Charlize Theron Pursues Her ‘Why Not?’ Attitude Towards Single Motherhood

Charlize Theron babyCharlize Theron has welcomed a new baby boy into her life. The 36-year-old actress has adopted a baby named Jackson in a move that is not only being commonplace among women in Hollywood, but also continuing the trend of swanky single motherhood. And for further proof that celebrities aren’t women we should be taking motherhood cues from, consider that Charlize once told a reporter “Why not?” when asked if she would go the motherhood route alone.

Last August, Charlize reportedly told a German tabloid:

When asked if she would consider adopting as a single mother she said, ‘Why not? I’m open to everything in life.’

Single motherhood shouldn’t be stigmatized, but flippant attitudes towards raising a baby all on your own don’t serve the cohort well either. Single motherhood is an exhausting and trying road to anyone who has been there, and casual responses like “Why not?” confirm the societal stereotypes of thoughtless and lazy mommies who obviously got knocked up without considering their options beforehand.

Clearly, Academy Award winner Charlize isn’t bound by the same financial constraints that stifle many mere mortal women developing their own families. She can — literally — afford to make such blase personal statements about her own forays into parenthood, as well as many other financial commitments like jumbo jet purchases, large property acquisitions, and any other designer garments that she happens upon on a stroll to Starbucks. The difference however, is that celebrity women aren’t photographed on the cover of magazines comparing their home to your own, or claiming to have a financial situation that mirrors that of the common folk. We’re not supposed to look to them as having any sort of attainable lifestyle or purchases, hence why they’re appealing — except when it comes to motherhood.

That seems to be space in which modern mothers are supposed to be reminded that celebrity mothers are just like them in Beyonce‘s publicized pregnancy cravings, Sarah Jessica Parker‘s work-life balance, and even Christina Aguilera‘s “struggle” with single motherhood.  Mothers who are already losing sleep over maintaining hectic schedules of work and home on a tight budget with no nanny are supposed to find that glossy nude highly-photoshopped cover of Jessica Simpson “empowering.” Mothers are encouraged to know Miranda Kerr‘s post-baby diet secrets and find relief in that even Victoria Beckham finds working motherhood to be tiring. And yet, these women are nothing like us. A combination of Google hits and tawdry press can statistically undo their marriages. They can persuade entire hospitals to prevent parents from seeing their newborns. But mothers are repeatedly asked to identify with them in a cultural parenting narrative that spans tabloids to standard fashion magazines.

Parenthood may humble us all, but the sheer idea that Charlize Theron could answer a “Why not?” to single motherhood should clue you in that these ladies sure aren’t parenting like the rest of us.

(photo: Shutterstock)

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