Right-wingers online are miffed Jennifer Aniston criticized Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance for claiming in 2021 that the U.S. was being run by “childless cat ladies.”
Aniston weighed in on a recirculating Fox News clip from 2021 where Vance complained that “we’re effectively run in this country, via the Democrats, via our corporate oligarchs by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”
Vance—who at the time was running for Senate—specifically called out Vice President Kamala Harris, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) for not having children.
“And it’s just a basic fact—you look at Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, AOC—the entire future of the Democrats is controlled by people without children,” Vance said. “And how does it make any sense that we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?”
Harris does not have biological children but has been a stepmother for nearly ten years. Buttigieg, at the time of Vance’s remarks, was in the process of trying to adopt. The Buttigiegs announced the birth of their adopted twins in September 2021.
The Friends star wrote on her Instagram story Wednesday: “I truly can’t believe this is coming from a potential VP of The United States.”
“Mr. Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day,” she continued. “I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.”
In June, Vance, along with the vast majority of Republican senators, blocked The Right to IVF Act, which would have codified the right to in vitro fertilization and lowered its cost.
Republicans criticized the bill as an election-year stunt, though Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) did introduce a competing bill. That bill did not move forward due to opposition by one of The Right to IVF Act’s sponsors, who argued it would create burdensome requirements that would force IVF clinics to close.
Aniston does not have any children but previously spoke out in a 2022 cover story for Allure about undergoing multiple rounds of IVF.
“I was trying to get pregnant. It was a challenging road for me, the baby-making road,” Aniston said.
She added: “I was going through IVF, drinking Chinese teas, you name it. I was throwing everything at it. I would’ve given anything if someone had said to me, ‘Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favor.’ You just don’t think it. So here I am today. The ship has sailed.”
In the wake of Aniston’s criticism, fans of Vance are hitting back hard—and some are even targeting the actress for lacking children.
“Jennifer Aniston is 55 years old, childless, and miserable,” wrote one X account.
“LMAO Jennifer Aniston should’ve found someone when she was in her prime,” sniped another. “Too bad so sad.. Have fun with your cats.”
“Jennifer Aniston is an attractive woman. She’s also got psychological & personality problems,” someone else asserted. “That’s why every man she’s ever entered a relationship with left her & never looked back. Her opinion of Trump & Vance isn’t worth shit.”
Right-wing commentator Ian Miles Cheong took a swipe at Aniston too, saying, “Oh no, the cat ladies are offended.”
But many others did not hesitate to defend Aniston and echo her criticism.
“Jennifer Aniston has dogs. Not cats,” quipped one person.
“I have been trying to warn every conservative man I know – these JD comments are activating women across all sides, including my most conservative Trump supporting friends,” said Meghan McCain. “These comments have caused real pain and are just innately unchristian. This is not who we are.”
Echoed someone else: “Childless cat lady rhetoric and going against IVF might just pave the way to lose the elections. These men have completely underestimated how triggering women’s fertility journeys have been. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned – and who could not have children…”
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