When Jennifer Lopez told PEOPLE she’s “super excited” for the summer ahead, she obviously wasn’t talking about her ex-husband Ben Affleck.
Set to host the American Music Awards in Las Vegas on 26 May and headline WorldPride in Washington, D.C. just weeks later, the 55-year-old icon declared that “everything in my life right now just feels really healthy and good.” The phrase that stood out most? “It seems like a perfect summer to celebrate being free and being happy.”
This isn’t just Lopez’s personal moodboard – it’s emblematic of a wider cultural shift. A generation of women, from Gen X to Gen Z, are rewriting the divorce narrative. No longer a shameful failure or a lonely heartbreak, divorce has become a radical act of self-love – one that, more often than not, leaves women happier, healthier and more fulfilled than they were in marriage. Yes, it’s possible. Trust me.
Divorce Is No Longer a Dirty Word – Really
Once shrouded in stigma, divorce is now discussed openly, even celebrated. The statistics reveal a deeper story: the vast majority of divorces are initiated by women, and research from institutions like Kingston University shows that post-divorce, women report higher life satisfaction – often for years to come.
Why? Because for many, leaving a dysfunctional or unequal marriage opens the door to clarity, autonomy and transformation. “There is a societal assumption that divorce is always negative,” said University of Minnesota professor Connie R. Wanberg, who studied divorce and job performance. “But we found that many people – especially women – were better at their jobs, more focused, and more confident after divorce.”
There’s a growing body of research revealing a surprising truth: many women feel happier and more fulfilled after divorce. A 2013 study from Kingston University in London found that women often experience higher levels of well-being for up to five years after ending their marriages – sometimes even surpassing their own happiness before the split. According to Yannis Georgellis, director of the university’s Centre for Research in Employment, Skills and Society, “Women who enter unhappy marriages feel a much greater sense of liberation after divorce than men do.”
Sociologist Paul R. Amato at Penn State University points out that divorce can be a catalyst for personal growth, boosting self-confidence and opening doors to new career and social opportunities. While much of the past research focused on divorce’s downsides, Amato argues the positive effects deserve just as much attention. Post-divorce women are more likely to seek mental health support, prioritise enriching experiences like travel or education, and lean on strong friendships – all of which fuel healing and renewal.
Of course, financial struggles can’t be ignored – women often bear the brunt economically. But emotionally, divorce can bring much-needed relief, and happier mothers create healthier environments for their children, challenging the old idea that divorce inevitably harms families.
A New Sisterhood Of Divorce
Models like Gisele Bündchen and Emily Ratajkowski have been vocal about the courage it takes to end a marriage – and the lightness that follows. Ratajkowski famously turned her engagement ring into a “divorce ring” and used the split as an inflection point for personal growth. Bündchen described her separation from Tom Brady as a “new chapter.”
These stories strike a chord because they tell a truth many women feel but rarely voice: marriage – especially the heteronormative kind – can be stifling, even when love exists. Divorce, while painful, often becomes a portal to self-actualisation.
J.Lo and the Joy of Letting Go
Jennifer Lopez’s current glow-up perfectly captures this new narrative: a woman reclaiming her joy, freedom, and sense of self post-divorce. She’s not just surviving – she’s thriving. And in doing so, she’s giving all of us permission to do the same.
Her summer plans? Touring, performing, and parenting on her terms. Her tone? Joyful, defiant, and wholly self-directed.
It’s easy to read her upcoming Up All Night Live tour as more than a comeback. It’s a reintroduction. A reminder that a woman – whether she’s famous or not – is allowed to start again, and not just survive, but thrive.
From Survival to Selfhood
Divorce is still hard. Financial hardship, emotional upheaval, and societal judgment don’t vanish overnight. But more and more, women are emerging from the wreckage not broken but reborn.
“I divorced my husband not because I didn’t love him,” one mother of two told me. “I divorced him because I loved myself more.”
Whether you’re Jennifer Lopez on stage at Pride or a single mum setting up her first apartment, post-divorce freedom can be a revelation. And if it looks a lot like happiness? That’s not a side effect. It’s the whole point.
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