Even with so many stories reaching public platforms, women going through a divorce are nonetheless shadowed by the stigmatizing perspective that surrounds divorce. Actor, model, and influencer Kiran Ashfaque, a Pakistani, addressed this stigma head-on during a recent interview on the NonStop Podcast. She recounted how her divorce affected her entire family and how people’s reactions affected her.
Drawing attention to the gendered experience of a failed marriage, Kiran remarked, “In this country, only the woman gets divorced.” “Divorces among men are rare. Nobody challenges the man. People are still asking me in the comments why I left him. Why don’t you find out why the other individual left?
Kiran ascribed her hesitancy to reveal the causes of her divorce to the prevailing shame culture. The actor said, “I prefer not to get into specifics because a lot of people say, ‘You kept quiet for so many years, you could have left [him] earlier.'” Kiran gave her explanation for why her marriage didn’t dissolve sooner: “My mother would not let me, she would ask me to endure it.”
“My mother had one refrain: whatever happens, just endure it; you have to sustain your marriage,” the woman continued. You have two older sisters, so your actions will have an impact on them. Kiran conveyed her sorrow about how her family’s hardship stemmed from the breakdown of her relationship. “Divorce is not just a woman’s experience.”
My father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters were all impacted by my divorce. Their in-laws tease them once your sisters get married,” she said. Kiran and actor Imran Ashraf, her ex-husband, divorced in October 2022. Their Instagram statement said, “With a heavy heart, we announce that we have mutually and respectfully decided to part ways.” “Our son, Roham, will always be our first priority, and we will do everything in our power to be the best parents for him.”
“We ask the fans, well-wishers, and the media to support us during this trying time and give us the privacy we need to move on,” the statement continued. Respect and love to all, Imran and Kiran.” Kiran later shared information about their divorce and her life after the breakup in an Instagram Q&A session. She made reference to the distinctions between them, emphasized how critical it is to tolerate no disrespect, and said that warning signs should be taken as a cue to leave.
Ashfaque also talked about the belief that women are to blame for divorce. She explained, “All that glitters is not gold,” in response to criticism from Imran’s supporters who claimed their divorce was not one-sided. Earlier in December, the actor and Hamza Ali Chaudhary exchanged vows. A number of images on her Instagram, either from her or in which she was tagged, appear to mark the occasion. Sahar Anas, Kiran’s “bestie,” tagged her in a collaborative post wherein they were transforming regular clothes into bridal gowns for a reel trend
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