Gabrielle Union: 'The Penance for Being a Career Woman Is Barrenness'

Gabrielle Union says it’s unfair that women often get shamed for choosing to have babies later in life. Something about a scarlet letter.

Union’s husband of one year, Dwyane Wade, already has three sons of his own, but he and Gabrielle Union have no children together. In an interview for Redbook’s October issue, Union says:

“So far, it has not happened for us. A lot of my friends deal with this. There’s a certain amount of shame that is placed on women who have perhaps chosen a career over starting a family younger. The penance for being a career woman is barrenness. You feel like you’re wearing a scarlet letter.”

Grim. She also says of the age difference between herself and Wade:

“His teammates, were conceived when I was, like, a senior in high school. I was in high school at the same time as their parents! Sometimes he’ll be like, ‘Oh, my God, he’s so old!’ about someone who’s 35. But, Dwyane’s an old 33, and I’m a young 42, so it balances out.”