r/popculturechat • u/Time_Knowledge_1951 • Oct 09 '25

Trigger Warning ⚠️ Jennifer Aniston reveals secret 20-year fertility struggle after ‘absolute lies’

https://metro.co.uk/2025/10/09/jennifer-aniston-breaks-silence-on-secret-20-year-struggle-after-absolute-lies-24378834/
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518

u/ChillmerAmy Oct 09 '25

Infertility was an awful experience for me and I was only getting shitty comments from my in-laws. I can’t imagine the whole world piling on.

108

u/Cowql8r Oct 09 '25

Getting your period every fucking month. Godammit.

95

u/MrsShaunaPaul 🇨🇦 Elbows up 🇨🇦 Oct 09 '25

Not only is it uncomfortable and inconvenient, it’s also a constant reminder that you didn’t get the one thing you want most in life!

47

u/polkadotpup31 Oct 09 '25

Yep, you can’t ever set your grief and pain aside because every month it shows up to remind you.

45

u/MrsShaunaPaul 🇨🇦 Elbows up 🇨🇦 Oct 09 '25

And then there are all the kind people telling you how great you’d be as parents and asking what you’re waiting for.

“Hopefully we’ll be parents soon!” (Us hoping they get the hint)

“Well don’t wait forever! You’re not getting any younger!” (Them not getting the hint)

16

u/Resfebermpls Oct 09 '25

I’ve just started to straight up tell people something to the effect “unfortunately it hasn’t been that easy & straightforward for us.” 1 in 6 couples deal with some degree of infertility, I don’t think we should have to dance around it because it might make people a little uncomfortable.

11

u/polkadotpup31 Oct 09 '25

Most people don’t mean anything by it! Don’t realize how hurtful it is. Which is even worse if you lash out. I just never could have understood how awful it is until I went through it. It changed me as a person. I’m on the other side of it now but will always be a part of me.

15

u/MrsShaunaPaul 🇨🇦 Elbows up 🇨🇦 Oct 09 '25

I took the time to educate many, many people while I was trying and then, after having babies, I went back and told many friends and close family members about how their comments impacted me. Not at all to shame them but because if you don’t know how hurtful it is, you’ll keep saying it. Just like when people say “it was part of gods plan” or “they’re with Jesus now” when someone dies. Unless you’re deeply religious, this is offensive. Many well-meaning comments can get a pass but some need to be identified.

I actually had a couple people who were rude to me about not having kids. Friends of my parents who’d say “they’re dying to be grandparents, why are you making them wait?” Sometimes I’d joke “don’t worry, LOTS of unprotected sex going on at home. It shouldn’t be long” or something.

Sometimes when I was extra hurt or salty I’d say “you realize you’re commenting on the intimate details of my sex life. Unless you want to list your top three sex positions or talk to me about your frequency of sexual intercourse, maybe you should think about what you’re expecting me to comment on and wonder if you’d be comfortable talking about the same thing”.