Yesterday was Jennifer Aniston’s 45th birthday. The day before the big day, she was in Ranchos Palos Verdes, California. She was attending The Makers Conference, and she was there to interview Gloria Steinem. More on that in a moment. It’s worth noting – because we don’t have the photos, which you can see here – that Aniston took out those long extensions she had last week and she’s back to her choppy bob. It’s also worth noting that she was wearing her engagement ring. Incidentally, there were photos of Justin Theroux in NYC yesterday. Did they spend her birthday apart? Hm. As for the Steinem interview, well… you can imagine where the conversation went:
Typically, Jennifer Aniston is the one answering the questions, but on Monday, the tables were turned for the actress when she was asked to interview Gloria Steinem. E! News has exclusively learned the 45-year-old beauty recently participated in THE MAKERS Conference, a two-day event held at Terranea Resort and Spa in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., where 50 of the most innovative and impactful women across varying fields gather to discuss the evolution of the women’s movement.
On Monday evening, Jane Lynch, Marlo Thomas, Sheryl Sandberg and Martha Stewart took their seats in the front row at the small venue, which seated about 100 people, trying to blend into the crowd in order to let the spotlight shine on longtime activist Gloria Steinem. Kara Swisher of Revere Digital served as the emcee of evening, introducing Aniston in a nonchalant manner before the former Friend took the stage.
The Horrible Bosses star looked flawless in an all-black ensemble, sporting a form-fitting tank, slacks and four-inch peep-toe pumps. She added gold accessories to her classy look, wearing thin gold-framed eye glasses and a long gold chain necklace. As for her signature locks? Aniston’s hair appeared freshly cut and extension free as the actress rocked a cute bob style.
Justin Theroux’s other half opened by saying, “I don’t do this, I’m an actress” as if to imply she had no idea how to conduct an interview although her poised and confidant demeanor could’ve fooled the entire crowd. She furthered, “When Makers reached out to me, and when I found out who I’d be interviewing, I of course had to accept.”
The two women bonded over their feminist values and Aniston appeared authentically interested in every word Gloria was saying. At certain points during the interview, she even stopped and asked Gloria to explain things further.
“The public has a great interest in our personal lives,” Aniston said. “I know you’ve come up against this, and I certainly have too – where being a woman and our value and our worth is basically associated with our marital status or whether or not we have procreated,” Aniston said.
“Well, I guess we’re in deep s–t!” Gloria replied laughingly.
To which Aniston echoed, “Well, that’s what I thought, we are in deep s–t!”
Jennifer also applauded Steinem for her efforts, “I thank you and honor you for raising women to have a strong voice,” she said.
Gloria described herself as a “hope-aholic,” which generated a smile from Jen, who exclaimed, “I like that!”
The interview lasted about 20 minutes and all questions were directed at Gloria.
After the interview was over, Aniston gave Gloria a hug and immediately exited the stage. In addition to the interview, a short video was played at the conference which explained what feminism is about, with the theme being, how can one not be a feminist?
In the inspirational clip, Alicia Keys, Chelsea Handler, Oprah Winfrey, Margret Cho, Katie Couric, and Sara Silverman [all self-proclaimed “makers” a term coined by the organization] expressed what feminism meant to them. MAKERS is a digital platform for women to showcase their experiences through story, founded by Dyllan McGee and developed by AOL and PBS.
For the love of… twenty minutes with Gloria Steinem and Jennifer managed to bring the conversation around to the constant pregnancy rumors, which just fans the flames of those rumors even further. Ugh. But I will bite my tongue. Even though I don’t have any interest in Jennifer Aniston’s particular brand of feminist theory, I think women should stop nit-picking each other’s definitions of feminism and how we self-identify our feminism. There’s more that unites us than divides us.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Ironic, isn’t it, that there is great detail in the article about how JA LOOKS? Isn’t a key premise of the feminist movement to rise above just LOOKS?
You took the words out of my mouth. “justin Theroux’s other half”….who even wrote this?!!
100% Exactly what I was thinking! For a minute, I was even like: “Is this supposed to be satire?!” I’m so glad other people have said something about this. “Justin Theroux’s other half” actually sent me over the edge.
