Niecy Nash teared up when discussing her recent divorce during an emotional speech at Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood event on Thursday.
Niecy said she ultimately decided to walk away from the marriage even though her family was not comfortable seeing her as a single woman.
via Page Six:
Dabbing her eyes, Nash, 49, told the audience of her split, “There was a huge myth that I inherited from the women in my family which is, ‘You are nothing without a man. Get one, keep one, no matter what — blind, cripple, crazy, married or lazy — get one, baby girl, because they will validate you!’”
But of her failed marriage to Tucker, she said, “When I owned we were better friends than life partners, my family was quick to say, ‘But you all look so good together.’” And, “‘Well, if the man ain’t beating you, what you leaving for?’”
“The one that made me laugh the most was an ode to him being attractive. [They said,] ‘Well, you never had to put a sack on his head to sleep with him.’”
“And I replied, ‘What about my happiness?’ The untethering from my family’s beliefs, the internet’s expectations and my marriage ending caused me so much pain.”
Nash continued, “Pain is putting things in necessary order. You’ve got to acknowledge how you feel. Trust that it is so much easier to walk in your shoes than it is run towards a lie.”
She continued to the power crowd at the Beverly Wilshire luncheon, which included Ava DuVernay, Billy Porter, Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union, Janelle Monae, Lena Waithe and host Eve, “This long line of women that I come from had never been taught what choosing themselves looks like.”
“You’ve got to own the part you play. I encourage you to walk in your truth, live your trauma and live your best damn life.”
Now as a proud single woman and mother of two girls, Nash added, “I am the most grateful because I now know myself much better than before.”
“I let my daughters watch me walk through the whole thing. Because I want them to get up every single day and choose themselves,” she said, holding back more tears.
“I realize I did right when my daughter said to me, ‘I am so proud of you, and I want to be just like you when I grow up.’ [My] generational curse is broken!”
You go, Niecy!
