Sara McGinnis
posted in CelebritiesJennifer Aniston has once and for all had enough. Enough of the pregnancy rumors, enough of the suggestion she's to be pitied for not yet having kids, and enough of her body being intensely scrutinized.
Though she's laughed off and denied pregnancy gossip for years, the 47-year-old changed her approach Monday by penning an essay for The Huffington Post. In full the post is smart, on-point, and thoroughly applause-worthy. A look at a few pieces of what the actress, who wed Justin Theroux in August 2014, had to say...
Jennifer Aniston on deciding to speak out: Let me start by saying that addressing gossip is something I have never done. I don’t like to give energy to the business of lies, but I wanted to participate in a larger conversation that has already begun and needs to continue.
On those never-ending pregnancy rumors: For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up. I’m fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of “journalism,” the “First Amendment” and “celebrity news.”
On the scrutiny of her body: Yes, I may become a mother some day, and since I’m laying it all out there, if I ever do, I will be the first to let you know. But I’m not in pursuit of motherhood because I feel incomplete in some way, as our celebrity news culture would lead us all to believe. I resent being made to feel “less than” because my body is changing and/or I had a burger for lunch and was photographed from a weird angle and therefore deemed one of two things: “pregnant” or “fat.”
On each person's happily ever after: Here’s where I come out on this topic: we are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child. We get to decide for ourselves what is beautiful when it comes to our bodies. That decision is ours and ours alone. Let’s make that decision for ourselves and for the young women in this world who look to us as examples. Let’s make that decision consciously, outside of the tabloid noise. We don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own “happily ever after” for ourselves.
Looking toward the future: From years of experience, I’ve learned tabloid practices, however dangerous, will not change, at least not any time soon. What can change is our awareness and reaction to the toxic messages buried within these seemingly harmless stories served up as truth and shaping our ideas of who we are. We get to decide how much we buy into what’s being served up, and maybe some day the tabloids will be forced to see the world through a different, more humanized lens because consumers have just stopped buying the bullshit.
Jennifer Aniston's entire essay is worth a read, and I'm mightily impressed by her speaking out and nailing so many things so hard.
I used to think celebrity gossip and rumors were just for fun, but over the years my opinion has changed mightily. I can only imagine what it's like to endure decades of scrutiny and have no control over what photos or articles about you are published around the world.
I am guilty of hoping for a pregnancy announcement from this star, mostly because often through the years she's hinted she wants to become a mother. Just like I'd wish it for anyone else in the world who wanted a baby, I hoped she'd have the opportunity. If she'd said she wasn't interested in the first place I wouldn't have thought twice about it -- but I'm seeing even more clearly now it never should have been any of the general public's business in the first place.
Though it is very tough to make the world change, I was shocked by how effective Kristen Bell's campaign to give her kids privacy was. Things still aren't perfect, but major news outlets complied to her requests and I get the sense it's been a big improvement.
Here's hoping Jennifer standing up and speaking out ends up having the same impact.
Photos: PR Photos
A look at stars who plan to remain childless by choice:
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