Gosh, Gloria Freakin’ Steinem deserved so much better than this. What a wasted opportunity. Oh well. In Aniston’s defense, she did say she didn’t know how to conduct an interview.
Probably because that’s the only thing she has going on… If its not the hair, its marriage or baby talk.. Nothing else. And that’s such a shame if you ask Me 🙁
+1,000
Agree.
And since this has already taken a shallow note, I’ll be shallow. I have never found JA pretty or sexy or interesting. However, I will say that I think she looks the best I have EVER seen her in the second pic in her jeans, jacket and scarf…FAR more sexy than in the strapless dress in the first pic.
HA!!!! 🙂
How in the name of feminism do people like Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler become “Makers”? If it’s by doing a YouTube prank singing “I’m f*cking Matt Damon” or smearing Angelina Jolie publicly then I guess that’s what makes a good feminist….*shakes head in disbelief*….
Thanks So much Jaded!
I think they were there because all the REAL “makers” were out actually Making a Difference
I like Sarah..so I’m not going there. The other. meh.
It is interesting that when you are interviewing a woman that really spoke to Feminism.. you talk about what Tabloid are saying about your life. I think Jennifer is stuck in one gear.. no matter what the situation.
Chelsea and Sarah weren’t there though. They were shown speaking about what feminism means to them in the “celeb” clip shown at the end of the interview, along with Oprah and Alicia Keys and others.
I”m all for ragging on Chelsea though because she’s awful in general, not just from a feminist perspective but from a being a decent person perspective. Sarah is problematic with some of her stand-up but much less problematic than Chelsea IMO and I generally like Sarah.
Jane Lynch, Marlo Thomas, Sheryl Sandberg and Martha Stewart were the “celebs” in attendance for the actual interview.
Exactly.
@Jaded, who wrote: “How in the name of feminism do people like Sarah Silverman and Chelsea Handler become “Makers”? If it’s by doing a YouTube prank singing “I’m f*cking Matt Damon”
Okay, I ‘will’ go there, not only because I like Sarah Silverman, but because the woman is SO much more than the “I’m F–king Matt Damon” joke that just happened to go viral on YouTube.
The “I’m F–king Matt Damon” thing was all about Jimmy Kimmel, whom Sarah was dating, and the running joke he had by always ending his show with “My apologies to Matt Damon, but we’ve run out of time.” He did that for 1 or 2 years until Matt Damon finally came on his show (they’re actually very good friends in real life). As soon as Damon sat down Jimmy Kimmel looked at the camera and said “I’m sorry folks, that’s all the time we have tonight” and Damon got up and cursed Kimmel out all the way off the set. Of course, the whole ‘diss/goof on Matt Damon thing was a running gag they both participated in, and the “I’m f–king Matt Damon” skit was just a part of all of that.
Aside from that … Sarah has had her own TV show, has done stand up comedy, and has been in films … and she did it all on her own. I think that’s the very definition of a ‘Maker.”
Please — 45 is old enough to stop womb-watching this chick, right? Even if there are a few eggs left in her hen-house, is there anybody left who honestly still believes she intends to use them?
If she wanted children of her own, she would have had them by now.
its pretty obvious she doesn’t want any children and probably never has. and that’s just fine.
you just wonder at what point, can she just come out and say that, instead of not addressing these pregnancy rumors that seem to come out of “nowhere” every so often, just say, hey i’m not pregnant and I’m not going to be, i have no intentions on adding a child to my life. and leave it at that.
not that she has any obligation to, but it seems like if the rumors are such a nuisance or really overshadow her career – why not just dead it?
OR she could just insist that she isn’t asked that question (about marriage or babies) in interviews. She does have veto power. At this point, I’d rather hear her talk about her margarita fountain (which sounds AMAZING) than hear her talk about her maybe wedding, and her maybe babies.
“a few eggs left in her hen-house”–and Jen, YOU win the Internet today! FFO!
Yup thank you and if they are there, most biologically likely they are NOT VIABLE ovum. Let’s stop the nonsense. By the by, met Gloria once and she is AWESOMELY INTELLIGENT and HUMOROUS. Love her!
Just give it a few more years. She’ll stop talking about her womb and start talking about adoption. Right now her PR is transitioning from jen having a baby to Jen adopting anyways.
