Sarah Silverman responds to conservative's suggestion that single women without children are 'bio-chemically' affected
A conservative pundit has made the controversial suggestion that women who don’t marry or have children are affected “bio-chemically.”
Candace Owens, the conservative writer and activist recently endorsed by Kanye West, singled out comedians Sarah Silverman, Chelsea Handler, and Kathy Griffin in her tweet about the “interesting theory” regarding single, childless women. (Griffin, incidentally, was married from 2001 to 2006.)
Interesting theory presented to me at lunch. Do you guys think something bio-chemically happens to women who don’t marry and/or have children?
Evidentiary support: @chelseahandler @kathygriffin @SarahKSilverman
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 17, 2018
Owens’s divisive tweet was largely met with outrage. Many found her suggestion that women were somehow damaged by not getting married or bearing children to be highly offensive, while others noted that she didn’t cite conservatives who have never wed, such as former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Some commenters also pointed out that Owens’s assertion would also presumably apply to nuns, as well as those who struggled with infertility issues.
Others fired back that any “bio-chemical” difference might be in a single woman’s favor, citing research findings that suggest being unwed can have positive health benefits.
Could be. After all, unmarried women have smaller waists, lower BMIs, & lower risk associated with smoking & alcohol than married women. By the way, Candace, there are 110 million unmarried adults in the US. 53% are women, 45% of the population overall. https://t.co/hbEzhjw825
— Shannon Coulter (@shannoncoulter) May 17, 2018
Yes, stay younger looking. I'm over a certain age and no one ever comes close to guessing. When people ask how I am so young looking I say, "no husband, no kids." They can be rewarding relationships but they come with a great deal of stress. My life is fulfilled in other ways
— Dinah Perez (@DinahPerezLaw) May 18, 2018
Silverman herself also responded to the controversy, sharing a reply that expressed her hurt feelings regarding Owens’s assertion.
It seems to me that by tweeting this, you would like to maybe make us feel badly. I’d say this is evidenced by ur effort to use our twitter handles so we would see. My heart breaks for you, Candy. I hope you find happiness in whatever form that takes https://t.co/LustG8xwge
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) May 17, 2018
Silverman, who appears in Battle of the Sexes, also retweeted a message defending herself along with a few other famously unwed, childless female figures.
You forgot a few:
Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Mary Magdalene
Joan of ArcSo, I think you might be on to something, Candace:
Perhaps @kathygriffin, @SarahKSilverman, and @chelseahandler are, in fact, closer to God and Her wisdom by not marrying and/or having children.
— Charlotte Clymer️ (@cmclymer) May 17, 2018
Owens responded to Silverman by accusing her of “defending terrorists,” adding that “the break in your heart doesn’t concern me.”
You’ve spent the last week defending terrorists and MS-13. You do this in the same breath that you criticize our President and his supporters.
The break in your heart doesn’t concern me.
Your break from reality does. https://t.co/xVlta5sETP— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 17, 2018
She also clarified her remarks, downplaying it as “just a conversation” in a lengthy video posted to Twitter and comparing it to critical remarks made about her fellow Trump supporters.
Women who don’t marry or have kids… https://t.co/HvHqCnX44D
— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 17, 2018
She went on to tweet a softer stance on Silverman, but then accused a commenter who wrote about losing her fiancé in a car accident of promoting “victimhood.”
People are saying that it’s not fair to put @SarahKSilverman in the same category of crazy as @kathygriffin and @chelseahandler.
I actually agree. Not fair to Sarah. She at least tries to educate herself occasionally and hear new ideas.— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 17, 2018
Really sorry to hear about your tragic loss.
That said, I feel compelled to retweet this because this is such a prime example of how liberals debate. Victomhood as a means to shut down conversation. https://t.co/w97yQhBubP— Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) May 17, 2018
Griffin, meanwhile, also fired back at Owens, defending her right to choose not to have children.
If this tweet was an attempt to hurt my feelings @RealCandaceO it's not gonna work. I'll be pissed if I have 1 egg left. Women like me, @SarahKSilverman, @chelseahandler make decisions about our lives…thought you supported freedom?
It must kill you that you know you're a phony https://t.co/6PuNF89bD0
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) May 17, 2018
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
‘People don’t change.’ But can they?
At 44, I made my last attempt to get pregnant, on my own
Why did Tucker Carlson lead an NRA women’s forum?
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
