New year, new woman! Raquel Leviss stood her ground after receiving backlash for having an “unengagement party” following her split from James Kennedy.
“Penis straws ftw #unengagementparty,” the 27-year-old TV personality wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, January 25.
The Vanderpump Rules star shared a photo of herself sipping wine out of a phallic novelty item after watching the season 9 reunion special with friends. Some fans, however, thought the celebration was in poor taste.
“Kinda mean. I get moving on but why make a [spectacle] out of it?” one user commented on the snap. “Some things can stay private.”
The former pageant queen, who announced in December 2021 that she and Kennedy, 30, called off their engagement, was quick to respond.
“But it actually is the furthest thing from private … there’s no way in hell I’m going to watch this emotional reunion without my closest friends,” Leviss replied, referencing the large group that attended her reunion watch party, including costars Ariana Madix and Scheana Shay.
The California native pointed out that her ex-fiancé’s recent actions made it that much easier to focus on herself now that she’s single. (The DJ was spotted holding hands with a mystery woman in Las Vegas earlier this month, but a source exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, January 25, that Kennedy is “not dating” right now.)
“And after seeing how quickly James has moved on, I think I’m allowed the freedom to act on whatever my heart desires,” Leviss added. “I’m no longer taking into account other people’s concerns before my own. Those days are dead and gone. Hello 2022.”
The Sonoma State University alum further explained her state of mind via her Instagram Story on Wednesday, January 26, writing, “I remind myself that how others react to what I do [is] not my place of concern. Trying to change other’s perception of me is a form of control.”
She noted that “some people will think what I did last night was badass, while others may think it was cruel and heartless.”
Leviss, however, was happy with how she handled watching her breakup play out on national television, adding, “I did what I did to support MY NEEDS and my needs only. I am learning how to not feel remorse for putting myself before others.”
The model then reposted a video from the Tuesday night bash that Shay, 36, originally shared. In the clip, Leviss smashed a giant engagement ring balloon in honor of the end of her and Kennedy’s relationship.
“I don’t feel guilty reposting this because we all need closure in a breakup,” the former Miss Sonoma County captioned the Instagram Story video. “Tomorrow I will finally be able to turn a new leaf and continue creating the life I want to live with healthy thoughts surrounded by the people I love.”
Leviss and Kennedy got engaged in May 2021 but called it quits seven months later. They detailed what led to their split on Tuesday’s season 9 Vanderpump Rules reunion special, including the bombshell that they hadn’t had sex since 2019.