I do think more of Aniston than just Hair, looks, womb, and dating talk, but she doesn’t seem to.
She needs to talk about how she makes such a killing on real estate—especially in this economy. THAT’S what I want to hear about.
@virgilia -I wish she’d stop acting all together an do real estate investment full time. She’s obviously has a real talent for it – real estate I mean – I think we all know I wasn’t referring to her acting – and she might meet a great guy who’s not in show business. Of course this would mean far less media attention, so it will never happen.
I don’t really like her, but this “our value and our worth is basically associated with our marital status or whether or not we have procreated”…100% this. I bet someone wrote it for her, if not, I am seriously impressed. Anyways, the message is clear and I think she is spot on.
I agree that she is spot on. I also think from the other question/answers that I’ve read that the interview was interesting. It was about Steinem’s definition of feminism and her experiences but that will probably be ignored in favor of taking jabs at Aniston. Like her or not, Aniston(and I hope most women) have thought about and can articulate their feelings on feminism and what it means to them.
Spot on
Right, because her self worth comes from her hair, keeping her body rail thin, and getting naked in the movies in her 40s to prove she still has it. Sorry, just not buying about 75% of the attendees as feminists, and certainly not her. They are self-promoters, and have done well in their respective fields, but let’s not mistake success for being a feminist regardless of clever little one-liners they manage to slip out. These are the same women who have created a clique as grown-flippin’ women. Yuck all around.
Well said. 🙂
Agreed.
I’d love to hear Aniston speak more about issues like this rather than her fitness regime or hair all the time. She makes a valid point. Now whether she courts such attention (re: womb-watch, etc) is up for debate (not really, she does, she absolutely does) but it’s still a good point.
Agreed @ Lilo. That comment was spot on and unfortunately true.
When I was a kid I always thought that Gloria Steinem resembled Cathy, the comic strip character and thought that it was odd that it was never commented on and also ironic given that Cathy seemed like the antithesis of Gloria Steinem.
I don’t think that I can bring myself to comment on anything else in the article.
I’ve always thought Steinem and Cathy were lookalikes too!
Okay, so it wasn’t just me then. Phew!! 🙂
Oh.
OH.
It was ‘feminist values’ that told her to do all those interviews about how crazy people were for wanting her to be married and barefoot and pregnant–despite her repeated insistence that it was what she wanted out of life, and that it was happening ‘soon’.
Oh.
Damn ‘feminist values’!!!!
People are bound to start carping on about “why doesnt she just declare that she doesnt want marriage and kids”. Well, let me just say maybe she isnt sure, maybe she does want those things but only under her terms and she certainly owes nobody “her truth”. She is perfectly entitled to lie about these things if she pleases. Happy Birthday to her.
She’s 45 years old though, you still think she’s unsure about wanting children?
That’s what kills me. She was what, 36, 37 when she got divorced? That’s not a spring chicken, in terms of wanting to have kids–biological kids. I don’t understand how she can date the guys that she dates, but then declare that she really, really wants to have kids and get remarried soon. Which would be fine–if she didn’t deny or talk about pregnancy rumors all the time, or insinuate that people who want her to be married and have kids are narrow minded–even though that’s what she’s been telling the public for years.
How hard is it to say that ‘Yes, I want to get married and have kids, but in my own time.’????
I think that’s the problem. I wish she would just say something like “whatever happens, happens & I’m fine either way” instead of the obvious manipulation she does with the media.
Hell, I’m 40, single and childless but if I got knocked up tomorrow, I would be fine with that too. Life is unpredictable, I wish she would just STFU about
it!
I’m not particularly fond of Jennifer. I find her kind of annoying. But, to be fair, she has indeed said things like “if it happens, it happens” when asked about the pregnancy rumors.
I’m with Miss T, I don’t think she’s been calculating with the baby stuff. I’m thinking anything could have happened to affect why she didn’t have kids — from infertility to a simple change of heart for whatever reason. And her feelings have likely evolved/changed over the years. So do lots of people’s. I said I didn’t want to have kids and then I did. People I know wanted kids but didn’t or couldn’t. Yet JA gets raked over the coals for something so personal, as if she betrayed us somehow. It’s bizarre.
