest novel, Liars.

The My Body author’s time with McClard didn’t just change her perspective on men; it also led her to creatively reframe her past. When the marriage ended, Ratajkowski famously transformed her engagement ring into divorce rings — a symbolic gesture that screams “I’m moving on” louder than any legal document could.

“There is a lot of talk about men, cheaters, lying. It is a terrifying thought, if you’re a hetero woman, because you feel like you can’t trust anyone,” Ratajkowski confided. “That was something that definitely came to me out of my divorce. I have this new appreciation of time, and every second feels like a gift.”

Despite the challenges of dating as a single mom, Ratajkowski remains undeterred. “I believe in the female instinct and have witnessed its silencing. My anxieties and unhappiness and rage and all the things that I experienced in a domestic partnership, I now understand that they existed because I had been ignoring my instincts.”

So, while Ratajkowski may be seen holding hands with Shaboozey, it doesn’t seem like she’s fast-tracking any romantic relationship. She’s embracing the journey of self-discovery — and making sure that her future romantic partner doesn’t make her feel small or like she has to stifle her instincts.

Before you go, click here to see Emily Ratajkowski’s complete dating history.