Emily Ratajkowski's recent essay discussing her experiences with dating as a single mother has generated significant online discussion. Published in The Cut, the essay titled "Mother F---er: After becoming a single mom, I began compulsively dating in order to figure out what kind of woman I wanted to be" details her post-divorce dating life. Ratajkowski, 35, reflects on her desire to redefine her identity after becoming a mother, stating, "I decided to f--- my way into a new kind of woman."
The essay includes personal anecdotes about her birth experience and her transition into single motherhood. Ratajkowski, who gave birth to her son Sylvester in March 2021, noted that she and her ex-husband, Sebastian Bear-McClard, stopped being intimate when their son was six months old, and she filed for divorce in September 2022.
In her essay, Ratajkowski describes her dating experiences, mentioning various individuals she encountered, and discusses how she initially felt scared about being a single mother but later found that many men were attracted to her motherhood. The essay has received mixed reactions online, with some commenters expressing that her experiences are not relatable to the average single mother, while others appreciated her honesty.
Ratajkowski shared images related to the essay on her Instagram, which also sparked further discussion, with some praising the visuals and others criticizing them as inappropriate. Despite the backlash, many commenters expressed support for her candidness and shared their own experiences as single mothers.