@ Miss T
Yes, she has said “if it happens, it happens.”
Feminism has become so convoluted & confusing. It seems like no one even understands what it means anymore. Feminism to me means personal freedom not something that you have to adhere to — that’s just another trap.
She has said that, specifically, in at least two interviews in the past couple of years.
That’s right, I forgot that she said that.
Maybe I’m just projecting, lol
Actually, she did say just that. Its the tabs that keep up the poor jen stories, not her. I don’t understand why some people insist that she calls the tabs and tells them to write poor jen, dumped jen, lonely jen, pregnant jen stories. Who would want that stuff constantly written about them. The only one who benefits are the tabs, so they keep repeating the poor jen stories over and over.
Sophie its been pointed out numerous times on here how the tabloid attention benefits her and how heragent, Huvane has been caught out calling the tabloids and then calling back to deny once published.
@Esmom, who wrote: “So do lots of people’s. I said I didn’t want to have kids and then I did. People I know wanted kids but didn’t or couldn’t. Yet JA gets raked over the coals for something so personal, as if she betrayed us somehow.”
(Blinks) Who posting on this thread has “raked Jen over the coals?” It’s not about whether or not she wants children, it’s the (often PR driven) game she plays with the ‘speculation’ people are commenting on.
So, the take-away here, is that Gloria thinks that Jen is a victim too. It’s society.
I’ve heard Gloria speak in person, and I can’t believe this is the sound bite of the night. “Stop picking on Rachel Green. She’s just like Gloria Steinem.”
Aniston should fire her PR person. She participates in a feminist thinktank weekend, something she’s not known to do and steps outside of her comfort zone, and the only question from her 20-minute interview of Gloria Steinem that gets covered in the clearly publicist-driven article is the 10-second tidbit about marriage and procreation. Seriously? Her publicist sucks.
Well, the media sucks too because they are the ones that pick and choose what they want to print. Is Steinem or Aniston responsible for that?
One word….Huvane.
No, her PR greases a few palms with promises of exclusives, “you’ll be the first to know” that sort of thing – then they print what Huvane wants them to print. This stuff isn’t new, BTW. It’s been going on since the silent movie era. The studios used to handle it themselves, then independent publicists came on the scene. PR geniuses have been manipulating the press since the beginning – Huvane just happens to be exceptionally good – and Aniston knows it.
Jennifer Aniston…talking about feminist values…the same Jennifer Aniston who for the last 10 year or so has been milking her one time association/marriage to a man so as to remain relevant? Feminism….DO NOT MAKE ME LAUGH !!!!!!!!!!
Get over it.
Really…Grow up. Last time I checked this site allows freedom of expression.
Take your own advice ‘B’ and get over it, and yourself. Oh and like Greata said, grow up.
My thing with JA is that she obviously doesn’t want kids. Just own it. I am a 34 year old woman and know that I am not going to have kids. I have a career I love that allows me to travel and a great house. I adore my friends and families kids and that’s enough for me. If she would just say hey my career is important to me and yes Brad and I divorced since he wanted a family and I didn’t be done with it and move on. From everything that initially came out when they separated it was said it was because that JA didn’t want kids. She wanted to keep her career moving since she was really hot at that time of her life after friends ended and she had done Good Girl and had received raves for that. She should just own it and for the love of all that is holy everyone stop talking about her and Brad Pitt. He has been married/whatever he wants to call it to Angelina Jolie for what 10 years now? He has children with her. She was his first wife and that’s it.
Well said!
What I really want to know is whether Jennifer Aniston has actually read anything that Gloria Steinem has written.
While I probably would have chosen someone else for this (Tina? Mindy?) I think the general topic of marriage/children is definitely relevant to the discussion. Almost all female celebrities are still asked about that as much if not more than about their work, and definitely male celebrities aren’t to the same extent. There are still a lot of people who think a woman’s life isn’t fulfilled unless she’s a wife and mother, regardless of whatever else she has going on. I think it’s a valid subject for discussion between women in the public eye.
How many actually are asked though? I’m asking this honestly. Because, to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever read an interview where the interviewer outright asked the celeb if they were going to get married and have kids–not a female celeb. I’ve seen the response brought up by the celeb (so I’m not sure if it was asked of them, but we just don’t know because it’s in an essay format)—the only time I’ve ever heard someone straight out asked about getting married and having kids was Leonardo DiCaprio, when he was promoting ‘The Great Gatsby’.
