Jennifer Aniston Spoke Openly About Assumptions That She Chose a Career Over Kids

“When are you going to have children?” is probably the question almost every child-free woman over 30 has heard. And, celebrity or not, this question can be a bit annoying, with Jennifer Aniston being no exception. Over the years, as a 53-year-old woman without kids, Aniston has heard many rumors about her life that she’s not fond of. But she does her best to stay centered and focus more on her personal well-being.

We at Bright Side believe that no woman should be questioned about their decision to have or not have kids, and we applaud Aniston for having the courage to shut down these rumors openly.

The reckless assumptions that Aniston chose a career over having kids are not true.

Aniston revealed in an interview that she never in her life said that she didn’t want to have kids. Women who have both careers and children are the ones she finds most inspiring, so she doesn’t see any reason for her to limit herself to only one. “I’ve always wanted to have children, and I would never give up that experience for a career. I want to have it all.”

She was blamed for her marriage to ex-husband Brad Pitt falling apart because she didn’t want to start a family.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were one of Hollywood’s favorite couples. They got married back in 2000 and appeared to live fairy-tale-like lives. At the time, the Pitts were ready to begin a new chapter in their relationship and had vowed to start a family right after Aniston’s 10-year run on Friends was finished.

However, they experienced a completely different chapter than planned and divorced in 2005 after spending 5 years together. Not much time had passed after the divorce before Pitt went public with his new girlfriend, Angelina Jolie, announcing in 2006 that they were expecting their first child together.

This made people think that Pitt was eager to start a family, but Aniston didn’t want the same, and it was the possible reason their marriage ended in divorce. These accusations stepped on Anniston’s nerves, and she explained that they were not true.

Aniston used to take all the rumors about her life very personally.

There were many misconceptions spread about Aniston, like “Jen can’t keep a man,” or “Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.” To her, it was very hurtful to listen to how everybody else was trying to tell her story. “It’s like, ’You have no clue what’s going on with me personally, medically, why I can’t...can I have kids?’ They don’t know anything.”

And even though all those things were made up, sometimes it’s hard for her to remain indifferent. But she does her best to stay balanced and poised about it all and tries to focus on her work, friends, animals, and on how she can make the world a better place. “For the most part, I can sit back and laugh at the ridiculous headlines because they have gotten more and more absurd,” she revealed.

She penned a heartfelt letter stating that women are complete with or without children.

“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. I have grown tired of being part of this narrative. Yes, I may become a mother someday, 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.”

If you were in Jennifer Aniston’s place, what would you say to people who assume such misconceptions about your life?