Uncomfortable Conversations

            I generally spend the early morning getting ready for work and watching the Today Show.  This morning, I was impressed and touched by the interview that Jennifer Aniston gave to Carson Daily.  She shed light on something that I have been experiencing for years – our society’s judgment of a woman’s value being based on marital status and procreation.  This was so poignant that Tamron Hall continued the discussion.  While our career paths are vastly different, all three of us – Jennifer Aniston, Tamron Hall and myself – are women in our 40s who are single and childless.  I can only imagine the amount of questioning and scrutiny that both of those women experience.  They are both public figures, well recognized and followed by fans.  I am blissfully one of the masses in our society, a face in the crowd, able to come and go to my local supermarket at any time.  Yet, it’s comforting to know that we share in the same uncomfortable conversations with strangers and acquaintances.

Personally, I find that the critical eye of society judging my single/childless status is worse in the suburbs than it is in the city. Perhaps, it’s because the majority of people I am surrounded by in the suburbs of Rhode Island have married and had families.  Large cities have more diverse populations that include women like myself.  The balance of both lowers the ratio of uncomfortable conversations with strangers asking about my personal life.  I actually discussed this previously in Tales of a Little City in my first essay titled “The Age of Singleness” posted June 26, 2014.  Therefore, I won’t repeat myself with a second in-depth essay on the same subject.

In conclusion, it was a pleasant surprise to see women in high profile positions express the same concerns I have.  As part of the interview, Jennifer Aniston mentioned discussing this subject directly with Gloria Steinem.  The two women participated in an open discussion this past February at the inaugural MAKERS Conference.  While she didn’t go into detail about the conversation on television this morning, I was able to find the interview online.  If you are interested in learning more visit www.makers.com.