I see it all the time – maybe the interviewer is a bit more subtle about it, but almost every article or interview about a female celebrity will venture into the “do you want a family” territory, or the “do you want more kids” and “how do you balance it all” questions. We’ve talked about it multiple times with articles on this site, how men aren’t asked about it in the same ways.
Well I maybe I’m not reading the entire article, because I can’t really pull up an example. There’s Jennifer, and that ‘Girls’ girl from yesterday who talked about it–but was she asked, or did she volunteer???
I wonder why they chose Aniston to interview her? Maybe Gloria Steinem requested her??? It’s possible. Personally, I’d probably want someone I knew or at least admired from a distance to interview me.
She was asked. Also Jennifer and Justin are both friends of Gloria.
It was a disgrace to let Jennifer interview such a wonderful woman like Gloria Steinem because Jennifer doesn’t have the intelligence to pull of interviewing such a wonderful woman. As usual Jennifer just had to insert something about her herself so that people will talk about her. Why not just focus on the person you interview completely? To much to ask from a famehungry person like Jennifer I guess.
Jennifer thinks being a feminist is to lie on the beach and drink vodka and show of your bikini body. She also keeps on and on about how she was happy being single but whenever she is in a relationship she claims she is the happiest ie meaning she needs a man to make her happy. She never stops talking about her personal life and had pity parties for years after being dumped. Infact she created this while poor Jennifer image after her divorce and uses it even after being dumped by several men after her divorce. And if she was a true feminist then she would come right out and admit she never wanted children.
As for Chelsea Handler – are you freaking kidding me? Chelsea thinks feminism is about sleeping her way up, bitching about fellow women and their children. She has never done anything remotely nice to other women. Infact Chelsea enjoys putting women – who has succeeded in a man world – down.
PS: For me personally – a feminist is someone who succeeds in her professional life and personal life. Someone who manages to balance her career with its demands and at the same time also finds time to spend with family. Someone who doesn’t bitch about fellow women and instead try to make sure other women are given the support they need to also success in this male dominant world. Someone like Hilary Clinton, Queen Rania of Jordan, Aung San Suu Kyi, Angelina Jolie and many more. These women have succeeded to stand tall in their chosen profession without losing their femininity.
That’s too freaking much!!! Not every woman can do that!
Did I say every woman should do that? I wrote what I think feminism is and who I think are true feminists. No attacks on other’s point of view in any way nor do I diminish their achievements.
I agree.
Seriously. If I was Gloria Steinem, I’d be pretty insulted that they had Jennifer freaking Aniston interview me. The whole idea is completely ludicrous.
Ms. Steinem didn’t appear to be insulted in the least. I’m sure she could have turned down the interview or asked for someone else…but she didn’t — and you know she would have if that was the case.
I agree, Cecilia.
Whoops! Should have read further down before I commented.
I said above that maybe Steinem herself requested that Aniston interview her? From what I read, it seems to me like the two of them had a good rapport going on. Perhaps they know each other, or had mutual admiration for one another before the interview.
They are friends. She was asked to do the interview.
Sophie, I didn’t realise they were friends. That definitely makes a statement.
Feminism start with not trashing other woman, full stop,
Feminism thriving by supported other woman to reach their potential.
Feminism is sisterhood.
A woman who relax in beach and enjoy their body it’s not a reflected of their intelligence.
You said yourself that feminist is someone who success in personal and professional life, and Jen is. She didn’t have to be married or had kids to be successful in her personal life,she always said relationship is a cherry on the top of her happy life. She never complain that her life is miserable,it’s tabloid. And the only one that she showed her broken heart after her divorce was on that vanity fair article,it’s her right, but after that it’s the tabloid who keep bringing the sad lonely jen.
They did this to all the actress..including your st angie, but unfortunately poor Jen sales triumph over poor angie,,because the one fact that her husband leaved her for another woman is a proof that she is always a loser in relationship. Even though love and life are unpredictable.
Plus it’s Jen right to change her mind about having a kid,and she didn’t owed us anything to declare about it.
