Let’s get divorced

Breaking up may be hard to do, but it’s also an endless source of fascination in American life. Even as the country’s divorce rate declines, the dissolution of marriage has remained a cultural touchpoint. You see it in how strangers online are constantly telling each other to “divorce him, sis!” and in how we love to parse the very specific, leather-clad look of this country’s “most divorced” men. You see it in how separation trends — each with its own new term — persist, from gray divorce to divorcemoons. Maybe we’re so interested in divorce because of its proximity to sex and money. Maybe it’s because we’re just nosy. So while October may be one of the most popular months for weddings, we decided to take a look at its inverse. [Image: https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/VOX_DIVORCE-ISSUE_RED-FLAGS-2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] How “Divorce him!” became the internet’s de facto relationship advice Most men are walking red flags, according to TikTok. [Image: https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/VOX_DIVORCE-ISSUE_GRAY-DIVORCE.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] The astonishing rise of gray divorce Why more Americans than ever are splitting up in their 50s and beyond. [Image: https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Vox_SandiFalconer_DivorceMan.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] Why do divorced guys dress like that? The aggressively, brutally companionless divorced guy aesthetic. [Image: https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/Vox_SandiFalconer_DivorceRegistries.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] What if we celebrated divorces more like weddings? Divorced people deserve gifts and parties too. [Image: https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/VOX_DIVORCE-ISSUE_FINANCES.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] What you really need to know about divorce and money How to take charge of your finances, according to two divorce professionals. [Image: A man and a woman look at framed photo of their future selves on their wedding day with trepidation. https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/Vox_SandiFalconer_Divorce-Issue_EITM.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] Am I less likely to get a divorce than my parents? Millennials are less likely to get divorced than their parents. Why? --- Credits Editorial Director: Julia Rubin Reporters: Rebecca Jennings, Allie Volpe, Alex Abad-Santos, Whizy Kim, Nicole Dieker Finley Editors: Meredith Haggerty, Melinda Fakuade, Naureen Khan Art Director: Paige Vickers | Illustrator: Sandi Falconer Managing Editor, Audio & Video: Natalie Jennings Audio: Carla Javier, Sofi Lalonde, Jonquilyn Hill Style & Standards: Elizabeth Crane, Anouck Dussaud, Kim Eggleston, Caity PenzeyMoog, Sarah Schweppe Audience: Gabby Fernandez, Kelsi Trinidad Special thanks: Bill Carey, Lauren Katz, Nathan Hall ---