PHOTOS5 of the Biggest Revelations From Brooke Shields' New Memoir
Brooke Shields got candid about the nonconsensual intimate surgery she had, the effects of her mother's alcoholism and more in her new memoir.
A Male Doctor Performed Surgery on Brooke Shields Without Her Consent
Brooke Shields has not sued the doctor who performed the nonconsensual intimate surgery on her.
In Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman, out on January 14, Brooke Shields wrote about some of the most traumatic experiences she had in her life, particularly the "vaginal rejuvenation surgery" a male doctor performed without her consent.
"I'd be lying if I said I'm not embarrassed to share this very intimate information. But, if we are to change the way we approach and talk about women's health, then we need to bring up the uncomfortable but very real issues. Shame is no longer an option," Shields shared.
The issue happened after her gynecologist elected her to undergo a labiaplasty to reduce the size of her labia and relieve the discomfort and bleeding she had been experiencing since high school. She eventually agreed to the procedure, which was performed by a male Beverly Hills plastic surgeon.
But when she woke up, the plastic surgeon informed her of the "little bonus" procedure he threw in — a vaginal rejuvenation — which she never wanted or consented to.
"I was horrified, but also at a loss," she wrote in her new memoir. "I didn't want to sue this man – or maybe I did want to, but I didn't feel I could – because I didn't particularly want talk of my lady parts, once again, on the front page of every paper."
Teri Shields' Alcoholism Was 'a Constant Source of Agony'
Brooke Shields' mother, Teri, died in October 2012, after a long illness linked to dementia.
The Alice, Sweet Alice actress struggled while growing up due to dementia and alcoholism her late mother, Teri Shields, faced.
"My mom always billed herself as someone who was non-judgmental – she really hung her hat on that – but that's not how she came across to me," said Brooke. "I always felt like I was going to be in trouble for something, or that I was wrong, and I was often waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is a consequence of being raised by an alcoholic."
She said Teri's alcoholism was "a constant source of agony for me," leaving her "always a little skittish and on edge."
Brooke continued, "Work, even if I knew both the industry and public opinion to be fickle, felt stable in the sense that when you were on set, the space was contained and there were rules by which you had to abide. You and your schedule were always accounted for. That was freeing in a way."
Teri's mother died at the age of 79 on October 31, 2012.
Brooke Shields Had a Complicated Relationship With Her Mom
Brooke Shields opened up about their relationship in the 2023 documentary 'Pretty Baby.'
- Brooke Shields Claims Plastic Surgeon Performed 'Irreversible' Procedure on Her Private Parts Without Consent: 'It Felt Like Such an Invasion'
- Sharon Stone Says Doctor Gave Her A 'Full Cup-Size Bigger Breasts' Without Her Consent While Undergoing Tumor Removal Surgery
- Brooke Shields Reveals Her Eldest Daughter Told Her to 'Rekindle' Her Relationship With Husband Chris Henchy After Becoming Empty Nesters
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Reflecting on her relationship with Teri, the Blue Lagoon actress said, "Yes, I feared being judged or reprimanded. Yes, I was guilt-ridden whenever I thought my behavior would disappoint her."
"And yet the pull to her was so strong," she said of their complicated relationship. "A magnetic field surrounded her, and even when I knew better, I was always pulled back in. Love is a very powerful motivator."
Brooke Shields Wanted to Do Things Differently
Brooke Shields shares two daughters with Chris Henchy.
The unpredictability and instability Brooke experienced at home drove her to work harder to ensure her children — Rowan Francis Henchy and Grier Hammond Henchy — with husband Chris Henchy would grow up in a different environment.
"I encouraged them to be outspoken and opinionated rather than timid. I urged them to express their opinions," Brooke wrote. "I wanted them to know that nothing was off-limits, that we could talk about anything. That didn't mean there weren't consequences, but we'd discuss why they acted a certain way."
What Brooke Shields Thinks About Aging
Brooke Shields will turn 60 in May.
"I began to notice that external perceptions didn't seem to match up with my internal sense of self. My industry no longer received me with the same enthusiasm I had come to expect. The vibe from casting agents and producers, but also my fans, was more: You need to stop time… and maybe even reverse it," Shields wrote about aging in her new book.
The 59-year-old Mother of the Bride actress, who felt frustrated "by being overlooked at the exact moment [she] was feeling in [her] prime," added, "The more I'm expected to be invisible, to make no demands or to fade away so that I can be frozen in time as a specific (read: younger) version of Brooke Shields, the more fully I intend to stand tall and take up space as the woman I am now."
While Brooke is still in the spotlight despite her age, the mom-of-two noted her two "stunning" daughters have also started receiving "admiring looks from various passerby."