+10
@Truth you are on fire in this thread, love it
Oh please, her whole life is based on who she was married who is she dating, is she pregnant all the things she says she hates. she as a “feminist” woman has the power to stop this speculation dead in the water, but she wont because it’s all she’s got. She owns a production company that has produced zero films, so tell me how she has triumphed over “st Angie”. Angelina is thriving in her personal and professional life. It’s her right to keep banging on about BP FIVE years after they split, while he has continued to live his life, WOW what a feminist move to cry to a tabloid about a relationship long dead.
The conference looked as though it appeared to be a navel gazing exercise to me. Looking at the list of some of those in attendance, I can image that most of their issues are a million miles away from the issues faced by ordinary women around the world on a daily basis. I think that Tina Brown’s ‘Women in the World’ Conferences offer a much better reflection of what effects woman especially on a global level.
Inviting Jennifer Aniston to discuss feminism, a woman’s whose movie career is built around taking her clothes off and whose life revolves around her hair is kind of a travesty.
Gonna wait for hear about the Sexual Violence Conference in June, co-chaired by Angelina Jolie to get a truer understanding of proper issues that affect women.
Ok we should be separate their movie persona and their own life.. Because basic on your statement,we can also apply that for angie to co chair sexual violence conference it’s very contradict with her movie persona who mostly about violence and sex. She also directed and stated that the rape scene of her directed movie was so beautiful…
+1
Angelina NEVER said the rape scene in her movie was beautiful. What a disgusting lie!
Yeah. My first thought was “these women are ‘the makers?'” Steinem, yes. Oprah and maybe Martha. But c’mon. I seriously assumed Jen was just attending a whiskey convention.
Sorry to be the detractor here, but she’s right. There is far too much emphasis on the importance or status of being a mother for women. No one knows for certain that Aniston plants stories about ‘the bump’. Maybe that narrative is damaging to her self esteem. The entire thing started because someone essentially blamed her for the demise of her marriage to Brad for not wanting to have children. That is not fair. Maybe she thought about it since and changed her mind. Women can be ambivalent to the thought of offspring, it doesn’t automatically make them selfish or calculating.
Agreed. I said something similar above, although you said it much better. Everyone has their own reasons for having or not having kids, it is highly personal. No matter what she has or hasn’t said in the past in interviews, she doesn’t owe anyone an explanation, least of all the public.
Jen is perfectly entitled to her feelings. Is that what this conference is for? To explore celebrity feelings?
Perhaps it is. Personally, I would hope that an event billing itself as a feminist conference and leading with a speaker of Gloria’s stature would be a little more ambitious. This story makes it seem that instead of exploring issues of gender and class in a wider context it’s instead going to be known for the venting the relatively minor speedbumps in the lives of privileged millionaires.
@ Kiddo…”The entire thing started because someone essentially blamed her for the demise of her marriage to Brad for not wanting to have children”.
And I wonder who started that rumor. Anybody know?
I think it was you Cecilia, lol. You decided that that was the best way to keep her in spotlight all these years.jk.
Lol!
Well it was denied by both parties (Brad denied it in his Diane Sawyer interview)—so any # of gossip blogs/fans.
IMO, they had way too many issues in their marriage that split them up, without even thinking about kids.
Those rumors predated the ugly divorce and third parties by several years but the misogenistic media always needs to find a woman to blame.
Way to go Sistine! 😉
Oh, and Cecilia? It wasn’t just a rumour. Time has proven that.
It’s easy target to blame the wife who happen to not having kids yet,even though both parties denied it. Brad denied it,
A man leaved his wife for her co star not because of kids. It’s because he fallen in love with the other woman,and it’s life,,sometime love fade and we found new one.
There are rumour that Jen is blame for it because the pr tactic of other,who want to swift the blame to the wife…but no one had concrete proof.
It’s strange,,because most of other celebrity who had similar story,never end up with wife mud slagging like Jen…
Well said.
This is the Jennifer Aniston I dislike. She’s a hypocrite for critiquing the media’s obsession with her womb and marital state without acknowledging how much she’s contributed to the speculation and how much her career has depended on that speculation.
If she just once acknowledged how much the attention about her personal life has helped her career I might like her but she always has to play the martyr.
