Jennifer Aniston’s powerful essay on the decade-long tabloid speculation over her body, relationship status and fertility has elicited a huge reaction. Scores of high-profile women have thanked her for voicing issues which affect them being in the public eye.
Now, another woman who is relentlessly splashed across tabloids and gossip sites under headlines about her appearance and personal life has voiced her support for the Friends actress.
Sharing Aniston’s Huffington Post article on Twitter, Cheryl wrote: “Just when I thought I couldn’t love her any more,” along with an applause emoji sealing the approval.
Aniston’s article lambasts tabloids for the “sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of ‘journalism’, the ‘First Amendment’ and ‘celebrity news’” as she relays how “fed up” she has become after being the subject of such scrutiny and body shaming for so many years.
“We use celebrity ‘news’ to perpetuate this dehumanising view of females, focused solely on one’s physical appearance which tabloids turn into a sporting event of speculation,” the 47-year-old wrote. “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?’”
Cheryl has been targeted by British tabloids ever since her divorce from Ashley Cole. Her weight has been a source of media scrutiny and last year the former X Factor judge called for a change in the law to protect women against body-shaming following the abuse she received on social media.
Ever since Friends ended over 10 years ago, Aniston has remained one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood, continually starring in new releases and developing new roles. But this continued role in the public eye has been coupled with a constant rumour mill around her fertility status. Similarly, just two months ago scores of articles questioned: “Is Cheryl pregnant with Liam’s baby?” just months after news emerged of her relationship with One Direction singer Liam Payne.
Aniston also used her essay to issue a warning about the message presenting a woman as incomplete if she does not have a child sends to girls about female independence and choice.
“We are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child. 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 wrote.
