Thank You Angelina Jolie on behalf of my Stepmother.

This morning I read Angelina Jolie's very personal and beautiful piece in the New York Times on her decision to undergo a double mastectomy because she is a carrier of the 'faulty' gene BRCA1 which increases her risk of developing both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. I thought it was a brave piece about Jolie's personal decision. But, as ever, Jolie is being criticised for not discussing access to healthcare; for not discussing poverty as a factor which limits the choices of others'; and for just being Angelina Jolie because, as a female celebrity with political opinions, she is always wrong.

I want to thank Angelina Jolie for writing this. I know she is privileged. I'm pretty sure Jolie knows she is privileged; in fact, she discusses her privilege a lot. Jolie's personal experience is just that: her personal experience. Considering the industry Jolie works in, which is predicated on women's physical bodies as their only value, undergoing a double mastectomy will limit Jolie's career. Yes, she is rich enough to never work again but that's not quite the point. The point is, once again, a woman making a public statement is met with derision, insults and sexist discourse from other women.

My stepmother, Jean, died of cancer. It has been nearly a year since her death from breast cancer. Unlike Jolie, my stepmother was a carrier of both "faulty" genes. Breast cancer also killed her sister and her mother. My step-cousins carry both genes and have had to decide whether or not to have double mastectomies or a hysterectomy. Luckily, they live in a country where the national healthcare covers both the genetic tests, as well as both surgeries and treatment for cancer.

My stepmother faced breast cancer 4 times. Jean had numerous invasive procedures to treat the cancer. I genuinely can't remember the number of times she was told that she had three months to live. Jean was lucky, if you can use that term, in that she responded well to chemotherapy and radiation. When the cancer was discovered in her liver 3 years ago, Jean was given the usual 3 months to live statement. We had heard it so many times that none of us really believed it. The cancer finally spread to 4 other internal organs.

Jean lived 2 years longer than her last diagnosis of cancer. She lived nearly 15 years longer than her first oncologist predicted.

Many women across the world can not access clean water, never mind expensive medical tests. Whilst we cannot forget that fact, it is unfair to continuously hold women responsible for all of the ills in the world. 

All women should be able to access medical care.

It is not Jolie's fault that she can afford treatment out with the reach of most women.

After all, my stepmother was far from rich and she received years of expensive treatment. The problem isn't Jolie's article explaining her personal decision. The problem is the capitalist-patriarchy which puts profit above the lives of humans.

We won't change this by attacking other women for sharing their personal stories. All we are doing by attacking Jolie is silencing other women.

As a friend said to me earlier today, this has to be one of the most inventive ways of silencing women: blaming them for being able to access healthcare. 

I await with baited breathe the attacks on the next male celebrity who undergoes an invasive procedure to decrease he chance of getting cancer.

But, we all know that won't happen.