Jennifer Aniston Does Not Deserve Your Scrutiny—Neither Does Anyone Else

by Grace Easterby

I can’t stand gossip tabloids. You know the ones: They line the grocery store check out, staring at you, screaming things like, “Is Kim K. pregnant again or just FAT?!” and “T. Swift is dating ANOTHER man?!?” They’re degrading and boring and most often shaming women in one way or another. I usually try to turn the worst of the body shaming ones around, so no one behind me has to see yet another celebrity get crushed for just being human and possibly fluctuating in weight. 

Jennifer Aniston is apparently as “fed up” as I am. Yesterday, she wrote a blog post on Huffington Post, stressing how frustrating it is to be a female celebrity whose weight and motherhood are obsessively discussed, debated, and judged on hundreds of public platforms. She says, “The reality is the stalking and objectification I’ve experienced first-hand, going on decades now, reflects the warped way we calculate a woman’s worth.”

And I couldn’t agree more. It’s sad and despicable and endless; the ways women in the spotlight particularly, but also women in general, get made into public opinion pieces every time they walk outside. Just last week a man on the train said to me, I kid you not, “What’s wrong with your face? It looks like someone just told you your dog died!” Excuse me? When did that become acceptable? My face is no one’s to critique or evaluate, and assuming you have the right to discuss with me how I look is saying that you have more control over my body than I do.

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.

Aniston goes on to address the scrutiny she has experienced relating to motherhood, as the most recent round of gossip news has been whether or not she’s pregnant (because nothing else is happening in the world…). “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.” The important and often overlooked reality is women still have worth and value and are magnificent whether or not they choose to be in a relationship or get married or become mothers.

The toxic wasteland that is body-shaming tabloids tends to insinuate that women need to have a husband and children, while simultaneously saying they’re slutty for dating and gross for gaining weight. We are sick of it and ecstatic that Aniston is using her notoriety to fight back against the haters. We support you, Jennifer Aniston, and always will, regardless of your age, weight, marital status, motherhood (or lack thereof), or celebrity status, because we recognize these things are not ours to consider and never will be. So keep fighting the good fight and know you’re not alone. 

More from BUST

Underwear Model Bites Back At Body-Shaming Troll

Amy Schumer Does Not Belong In Glamour’s ‘Plus Size’ Issue. Let Her Tell You Why.

Surfing And The Myth Of The Bikini Body: BUST True Story 

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Founded in 1993, BUST is the inclusive feminist lifestyle trailblazer offering a unique mix of humor, female-focused entertainment, uncensored personal stories, and candid reporting that tells the truth about women’s lives.

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