Jennifer Aniston: No Need to Wait for Mr. Right to Start a Family

By Bryan Alexander Posted Aug 9th 2010 06:21AM

Jennifer Aniston does not believe that women have to wait -- or settle -- for a man to start a family.

Speaking at a Los Angeles press conference for her movie about artificial insemination, 'The Switch,' Aniston said that "times have changed" along with the idea of the traditional family. So if that means having one without the man in the picture, that's okay.

"Women are realizing more and more that you don't have to settle, they don't have to fiddle with a man to have that child," Aniston said. "They are realizing if it's that time in their life and they want this part they can do it with or without that."

"That," of course, meaning the man. "It's happening more and more," said Aniston.

In 'Switch,' Aniston, 41, plays a woman who elects to take on life as a single-parent through artificial insemination. When questioned, the most famous single woman on the planet said she didn't "have plans" to take the insemination option for motherhood at this time.

But she vigorously defended the rights of other single women going down that road.

Aniston even engaged in one testy exchange with a reporter who insisted that her movie character was being "selfish" having a child without a father-figure in her life. Minutes after the question was asked, Aniston circled back and insisted that family life has "evolved" from strictly "the traditional stereotype of family."

"The point of the movie is, what is that which defines family?" Aniston said. "It isn't necessarily the traditional mother, father, two children and a dog named Spot."

"Love is love and family is what is around you," she added.

Aniston also took issue with the word "selfish" in terms of the single woman moving ahead with the decision to have a child.

"I don't think it's selfish," she said. "It's quite beautiful because there are children that don't have homes that have a home and can be loved. And that's extremely important."

Aniston fielded a slew of questions about motherhood in the press conference promoting the movie about the very-topic which has dogged her in the entertainment media for year. She even dutifully answered yet another question about whether she wants to be a mother in the future.

"Yah, I've said it years before," said Aniston. "I still say it. That's today. Yah."

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Comments

(39)

Monday 09 August

By Steve

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Yes, let's rid the world of the male virus all together shall we? Guys who grow up without fathers have a 50/50 shot at happiness no matter how good the mother is. That's just how we're wired.

This is why men don't like Anniston and yet she keeps getting cast in roles despite the mediocre success of her films.

By crnchy

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50/50 shot at happiness? That's pretty much the same odds as anybody else.

By naoma

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Jennifer Aniston does not believe that women have to wait -- or settle -- for a man to start a family

Well, true, partially. You really need a man's SPERM to have
a baby -- so a man is NECESSARY at one point in this statement.

By MaeQueen

And it just goes to prove that you don't need talent to have a movie career, right Jen?

By dorahelen

SHE IS GETTING TOO OLD TO HAVE HER FIRST BABY...SO DANGEROUS...ANYWAY, ISN'T SHE PLUGGING A MOVIE REGARDING THIS SUBJECT - EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT THIS SO MAYBE THEY'LL GO SEE HER "STUPID" MOVIE....SURE SHE HAS MONEY - SO WHAT -?? PEOPLE WITH A LOT LESS MONEY ARE HAPPY........BEAUTIFUL...I DON'T THINK SO....IN TIME, HER NOSE WILL HANG BENEATH HER CHIN....OOPS...THAT WAS MEAN...BUT TRUE..ADOPT - LIKE MEG RYAN DID...GIVE SOME POOR CHILD A GOOD LIFE.....

By Judah

"Aniston circled back and insisted that family life has 'evolved' from strictly 'the traditional stereotype of family.'"

Sadly, it is not a "traditional stereotype", but rather the very thing that keeps the circle of life operating as it does. This is not a stereotype; it is a reality that our "progressive", "enlightened" society is choosing to do away with, not realizing the consequences 50 and 100 years down the road will likely be the utter degradation of that circle.

By Lauren917

Jennifer is right; the concept of what is a family is changing. A woman doesn't need a man to have a child, and certainly there is not now nor has there ever been any need to steal someone's husband to have more children.

Jen is right; no man needed to raise a child. And absolutely no need to steal someone's husband for it.

Tuesday 10 August

By cerelia lee

Again people how do you steal another grown and willing person in America ? You sound so lame . Blaming someone else for the demise of Jen and Brad's relationship is ,to say the least, immature . Only 12 years olds think this way . Face it Jen does not and did not want kids and obviously was not on the same life track as her then husband . He got on track with someone who shared his dreams and Jen is where she wanted to be .

By Sarah

What a horrible role model for women. A traditional family is a father, mother, and the child(ren).

Wednesday 11 August

By Monica

"I don't think it's selfish," she said. "It's quite beautiful because there are children that don't have homes that have a home and can be loved. And that's extremely important." How eloquently put...(not) Here of course she's talking about adoption, in which case I believe it is okay for a single parent to adopt. But in the movie, it's not about adoption, it's about purposely bringing a child into the world who will not have two parents. Children always, always, always crave two parents, I have seen this time and time again. Kids with just one parent are always looking for a second parent, always asking about it, that craving for a full family never seems to go away. There was study done just recently that most teen suicides in US happen to kids of a single parent. There are many more studies like this, most kids who end up on the streets are those from single - parent homes. Facts are what they are. And I say this as a woman in my 30's who's not married and so far without children, so I'm far from traditional. I just think it's foolish to ignore the obvious for the sake of some kind of feministic "girl power" mind set. Children are better off with two loving parents.

By p911

What about the father is always late at home and never sees his kids because of his (job)?

By ASHLEY

RYAN;

COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE, RYAN.

LISA

By Ed

There have been several studies on single parenting. Children of these families, single mom, have more problems as adults. Usually having problems with drugs, alcohol or delinquency. I am sure if she looks around some one can point those studies to her.

Of course you don't need a man to bring up a family but do you want well adjusted children or just pop out a litter and dump them on society. I believe Lindsey Lohan's father an absentee parent.

Thursday 12 August

By Susan

For years I listened to Brad Pitt's interviews while married to Aniston and how the poor guy squirmed and whined about wanting children. And then Aniston on other interviews said she wouldn't consider having kids until Friends was over. After Friends, she took on six movie roles. Obviously Brad wised up and realized his selfish wife was too concerned with her figure and career to give him children and moved on. I pity Jenifer's offspring. Without a father, I doubt they'll get much love.

Friday 13 August

By paule

a two parent household provides a child double the amount of security in all areas of the child's life

Sunday 15 August

By Dalilah Bee

Long ago, i read in a report that the reason 4 Aniston and Brad divorce was that he wanted start a family and she did NOT at that time. Before creating a life people should ask their own coscience if that child want 2 be fatherLESS or motherLESS ( it goes both ways ).Cold SELFISHNESS !!!

Monday 16 August

By don

What a demoralizing movie, just more corruption and showing the adding to the already low moral standards, no wonder Aniston cant keep or even get a man, she is an idiot in her movie choices and in real life, women have fought for so many years of their position in society, the men should start sounding off now, as this movie sends the message dads are not important or needed in a childs life, why doesnt Aniston just go away!!

By Jess

Art imitating life, she cant keep or get a man in her life, she is ugly, and looks like a boy in a dress, this movie is degrating to men and fathers alike, Aniston should just go away some place and retire.

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