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Melissa Leong may be 44, but she's squarely embracing a craze that has caught alight among Gen Z.
The former MasterChef Australia star announced this week that she is 'boy sober' - a social media trend where women, usually of the younger variety, give up on dating.
Being 'boy sober' means avoiding romantic dalliances and relationships with men in order for a woman to focus on her own wellbeing and self-improvement.
Originally coined by American comedian Hope Woodard, the trend also sees women swearing off sex - at least, with men - while embracing self-empowerment.
And Melissa is more than happy to admit that, after a failed marriage and an unsuccessful long-term relationship, she's at the forefront of the movement.
'Right now, I could not be less interested in dating,' she told the Daily Telegraph.
Melissa Leong (pictured) may be 44, but she's squarely embracing a trend that has caught alight among Gen Z. The star announced this week that she is 'boy sober'
'I could not be incentivised to do it. I have been asked to be involved in certain dating-related television pursuits, and I can't even... I could not be less interested.'
Melissa says that she heard the term being used by outspoken feminist and Triple J host, Dee Salmin.
'I am boy sober, and I could not be more thrilled about it,' Melissa said.
Melissa said that she has 'peace and agency' in her life and would not 'sacrifice an iota of that' for a man who does not 'enrich her world'.
'It's not that men suck, although the bar is extremely low. I have a really full life. I have great friends. I have a great family,' she explained.
'I have a really amazing life that I get to live with all of these incredible people in it.'
Melissa was previously married to Joe Jones, with the pair walking down the aisle in 2017.
Melissa was previously married to Joe Jones, with the pair walking down the aisle in 2017. They split after three years. Both pictured
Melissa debuted her relationship with Rob Mason in October 2021, just 10 months after her split with husband Joe, but they have since split. Both pictured
They split after three years of marriage, and looking back, Melissa says that she rushed into the marriage as she was approaching 35 and saw it as a deadline for settling down.
'I rushed... I'm 34, I've just met this amazing human being, who's just barrelled on into my life,' she told the Inherited podcast of that time period.
'I wasn't expecting it, so it was all very, "Let's get married," within a three-month period of being together,' she added.
Melissa debuted her relationship with Rob Mason in October 2021, just 10 months after her split he with husband.
The cook earlier revealed she feels 'content' after finding love with Rob, following her the end of her marriage in December 2020.
However, she told the Inherited podcast last October that she is now enjoying her life as a single woman.
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