Angelina Jolie Talks Brad Pitt Marriage ‘Issues’ & Daughter Who Wants To ‘Be A Boy’: Transgender Expert’s Advice
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt long have been known as one of Hollywood’s hottest couples, despite their attempts to avoid the paparazzi press and spotlight typical of Tinsel Town. But Angelina now has decided it’s time to unveil Jolie-Pitt “issues” that Jolie has never revealed before, reported ABC News.
Recognizing that tabloids love to cover scandals and uber-glamorous galas, Angelina confessed that despite all those stories about her dramatic life, her favorite time is devoted to her six children. Currently promoting By The Sea, in which 40-year-old Jolie is the star as well as screenwriter and director, she is content at home rather than appearing in front of or behind the cameras.
“I want to really focus on my children, doing the best I can to guide and protect them before they are out of the house. These are their most important years,” said Angelina.
Jolie has plenty of parenting support from 51-year-old Pitt in caring for those children. The couple have twins, Vivienne and Knox, who are 7. The king of the kids is 14-year-old Maddox, followed by 11-year-old Pax, 10-year-old Zahara, and 9-year-old Shiloh.
Angelina and Brad made the decision to homeschool their flock, and they’re proud that all the children are multi-lingual. And although there are six of them, Jolie makes time to spend time alone with each of her kids as well as take family trips.
Though the boys are aware of their heritage (they’re from Southeast Asia) and take pride in it, Angelina encourages them to be aware of other countries, including where their sisters were born, as well as Jolie.
“I want them to be just as interested in the history of their sisters’ countries and Mommy’s country so we don’t start dividing. Instead of taking Z on a special trip, we all go to Africa [where she was born] and we have a great time,” said Angelina.
Jolie remains active as a humanitarian and takes different children with her. Shiloh recently went with Angelina to Lebanon, but the thoughtful mom of six is careful not to force them to join her on her expeditions.
“When she was sitting on the floor with her U.N. cap writing her notes as she was talking to someone, I was flashing on myself fifteen years ago and thinking, I know that moment,” mused Jolie. “[But] the kids that don’t want to go don’t go.”
For those who love seeing Angelina in films, Jolie has some disappointing news for them. She doesn’t plan to always work as an actress.
“Maybe in the next few years I’ll finish being in front of the camera. I’ll be happier behind it,” revealed Angelina.
Jolie may sound as if she has the perfect life, but the actress also has gone through some serious health challenges, reported E! News.
Angelina had her Fallopian tubes and ovaries removed and underwent a double-mastectomy. Jolie revealed that she’s proud of being so open about those experiences.
“[Going public] really connected me to other women. They are not easy surgeries,” said Angelina.
Jolie is increasingly candid about her marriage to Pitt, reported Hollywood Life.
In By The Sea, Angelina and Brad portrayed a marriage in crisis. But although Jolie admits that the two have some issues, she’s quick to say that they don’t have problems like those in the film.
“Brad and I have our issues, but if the characters were even remotely close to our problems we couldn’t have made the film,” said Jolie.
Angelina also revealed that they even filmed the movie on their honeymoon.
Jolie and Brad have also been relaxed in opening up about their daughter, Shiloh, who wants to be a boy, reported Refinery 29.
Requesting to be called John, Shiloh also prefers short hair and boyish attire, said Jolie.
“She wants to be a boy,” Angelina revealed. “So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boys’ everything. She thinks she’s one of the brothers.”
Brad revealed early in Shiloh’s life that she wanted to be called John, reported the Huffington Post.
“She only wants to be called John,” said Brad. “So we’ve got to call her John. ‘Shi, do you want…’ — ‘John. I’m John.’ And then I’ll say, ‘John, would you like some orange juice?’ And she goes, ‘No!’ ”
Shiloh’s suit got attention when Brad and the children filled in for Angelina at a premiere, shown below.
Concerned that Shiloh might be bullied, Angelina and Brad consulted a transgender expert, according to Movie Pilot.
The two were advised on how to help their other children interact with her, and encouraged to permit Shiloh to dress in her choice of clothing. The family has sought to support Shiloh in her lifestyle.
But does a child like Shiloh who prefers a masculine haircut and clothes necessarily later announce that she is transgender? That’s the question that the Telegraph asked clinical psychologist Linda Blair.
“It could be so many other things that I wouldn’t jump to that conclusion,” said Blair.
Reasons given by Blair range from desiring to copy her three brothers to seeking attention, because Shiloh is the middle child. And her advice is to accept.
“My reaction to a parent who’s saying ‘my girl’s in jeans and doesn’t act like a girl’, or ‘my boy’s in dresses’, is to say: watch, accept and see. Then, if it’s an attention issue, it’ll go away. If it’s exploration then they’ll have permission to do that. If it’s real, you’re giving them the time they need to make up their minds.”
[Photo by Anthony Harvey / Getty Images]