+1
+ 1000000
+ a billion.
Exactly!!
Well said!
The only interview that made her like a martyr was that vanity fair,which she cried but still defend her ex husband that he wasn’t cheated.
The rest mostly are tabloids.
She already stated after that she is happy,either she is single or in relationship.
Her career not thriving because of it,she lost couple of strong woman role in the early years of her divorce because of her sad poor Jen persona.
No one believe her as strong woman because of the public image,her role in derailed movie became unbelievable because no one believe her as seducer when her own private contradict it.
Popular in tabloid not always translate to movie career,just ask Lindsay Lohan.
i still dont andurstand how chelsea handler can have all this celebrity friends she is the kind of person that attacks you if you are not her friend chelsea handler is not a feminist, wasnt being a feminist about liverating women of male opresion and giving women the same opportunities men had, i dont when that change so that instead of helping other women it meant shaming them about their past and calling them sluts for years to me this women behave more like the males who refused to marry a woman if she wasnt a virgin is macho vehavior like when other women say you hit like a girl or call men ladies to shamed them as if being a woman was bad, to me angelina is the real feminist she has done as she wants owns her own life proudly has not back down or shied away from anything or denies her past i think she is an inspiration a role model for other young women who are not in a good place to say she did it she survived she has acomplished so much in so little time I can do as she does to with out the fear of being attack by other women for having a past.
Frankly I dont think Chelsea#s celeb friends are her real friends – they are showbusiness friends with mutual advantages plus they are all signed by CAA – enough said.
Agree with your whole post.
As a child of the 70’s, Gloria Steinem is an icon to me! I can think of a thousand questions I would have asked her instead of this baloney. And as a former journalist, can I just say that it’s horrible form to make an interview all about you? Ugh.
You should read that interview she did with Nicole Kidman–it was a few years ago, I think right after she got with Justin. But I remember it because she said something really dumb like ‘ (on maternal instincts) I’ve done them all my life’—something really weird like that.
@Msat WORD!
I just read “Revolution From Within” about two months ago and this kind of stuff “being a woman and our value and our worth is basically associated with our marital status or whether or not we have procreated” is talked about a lot. If you’re a fan of Gloria Steinem, it doesn’t seem like you’d consider it baloney.
+1
Will.she.please.stop.talking.about.having.babies. She is so manipulative and transparent.
Is there anyplace to watch the interview? I’d like to see it
I looked for video too, and couldn’t find it. I did find more excerpts on The Makers website (but not full interview).
http://www.makers.com/blog/jennifer-aniston-interviews-feminist-icon-gloria-steinem-0
Thank you!
People would not be asking her if she didn’t put herself on the cover of People magazine and talk about getting married and having kids.
Hypocrital famewhore.
Exactly.
dinner jacket with cargo pants!!! really!!!!
I am not a feminist. I was taking about it with my friend and I think that I am a ‘humanist’ I really just wish that people everywhere are given equal oppurtunities. Whether those oppurtunities end in failure or sucess is not the issue, the fact is they should be available. I however reserve the right to comment upon anyone, man or woman who I think are doing something stupid or wrong. I rejoice when I see strong, smart, intelligent women, just like I rejoice when I see strong, smart, intelligent men. A woman can be a housewife or a president, just like a man can be a high powered CEO or a stay at home dad. It’s their choice.
PS. is ‘humanist’ a real word? I made it up, but it may be like an actual word.
Humanist is indeed a real word. I love your comment & agree with you.
This is going to sound argumentative, sorry about that — BUT I feel like you pleading for humanism is just another way to avoid women’s concerns by rolling it into a catchall a word that renders our specific concerns and issues — women’s issues — invisible. It’s a slick way to sound progressive while ignoring real problems. So every time I hear someone tout humanism, I think “women will be shat on til the end of time at this rate.”
On the other hand Humanistic values (which is a real thing) and “feminism” should be essentially the same thing, they both aspire to equal opportunity, which is certainly more controllable than equal outcome. There is no meaningful difference between your lovely sentiments about humanism, and feminism. They are not mutually exclusive, or shouldn’t be – it shouldn’t be taken that one word is good and the other bad.
