Gwyneth Paltrow defends her working mom comments, urges women to stick together
Gwyneth Paltrow has used the upcoming Mother's Day (11May14) holiday to clear up comments she made about working moms last month (Apr14).
The mom-of-two posted a journal entry on her Goop.com website on Thursday (08May14) wishing all moms a happy Mothering Sunday, adding she was keen to end "the mommy wars" sparked by remarks she made suggesting that celebrities worked harder to raise a family than moms with normal jobs.
The Shakespeare in Love star wrote, "A few weeks ago during an
interview, I was asked why I have only worked on one film a year
since having children. My answer was this: Film work takes one away
from home and requires 12-14 hours a day, making it difficult to be
the one to make the kids their lunch, drive them to school, and put
them to bed.
"So I have found it easier on my family life to make a film the
exception, and my 9-5 job the rule.
"This somehow was taken to mean I had said a 9-5 job is easier, and
a lot of heat was thrown my way, especially by other working
mothers, who somehow used my out-of-context quote as an opportunity
to express feelings (perhaps projected) on the subject."
She added, "As the mommy wars rage on, I am constantly perplexed
and amazed by how little slack we cut each other as women... We see
disapproval in the eyes of other mothers when we say how long we
breastfed (Too long? Not long enough?), or whether we have decided
to go back to work versus stay home.
"Is it not hard enough to attempt to raise children thoughtfully,
while contributing something, or bringing home some (or more) of
the bacon? Why do we feel so entitled to opine, often so
negatively, on the choices of other women? Perhaps because there is
so much pressure to do it all, and do it all well all at the same
time (impossible)."