Jennifer Aniston Slams JD Vance’s ‘Childless Cat Ladies’ Remark

Jennifer Aniston has expressed deep disapproval of JD Vance’s remarks describing some of the United States’ leading female politicians as “childless cat ladies.”

In her Instagram post, the actress wrote, “I truly cannot believe this is coming from a potential VP. All I can say is … Mr Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day.”

Aniston’s response follows the resurfacing of Vance’s comments from 2021. Speaking to Tucker Carlson on Fox News, Vance referred to US leadership as “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”

Vance specifically named Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, suggesting that Democratic leadership is largely composed of individuals without children. According to him, “How does it make any sense we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?”

Aniston has been increasingly open about her personal struggles with fertility, including unsuccessful attempts at aided conception.

On her Instagram, Aniston added that she hoped Vance’s daughter “will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.”

Vance, a father of three, has been a vocal opponent of both abortion and fertility treatments.

Last week, during a campaign speech in Michigan, Harris highlighted Vance’s positions on women’s rights, noting, “Understand, this is a fellow who – in the United States Senate – participated in blocking protections for IVF. This is an individual who has made every indication that he is for a national abortion ban.”

Aniston has previously addressed public scrutiny regarding her decision not to have children. In a 2016 essay for the Huffington Post, she discussed the years of tabloid speculation and her own views on the matter.

“We are complete with or without a mate, with or without a child,” she wrote. “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.”

In 2022, Aniston shared with Allure magazine how difficult this public fascination had been while she was undergoing IVF treatments. “All the years and years and years of speculation … It was really hard,” she said. “I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it.” She lamented not freezing her eggs earlier, adding, “So here I am today. The ship has sailed.”

Kamala Harris serves as stepmother to her husband Doug Emhoff’s children, Cole and Ella. Their mother, Kerstin Emhoff, also condemned Vance’s comments, stating, “These are baseless attacks. For over 10 years, since Cole and Ella were teenagers, Kamala has been a co-parent with Doug and I. She is loving, nurturing, fiercely protective and always present. I love our blended family and am grateful to have her in it.”

Pete Buttigieg, who has children with his husband Chasten, also responded to Vance’s remarks. Buttigieg revealed that the comments came after a setback in their adoption process, highlighting, “He couldn’t have known that, but maybe that’s why you shouldn’t be talking about other people’s children.”

As the 2024 US elections approach, celebrities like George Clooney have already begun to exert significant influence. Clooney’s recent op-ed in the New York Times urging Joe Biden to step down has been seen as a significant development.

Source: The Guardian, The New York Times