Hi, trust me I didn’t mean to downplay women’s rights at all. I honestly don’t know enough about feminism on an educational level. It’s just that I see sometimes feminism is touted as, ‘Support my fellow women no matter what’ and I don’t agree with that. But I do understand what you say when feminism falls under humanism.
ETA: honestly I am sometimes very weary about posting on topics like these because I really don’t think that I’m well versed in them. I mean commenting on hot guys is easy, but on the more serious topics I am often very afraid of coming off sounding stupid. I have ideas and thoughts, but I’m sooo afraid that if I express them that someone will shut me down hard. That being said once again I really didn’t mean to offend anyone.
It is completely unnecessary to feel afraid to express your views. As long as you do so respectfully, it doesn’t matter how other people react. Part of educating yourself on more serious issues is engaging in conversation. Hey, just say upfront that your not well-versed in “whatever subject” but these are your opinions. Believe me, posters will be happy to agree/disagree or simply try to sway you to their viewpoint. Then it is up to you as to whether or not they have made a reasonable and cogent argument for their ideas that you can get behind! Just by reading threads you will be able to see who posts with reason and who just goes off. Don’t take the screamers seriously, no one should.
Great advice, Tulip! 🙂
Aniston a feminist…what a crock. !
This is a joke, right? What has Aniston done that is so strong, so female-empowering?
She has spent the better part of a decade clinging to whatever guy she can find, giving interviews about her personal life, her hair, her body, her uterus. She strings her fans along with the idea of her getting married and having kids and then has the nerve to wonder why people ask about it?
She is a pathetic, stuttering mess of a person who cannot speak in complete sentences unless they are written in a script and we are supposed to take her seriously when she is sitting down with what I thought was an icon.
Jen, maybe you need to go back to what you know and go wonder why your “fiance” is out partying with his guy friends on your birthday on the other side of the country.
Or are we not supposed to wonder until it’s on the next cover of People or US as and “Exclusive”.
+1
+200
Jennifer Anniston is an empty suit. Why was this lightweight invited to “interview” Gloria?
Ugh. A 20 minute conversation with Gloria Steinem and all the media picks up on is her passing reference to the media focus on her marital status and pregnancy rumors? Kind of proving her point there aren’t you? At this point, whose fault is it, yours or hers?
+1
+2
Just wanted to say in response to those who feel Ms Aniston does not try to play up the pregnancy rumours and speculation; have you not seen the photos of her deliberately holding a purse in front of her abdomen or wearing loose fitting clothes while holding her arms in awkward positions to draw the eye to her midsection? Like the picture above in the blazer? She’s ridiculously obvious in her attempts to garner the pregnancy talk.
A feminist is basically a person who wants social and political equality among the sexes. I like the quote: “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.” I don’t know that much about Jennifer Anniston, but if those are her beliefs, then I would say she is a feminist, no matter what she looks like or has done with her physical appearance. To me, saying that another woman can’t be one because of something she has done with her physical appearance is one of the most shallow, counter-productive, and hypocritical things a feminist can say. To do this reduces the movement to being more about what women choose to do with their looks than anything else. Like a middle school clique
Well said!
I agree with you wholeheartedly Leila but, per usual, I really think this thread is less about feminism than it is about reasons why Aniston can’t possibly be one because a lot of posters don’t like her. For some reason Aniston must be:
1. Vain, Shallow, Stupid
2. Friendless (unless you count CAA friends and, maybe, Handler)
3. Unloveable and Unworthy of male attention (because????)
4. Unsuccessful and irrelevant (except for whatever magic she retains from rubbing against the great Brad Pitt a million years ago)
5. Famewhore (because she’s in the tabloid, because babies, because ????)
It is what it is. I wouldn’t bother to argue feminism or even this subject as long as Aniston is involved.
@ Tulip
sad but true.
hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
I appreciated their remarks.
As a woman on this planet, you are a) expected to have at least one kid and b) valued more highly if you are married. You earn trust and social currency for accomplishing each of these things, and if you “fail” on either count, and certainly if you “fail” on both, you are suspect.
So I like it that Aniston and Steinem addressed this in a humorous way and on their own terms. 🙂
+ 1 (and I appreciated their humor too)
+2
Humor is a wonderful way to handle many serious subjects.