Needless to say, divorce is still a taboo subject in many Asian countries. Couples who decide to get divorced are often judged and shamed by society. Things are especially bad for women, who are blamed for speaking up, and for leaving abusive marriages. Recently, a Pakistani woman residing in the US decided to shatter stereotypes by throwing a party to celebrate her divorce.
The video features the woman joyfully dancing to Bollywood songs in a purple lehenga as the audience cheers and hoots. In the background, balloons spelling out "Divorce Mubarak" add to the celebratory atmosphere.
A Facebook page shared the video with the caption: "If all this continues in our country, the idea of marriage will end one day."
Watch the video here:
While many users recognized the importance of escaping toxic relationships, the celebratory nature of the video has sparked debate, with numerous people in Pakistan criticising the woman and spreading hate against her in the comment section.
One user commented, ''Divorce should not be celebrated at all. Yes, it frees you from a toxic relationship. Yes, it liberates you from a narcissist. Yes, it is good for your mental health. Yes, you can heal from the trauma. If we start celebrating the divorce, people will be afraid to get married. Number of proud single mothers is already on the rise. Absent father for children is trauma.''
Another wrote, ''Call me judgmental or whatever but i can't believe my eyes, this woman is dancing and throwing a divorce party saying "DIVORCE MUBARAK???" FR??? Wth is going on this planet.''
However, some others also came to her defence and called her ''strong'' for standing up for herself and prioritising her happiness. A third wrote, ''Girl am over here crying happy tears for you. Everything life has to offer is yours…. Keep shining hard, you deserve this.''
The woman, who owns a store in America, has not revealed the reasons for her divorce.