Lisa Rinna for COSMOPOLITAN’s ‘Sex After 60’ Special Digital Issue

Pin

COSMOPOLITAN has just released “Sex After 60” — a special digital issue all about the under-explored, under-discussed, under-celebrated sex and intimacy experiences of experienced women. And who better to grace the cover of Cosmo’s “Sex After 60” digital issue than Lisa Rinna? From her iconic Bravo departure to her unapologetically sexy dance moves, the outspoken former reality star and actor is a powerful reminder that our choices don’t have to diminish as we age. Speaking with journalist Val Munroe for COSMO’s “Sex After 60” issue cover story, Rinna—who celebrated her 60th birthday in July—opens up to Cosmopolitan in an extremely candid interview. So consider this your invitation inside Lisa’s bedroom, where no topic is too off-limits.

Pin

Pin

Lisa Rinna on her relationship with sexuality:

“I have not always been this in touch with my sexuality at all. I grew up very repressed, like everybody did in the ’60s. It just wasn’t something that nice girls did or talked about or flaunted, especially not in Medford, Oregon, where I was raised. You’re just a good girl, and you don’t say how you feel; you just try to be quiet. You can see how well that went for me. I rebelled, certainly after a while. But I toed the line really well for a very long time, even when I first met Harry.”

On the impact of postpartum depression:

“I had postpartum depression and I completely lost my mojo. I didn’t know I had it for the first 15 months of Delilah’s life, and then once we figured it out, I was treated for it, and I was ready for it when I had Amelia. I went on an antidepressant, which helped tremendously. Without that, I don’t know how long it would’ve taken. I’m very positive and a very happy person, and I felt completely hopeless. And that’s pretty scary when you’ve never had that happen in your life. Once I got myself back on track, it took a minute for me to figure out ‘what do I do?’ I think it’s hard after you have children to figure out how to get that sexuality back.”

On how sexuality has changed for her as she’s gotten older:

“It’s an interesting question because as we age, our hormones change and we change. I mean, we’re not procreating. It really goes back to procreation. And when you’re ovulating, the universe says you need to make a baby and you’re sexual. So I think it’s really interesting when you go through menopause. I know it’s a drag for people to talk about menopause, and it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a dirty secret and we don’t want to talk about it.’ But the truth is, you change. You’re not about making a baby. So you’re not as crazy sexually driven—you just aren’t. I’m a big proponent of hormones, because I think that without them, life is just f*cking miserable. They have been really helpful in my being able to stay feeling good about myself.”

On wanting to age “disgracefully”:

“I don’t feel like I’m 60, and Harry doesn’t feel like he’s 72. So it’s just the number comes up, and you’re like, ‘Oh, f*ck.’ And that’s what I’m always going to fight against. I’ve thought a lot about it, because I just turned 60 in July, and there’s this whole thing about aging gracefully. And I’m like, ‘F*ck it. I’m going to age disgracefully.’ I’m not going to buy into any notion that this, this, and this happens when you turn 60. I’m just going to fight it all the way, because I want to do it my way.”

On the importance of passion and curiosity in life and as you age:

“I think it is about passion. You can’t fight aging. Aging is going to happen. How do I do it so that I feel good and I’m happy? That’s what I’m looking for, and I’m still passionate, and I’m still curious about life. I don’t necessarily need to look like I’m 20 years old, though that’s fun if you can get it. But you know what I’m saying? It’s about how do you morph yourself into this era and still feel good, be curious, be passionate, and be happy?”

On being present in the moment as a strategy for aging:

“It is very difficult, but I think that’s the key to it all. Because when I’m 75 and I’m living in the moment, I may be perfectly fine with it. I don’t know what that is going to be, and I can’t look ahead. I know that it’s very hard in our society, the way that women are perceived and the way that aging is perceived. I don’t think anybody is like, ‘Oh, this is great, and this is just going to be so much fun, and everyone is just going to be so lovely and accepting,’ because that is just not the case. And especially if you’re still in the workplace like we are, it’s like, ‘Sh*t.’ I mean, when I turned 40, it was hard to get a job as an actor. So I’ve been manipulating and managing this for 20 years already.”

On being a role model for her girls:

“Imagine having me as your mom and opening up your Instagram and I’m, like, dancing or doing some funny thing. I think that if you look at them and you see what they’ve accomplished at such a young age, I don’t think it’s a negative. I think it’s actually a positive, because they see that anything is possible. Like today, my daughter said, ‘Oh my god, Mom, you’re a rock star.’ I was showing her photos from this shoot, and I thought, ‘That’s a cool thing to hear from your 22-year-old.’ So hopefully, I’m presenting something that is positive to them. But again, I can’t quite imagine what it would be like having me as a mom.”

On not regretting her departure from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills:

“No, people think that maybe I do, but no, I didn’t regret it when I sent the letter, and I haven’t regretted it since… That was one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made to go do that show. I mean, that show brought me so many positives. It was a great thing for me to do at the time, absolutely great. And it was the right time for me to go. I think it served its purpose for both of us, for me and for Bravo. Absolutely.”

[Photo Credit: Brendan Wixted for Cosmopolitan Magazine]

• Brendan Wixted
• Cosmopolitan
• Editorials
• Lisa Rinna
• Magazines