Jennifer Aniston has opened up about how pregnancy rumours and “reckless assumptions” about her child-free state have affected her over the years.
“No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me,” the 49-year-old actress told InStyle magazine.
Throughout Aniston’s two marriages (Brad Pitt, 2000-2005, and Justin Theroux, 2015-2018) and at every moment in between, the actress has been the subject of media speculation about her love life and motherhood status.
“The misconceptions are ‘Jen can’t keep a man,’ and ‘Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.’ Or that I’m sad and heartbroken,” she told friend and interviewer Molly McNearney.
“First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken.”
Aniston secondly labelled those assumptions as “reckless” given that any one of many possibilities – such as a potential fertility struggle – could be at play.
“No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me,” she said.
“They don’t know what I’ve been through medically or emotionally. There is a pressure on women to be mothers, and if they are not, then they’re deemed damaged goods.
“Maybe my purpose on this planet isn’t to procreate. Maybe I have other things I’m supposed to do?”
The Horrible Bosses actress has previously spoken of how much she resents and resists being cast as a “sad, childless human”.
To InStyle, she lamented how “sexism” plays a role in how a relationship breakdown, like hers and Justin’s announced in February this year, is reported by the media.
"When a couple breaks up in Hollywood, it's the woman who is scorned. The woman is left sad and alone. She’s the failure.
"F that. When was the last time you read about a divorced, childless man referred to as a spinster?"
Aniston said she had also experienced sexism in her career, but told the magazine she had never encountered the kind of harassment, bullying or coersion spoken about in the #MeToo movement.
The beloved Friends star offered a slightly different perspective on the movement than the one heard by many other women in Hollywood.
"It’s long overdue. But we also need to be better at listening to one another. That includes men. They need to be part of this conversation."
You can read more here or in the September issue US InStyle.
Top Comments
Women's magazines have long been reckless bullies. I believe they cause a lot more harm to women than most people realise, not just to Jennifer Aniston but to all women who choose not to have kids, or who have a marriage breakdown, or who don't get married at all.
I question why womens' magazines keep pushing these ancient beliefs that women must be married and have children and give up their careers to be happy? It's actually misogynistic. Surely our society has evolved?
I agree with you in principle. However, as a child-free lady myself, I don't feel Aniston is the best example of how women are bullied in this context. The scrutiny she's copped has been stupid and exaggerated, but she's also managed to make lemonade from lemons and has profited from the exposure. Without the constant attention on her relationships and childlessness, she would have faded into obscurity a long time back (she's hardly made anything of note since Friends, which was strong due to it being an ensemble cast). Her speaking out about is all well and good now, but it really looks like she's biting the hand that feeds her.
I tried to say the same thing but both of my posts were removed. Aniston is the one who chooses to speak about the topic in almost every interview she does. She is the Jennifer Aniston! We know from the editors of Vogue and Vanity Fair that Aniston has full veto on any and all questions asked. She allows the questions and actively encourages it.