Famed actress, Jennifer Lawrence, famously stated when she was 25 that she simply could see herself getting married at that point in her life. Although, she could see herself as someone who could become a mother.
This was in a prominent interview with none other than Diane Sawyer. Given the context of Ms. Lawrence’s relational life at that time, in intimate life, she had split with the British actor Nicholas Hoult, which was after a 5-year relationship. A significant period of time for someone in this age bracket.
Lawrence, at the time, opined, “I was also in a relationship with somebody for five years and that was my life… Being 24 was this whole year of…‘who am I without this man?’”
At that time, at 25, she never saw herself as someone who would ever need to walk down as the aisle, saying, “I don’t know if I ever will get married and I’m OK with that… I don’t feel that I need anything to complete me. I love meeting people, men, women, whatever, I love people coming into your life and bringing something.”
It was a time in her life when she, probably, felt a need to rediscover herself and assert her identity, which, for someone with a life in the public eye, is all the more difficult, of course. To state, that she does not need a relationship to feel complete.
It is in this sense that public statements like those can provide emotional support for women who feel questioning themselves and where the larger culture may, in fact, be pushing a false image and so message; one that women need to speak out about, and, in the case of Lawrence, even in the midst of the pain provides a supportive statement of not needing a partner while still wanting to be a mother.
But, of course, this can also leave room for change. Now, Lawrence is engaged after dating for 6 months, or more, and will be working towards a marriage with her new fiance named Cooke Maroney.
Photo by John Fowler on Unsplash