Just Another Reason to Love Angelina Jolie

I will be the first to admit, I am not a fan of Angelina Jolie. In the eternal battle of Angelina vs. Jennifer Aniston, I’ve been a Jen supporter all the way. But despite my distaste for Brad Pitt’s leading lady, her recent choice to undergo a preventative surgery removing her ovaries and fallopian tubes, has given me the utmost respect for Angelina.

She found out a few years ago that she carried the mutated gene BRCA1, which puts her at high risk of contracting ovarian cancer. Her recent decision to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes was yet another cautious step after her very public decision in 2013 to undergo a double mastectomy. In a recent op-ed for the New York Times, she described her decision to undergo the ovarian surgery.

The procedure to remove a woman’s ovaries and fallopian tubes is not a simple, or pleasant, task. By removing these organs, Angelina’s body will go into a forced menopause, at the age of only 39. She will never again be able to have biological children. The physical and mental stress she is about to go through is unreal, but what’s even more shocking is how honest she’s been about choosing to go through with such a difficult, life-changing surgery.

Jolie’s openness about such a personal choice is commendable. Although I may not be her number one fan, this woman is one of the most inspirational female celebrities to date. By being so incredibly open and honest about her decision, many more women are learning the benefits of this surgery. As Angelina said in her op-ed, “You can seek advice, learn about the options and make choices that are right for you. Knowledge is power.”

On top of that, women are being reassured that the lack of natural breasts, the lack of ovaries, and the lack of fallopian tubes do not make you any less of a woman. Even though Angelina is currently going through menopause at age 39, she is no less feminine than she was before — if anything, being so strong and brave makes her that much more of a woman.