If I had kids, my kids would hate me. They would have ended up on the equivalent of the Oprah show talking about me; because something would have had to suffer and it would’ve probably been them.
~ Time Entertainment, December 12, quoting Oprah Winfrey on why she never had children
[Photo via Time/Getty]
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Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
No issue with this at all.
Not all women are cut out to be mothers and I’ve seen plenty that I wish would acknowledge that fact. As far as I’m concerned Oprah made the wise choice.
Other than her mindless adulation of Obama I always liked Oprah.
Very wealthy and very famous — and ultimately, very unhappy.
I regret that I only had two kids, and I can’t even remember what was so damned important that I refused to have more. Now they are grown and gone. I am still young, and I should have a few teenagers running and another ten years to enjoy raising them.
I have only myself to blame for my poverty…. and yet, I am so much richer than Oprah.
Oprah birthed a stillborn baby at 14 after an uncle impregnated her….didnt know if anyone was aware.
Im no longer a fan of hers…im sure she wont lose too much sleep over that. but ive often attributed her weight problem and never wanting kids to her sexual abuse.
As long as she didn’t use abortion to avoid having them, I don’t really care.
I second that jdc….i do not care if women dont want children as long as they arent killing their children. Oprah hasnt had an abortion but if she supports Obama then she supports abortion. Whats the difference?
If I suddenly say today that I am pro choice that makes me no different or better than someone who has had an abortion. That makes me a pro abort!
I don’t care in the sense that I don’t judge her as being wrong or immoral. Women or men who know they’d make crappy parents are wise- to a degree. I think they’d be wiser still if they were to face what it is that makes them afraid and work to heal that. But sometimes the wounds are too large.
I do care in the sense that it seems like fear motivated her decision, and fear holds us back from the full amount of love, the full human experience that is meant for us. I care for her, because now she may die childless and still fearful about what could have been. Moneyand success cannot fill that hole, though it seems she helps people a lot which is great.
As a fellow survivor of sexual abuse, I wish Oprah the best in life, and know from my own experience the fear that comes with the thought of children. For me, the cycle of abuse is being broken by love, and giving my kids all I can. I could not change what happened to me, but the healing comes from being able to choose to love and protect my children. I often think that if I would have been scared away from having kids because of what happened to me, my abuser would have had another victory over me. I wasn’t going to let him keep me in fear and away from love.
I’m glad she didn’t have kids if she was going to treat them poorly. Her comment makes me sad though, I think you’re right about her being afraid Mary Ann.
“I often think that if I would have been scared away from having kids because of what happened to me, my abuser would have had another victory over me. ”
Yes I feel the same way in my life.
Not a fan. I met Oprah once and she is VERY unfriendly to anyone who is not rich and famous. All that kindness and concern is just an act (she does give quite a bit to charity though). Her support among her core audience, middle class white women, fell when she endorsed Barky. White America has always liked large, dark asexual black women advising, comforting, and nurturing them. In a sense shes America’s Mammy.
Hi philymiss…i dont doubt Oprah being unfriendly to you however she had come to Cleveland a few years ago and my buddy Valerie aka Val was working as a waitress at her event. I want to say it was held at the Ritz. Val was getting off the elevator and who was standing there waiting to get on? Oprah. So Val went ” Oh hi Oprah whats up?” She said Oprah humored her and while walking down the hallway repeated ” whats up Oprah whats up?”
Hi phillymiss,
“White America has always liked large, dark, asexual black women advising, comforting, and nurturing them. In a sense she’s America’s Mammy”
I find this comment patronizing and bigoted.
What if I was to suggest that people need a Jewish mama, so we have Barbara Walters? Your comment sounds no less bigoted.
Please, let’s get past the plantation. Like any human being Oprah has her strengths and failings, apparently being a diva is one of them, and there are things about her I admire, including her kindness to and sensitive interview of the woman who’s face was mangled by the chimp. I also admire her success and many aspects of her as a person. Its not because I need the advise of a “Mammy”.
I thought about all things Oprah since this thread appeared and just strictly analyzing “Why Oprah never had kids” I would have to defer to Stedman Graham. I personally think there is more to it than what she said, especially considering her omission of issues surrounding her entire relationship with that guy.
I would guess that Mz. Oprah maybe is correct that she should not have had kids. Selfishness and “my career comes first” probably does not a good mother make.
phillymiss, you are not the first person that I have heard express that Oprah is unfriendly to normal folks and that she is really an unhappy, unpleasant person.
Mz. Oprah has her own religion and ideology. “The gospel according to Oprah” where you get to just create your own god, because god (whoever you conceive him to be) is already in all of us, you just have to awaken your god-consciousness (whatever that is) and you will automatically get to heaven or nirvana. There are many paths to god just find one that you like and your good to go. Give away lots of stuff and that will cinch you being good enough to get in. What does she need a savior for, there is no such thing as sin, when you are a billionaire you can save yourself. Oh btw, she still claims to be a “Christian”.
Thomas R. rumors have surrounded Stedman (especially) and her for years in the Chicago area that it is a sham. I don’t really care (except I do care for both of their eternal souls). However, if it is a sham why doesn’t the “Queen of Tolerance” who tells everyone else to “be true to themselves” and “to come out of the closet” just tell the truth. Since she believes there is nothing wrong with being LGBTQ why be a hypocrite about either one of them. Rumors are not proof of course.
How very sad.
I will apologize that I came across harshly toward Oprah. I know she has done a lot of good deeds to help people. I believe her intentions have been good but her ideology and “theology” so misguided and warped.
I admit that my heart is burdened for my nation as it has become more ungodly.
I guess there are many reasons I am not a fan but because I believe that through her Oprah show pulpit, her lifestyle (open cohabitation whether it is real or not) along with her embracing the LGBT agenda and helping to elect the most pro-abortion president to ever hold the office I believe she has helped to bend the culture of this nation toward a left-leaning, anti-Christ,, immoral, pro-abort, New Age (make up your own religion) mindset than probably anyone else.
If she could have taken one half of her talent, energy, influence and charitable giving to promote a culture of life, a culture of healthy, committed, stable marriages and families (which helps men, women, babies, children, communities and the nation) she could have helped so many people. No, she is not responsible for the ills of the nation, none of us have done everything we could have done but she had a huge platform that could have been used for such good. What a missed opportunity. So sad. I will continue to pray for Oprah that she comes to faith in Jesus Christ.