Jennifer Aniston is arguably one of the most popular actresses in the world of entertainment news. Whether she’s featured as the most beautiful woman alive or on the cover of a tabloid in a story claiming she’s expecting a baby, Aniston is no stranger to Hollywood headlines.
Given her platform of popularity, the “Friends” star decided it’s time to speak out against the rumors and criticism that pop up every time she’s photographed by a paparazzo in a bikini.
She wrote an OpEd for The Huffington Post titled “For the Record” that condemns body shaming and the spread of heinous rumors in Hollywood media.
“For the record, I am not pregnant. What I am is fed up,” Aniston wrote. “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.’”
Aniston’s words spread like wildfire. Media and fans took note of her message and the piece itself has been shared nearly 40,000 times across the web.
“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,” she continued.
“Little girls everywhere are absorbing our agreement, passive or otherwise. And it begins early,” Jennifer adds.
Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, a psychologist at The Child and Family Center at Lowry, gave her insight about the piece and said, “I think coming from somebody who is regarded as ‘the most beautiful person in the world’ year after year, including this year, that probably does have a really great impact.”
Jennifer continued that people need to be okay with themselves and understand that beauty comes from within.
“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,” she said.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia