Jennifer Aniston Is a Secret Rebel
It’s an inevitable and unfortunate reality that at some point, for women of a certain age, both their relationship status and reproduction plans oft come up in the type of conversations reserved for the weather. If said woman is a celebrity, weddings and babies are a publicity dream—a life decision that can be as lucrative as it is formative—which is why some strategically incorporate both into their career path. That still doesn’t make the over-familiarity with which strangers discuss the two any less gross. And few female celebs have endured the endless baby and marriage speculation like Jennifer Aniston.
Sure, there were decades where Jen toed the maybe-baby line for her benefit with the precision and mastery of an aerialist with Cirque du Soleil. However, I’m not here to call her out for that. Instead, I want to celebrate an excerpt from her recent interview in InStyle. I know that everyone seems caught up on the tidbit about Jennifer doing an amazing Dolly Parton impersonation, which of course we all need to see immediately.
The Playboy Interview With John Mayer
The tabloids' favorite rock on Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Aniston and why the best sex happens alone
But maybe spending time with the one and only Dolly, a childless goddess none of us deserve, inspired Aniston to live her truth and and boldly declare, to her friend and interviewer Molly McNearney, “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?”
[Insert whooping Meryl GIF here.] Yes, girl. Yes. It’s not often I agree with Aniston’s life choices (dating John Mayer twice, working with Adam Sandler too many times, that toe ring), but this is one I can get behind. Maybe it’s a bit self-serving, since I’m a single spinster who’s wasting a perfectly good womb simply because I can. Maybe it’s because we’re about to lose access to birth control, safe abortions and are one Supreme Court nominee away from real life turning into an episode of The Handmaid’s Tale, that not having kids feels a little like an act a rebellion.
[Insert whooping Meryl GIF here.] Yes, girl. Yes. It’s not often I agree with Aniston’s life choices (dating John Mayer twice, working with Adam Sandler too many times, that toe ring), but this is one I can get behind. Maybe it’s a bit self-serving, since I’m a single spinster who’s wasting a perfectly good womb simply because I can. Maybe it’s because we’re about to lose access to birth control, safe abortions and are one Supreme Court nominee away from real life turning into an episode of The Handmaid’s Tale, that not having kids feels a little like an act a rebellion.
You’re just a woman in her 40s who, like the rest of us, has decided we’re totally OK with skipping that part of life where we get judged by strangers in the comments section of Instagram over the type of mothers we are.
Or maybe it’s because, between #MeToo, #TimesUp and the constant assault on our rights, all women have too much other shit to do, and trying to find a babysitter just makes it that much harder. Whatever the reason, I’ll always support any woman when she speaks out against an antiquated and heteronormative gender norm.
So here’s to you, Jennifer Aniston, and let’s hope this finally settles that no, you’re not pregnant for Brad Pitt, crying over Justin Theroux or pining after John. That you’re just a woman in her 40s who, like the rest of us, has decided we’re totally OK with skipping that part of life where we get judged by strangers in the comments section of Instagram over the type of mothers we are.
So here’s to you, Jennifer Aniston, and let’s hope this finally settles that no, you’re not pregnant for Brad Pitt, crying over Justin Theroux or pining after John. That you’re just a woman in her 40s who, like the rest of us, has decided we’re totally OK with skipping that part of life where we get judged by strangers in the comments section of Instagram over the type of mothers we are.
