Jennifer Aniston Wrote A Compelling Essay For The ‘Huffington Post’: ‘I Am Not Pregnant, What I Am Is Fed Up’
Jennifer Aniston wrote a compelling essay for the Huffington Post, which was published earlier this week. The essay was titled “I Am Not Pregnant, What I Am Is Fed Up.” The actress lashed out against the tabloid media for the first time after being victim to pregnancy rumors and body shaming for years.
Throughout the esteemed actress’s career, Jennifer Aniston has been reportedly “pregnant” more times than physically possible for any human woman. The actress has remained a favorite target of the tabloid media for pregnancy and relationship rumors for years now, and you know what? She’s (rightfully) fed up with it all and has decided to speak her piece.
The actress’s frequently exposed personal life has driven untold sums of money to the celebrity journalism business. Paparazzi and tabloid media has gotten totally out of hand. Aniston has had enough, and she wants you to stop speculating about the contents of her uterus.
Jennifer Aniston wrote about about the tabloid’s pregnancy rumors in an essay penned for the Huffington Post. In the new essay, the actress lashes out against the tabloid media for objectifying women and setting a societal standard for the way women are viewed today.
“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.'”
Harper’s Bazaar reported that the actress was recently suspected of being pregnant when paparazzi caught a photo of her in a bikini on vacation in the Bahamas with her husband, Justin Theroux. There were reports of the actress hiding her “baby bump” with clothing or a bag when in reality, Aniston’s stomach was flat and any sort of “bump” anyone claimed they saw was probably just from a big lunch that day.
Once a queen, always a queen. #JenniferAniston pic.twitter.com/DJHjwlwxRH
— WhoHaha (@whohahadotcom) July 12, 2016
Jennifer Aniston wrote in detail about the daily occurrence of paparazzi practically stalking her and her husband, to the point where it gets dangerous, just to catch more photos to scrutinize her further.
“The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing.”
“The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty…Is she pregnant? Is she eating too much? Has she let herself go? Is her marriage on the rocks because the camera detects some physical ‘imperfection’?”
Aniston continues the essay by calling out the celebrity news cycle and its damaging effect on young girls and women in society for claiming they have to be stick thin, pregnant, or married to be happy.
“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… We don’t need to be married or mothers to be complete. We get to determine our own ‘happily ever after’ for ourselves.”
Jennifer Aniston wrote this essay because she finally felt so fed up to the point where she felt she needed to say something. She has rarely been a person to comment on any of that sort of thing in the past. Addressing rumors and gossip is not something Aniston wants to be dealing with in her life. The actress has said she does not like to give energy to addressing lies.
Celebrities have been reaching out in support of Aniston since the essay was published earlier in the week.
So much yes to this #WCW to #JenniferAniston, and her frank, smart, vulnerable article on body… https://t.co/2QGxAjdFuK
— Sophia Bush Hughes (@SophiaBush) July 13, 2016
Great article #JenniferAniston @HuffingtonPost kudos to u! The critics are just jealous cause u found luv and look great at any angle!
— Patti Stanger (@pattistanger) July 12, 2016
Monica Lewinsky, who knows first hand the overwhelming power of public scrutiny, and who has spent years speaking out against this exact sort of thing, praised Jennifer Aniston on Twitter for vocalizing her opinion on the subject.
great anti-body shaming + anti-sexism piece by #JenniferAniston. well said! https://t.co/k1xasabSL3
— Monica Lewinsky (she/her) (@MonicaLewinsky) July 14, 2016
Most likely there will not be any major changes to tabloid practices anytime soon, and she realizes that. Aniston believes that what we are able to change is our awareness and reactions to these toxic messages. The attention we give them drives their success and continuation.
The actress’s essay touches on important societal issues that have been present and have gone undisclosed for so long. Celebrity “news” and media tabloids continue to perpetuate the dehumanizing view of females. People need to stop being focused solely on one’s physical appearance.
Jennifer Aniston wrote this piece to not only defend herself and others in the spotlight, but to speak out about larger issues that affect all women and girls in society. Click here to read the full essay.
[Photo by Mike Windle/Staff/Getty Images]
