The New York Times is into divorce right now, guys. And it has a lot of opinions!
1. A “Divorce Party” Is Weird (Also Suggested That It Is Tacky)
‘CHARLES Bronfman and his wife, Bonnie, are inviting 100 of their friends to an elegant evening of cocktails for what they hope will be a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The occasion? Their pending divorce.
….Some of those invited have found the whole idea odd.
….What about gifts?
Not necessary. Even for their wedding they suggested that guests make charitable donations in lieu of gifts (a move that discounts any whisperings about whether wedding presents might be returned).’ (May 13, 2011)
2. Divorce Is No Longer Cool (Especially In Park Slope)
‘After all, she had gone from Park Slope matron, complete with involved husband (“We had cracked the code of Gen X peer parenthood”) and gut-renovated brownstone, to “a Red Hook divorcée,” she said, remarried with a new baby and two children-of-divorce barely out of preschool. “All of a sudden, this community I’d lived in for 13 years became this spare and mean savannah,” she said.
….“The notion of divorce has become one of failure again,” said Ms. Morrison, 42, a resident of Park Slope. “It used to be, ‘You’re free, rock on!’ Now it’s, ‘You couldn’t make it work, you failed.’ ” Ms. Morrison described people’s reaction as “the two-second blink” when she says something along the lines of, “Zack is with his father today.”’(June 17, 2011)
3. A Divorce Is Sad, Definitely Not A Party
‘A divorce is not a birthday party or a high-school reunion or a three-day restorative spa getaway. Just as there is a time to meditate, a time to live your best life, a time to be “fierce,” there is also a time to weep openly, a time to regret everything and a time to eat big doughnuts in bed. We all have a right to our own bad choices — and a right to feel bad about them too. As Lord Byron wrote, “Sorrow is knowledge.”’ (July 6, 2011)
4. But What About The Gays?
‘“A lot of divorces occur because people didn’t know each other that well,” said one divorce lawyer, who had reasons to have his request for anonymity honored. “A lot of gay couples have been together for a lot longer than straight couples before they get married. They’re less likely to get divorced, because they know each other better.”’ (June 27, 2011)
Summary: “Thinking about divorce? Well, maybe reconsider the party — I don’t even want to think about the etiquette questions. Divorce lost its groove back in the 1970s, too. And it’s really, really sad. Like crying into doughnuts sad. Oh what, you’re gay? Well, you probably won’t get divorced anyways. Best not to think about it.”
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