In early July, singer Jewel announced the end of her 16 year marriage. While celebrity divorces are common news items, Jewel took the unusual step of revealing her divorce first on her blog. In a post entitled, Dear World, she spoke to her fans and the public about this very personal topic.
In the article, Jewel explained her reasons for sharing the news on her website:
I share all this with you because I wanted you to hear it from us, instead of the tabloids. I also share it because I have learned in these 20 years of living my life honestly in front of you, to trust that you will all honor and have reverence for how difficult this journey is, and allow us our process as we not only grieve the loss of our marriage, but also as we recreate ourselves in the ashes- for from all death we trust a phoenix rises.
Celebrities like Jewel live constantly in the public eye. Their personal life is often a source for headlines and news stories. It makes sense then, that some celebrities would feel the need to issue a public statement when going through divorce. What about the rest of us though? Would you ever consider blogging about your divorce? Is talking about your divorce online a good idea?
Divorce in the Age of Social Media
Most of us don’t have millions of concerned fans around the world. If we use social media though, we do have people who follow our activities online. Sites like Facebook encourage users to list their martial status and spouses often link their profiles together.
Hitting the button to change your status from married to divorced will send a very public status updated to all your connected friends and family. This may be the first many of your friends will hear of the divorce. Comments and messages will likely pour in and you may find the online response too overwhelming. Some people have found changing an online status more difficult than signing the divorce papers.
Before you change your status online, take some time to think about how you will respond. If you use social media a lot and have a strong online presence, you may want to think about writing a short comment about your divorce. You may even want to post something before you change your status. Simple is best, thank friends and family for their support and ask for some space and privacy while the matter is resolved.
Don’t Fight Online
While you may choose to talk about your divorce online, it is absolutely essential that you do not complain about your spouse or fight online. Social media is no place to discuss any problems in your marriage or with your divorce. This is especially important if you are still going through the divorce process. Such comments are likely to only enrage your spouse, escalate animosity, and prolong the divorce proceedings. In a future post we will talk more about online do’s and don’ts during a divorce.
Social media has made us all celebrities in a small way. In the near future, the divorce blog post may be a common part of every divorce. If you feel that an online statement is the right choice in your situation, you can take some advice and encouragement from Jewel’s message to world about her divorce.
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Divorce Lawyers For Men™ attorneys help husbands and fathers going through divorce. Meet in person with a Washington divorce lawyer who will be happy to explain the divorce process to you. Call us today at 877-866-7393 to speak with an attorney who understands your situation and can offer real help.
If you would like more information on the divorce process, or to take the best divorce resources with you in print, please check out our free divorce guide for men or contact our office to meet with an attorney about your particular circumstances.
