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Angelina Jolie reveals daughters had surgery, writes about 'subtle injustices' girls face
Rasha Ali
USA TODAY
Angelina Jolie revealed two of her daughters recently had surgery.
In a piece for Time magazine published Sunday, the mother of six wrote about how she's spent the past two months in the hospital with Zahara, 15, and her "younger sister."
"I have spent the last two months in and out of surgeries with my eldest daughter, and days ago watched her younger sister go under the knife for a hip surgery," she wrote in the first-person essay. "They know that I am writing this, because I respect their privacy and we discussed it together and they encouraged me to write. They understand that going through medical challenges and fighting to survive and heal is something to be proud of."
Jolie didn't specify what type of surgery Zahara had and doesn't reference which "younger sister" had hip surgery. Jolie and ex-husband Brad Pitt share custody of Maddox, 18, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 13 and 11-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox.
She continued, writing about how she watched her daughters spring into action and care for each other during their medical procedures.
"I have watched my daughters care for one another. My youngest daughter studied the nurses with her sister, and then assisted the next time. I saw how all my girls so easily stopped everything and put each other first, and felt the joy of being of service to those they love."
The "Maleficient" star noted that although their brothers were also there for their sisters during their surgeries, on International Women's Day she wanted to focus on her daughters and "all that I have learned from them and other young girls I have met around the world."
"Someone said to me, when they saw my daughters caring for each other, that 'it comes naturally to girls.' I smiled, but then I thought of how often that notion is abused," Jolie wrote. "The little girl is expected to take care of others. The woman she grows up to be will be expected to give, and care for, and sacrifice. Girls are often conditioned to think that they are good only when they serve others, and selfish or wrong if ever they focus on their own needs and desires."
The Academy Award winning actress wrote that girls' intrinsic nature to be caring needs to be recognized and appreciated instead of abused.
"We must do much more to protect them, in all societies: not only against the extreme ways girls’ rights are often violated, but also the more subtle injustices and attitudes that so often go unnoticed or excused," Jolie wrote.
She ended her post by writing that on International Women's Day, she hoped people will value and care for girls.
"And know that the stronger they grow, the healthier they will be and the more they will give back to their family and community," Jolie wrote.
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