Hi there! If you’re new to the newsletter, welcome and thank you for being here. This week’s audio companion for paid subscribers (and preview for free subscribers) is tackling a topic close to my heart. It also happens to be one that’s specific to U.S. politics. If you’re joining us from abroad, enjoy this little window into what we’re up against over here ;) The transcript is included in full below.
Hello and welcome to the third audio companion to the Yes, Misstrix Substack. This week, we’re tackling the new proposed legislation to end no-fault divorce in, where else but, right here in Texas and potentially in some other notoriously red states as well. The episode is lovingly titled first they came for our bodies, now they’re coming for our relationships, and we’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in.
The first thing to discuss is what the hell we actually mean when we say “no-fault divorce.” Now, if you’re familiar with the very divorce-y term “irreconcilable differences,” you probably have some idea. Irreconcilable differences is often what people cite as the reason for their no-fault divorce.
Essentially, a no-fault divorce means no one is at fault or to blame for the end of the marriage. That sounds like kind of a lame definition, as it includes all of the words in the term itself, but that’s really the gist. In a fault divorce, one party is responsible for causing the marriage to end, and the spouse accusing that party needs to come prepared to show receipts. Reasons to find fault can range from cruelty and abuse to adultery or insanity. These divorces tend to be more expensive because the lawyers need to put together a case to prove fault, which isn’t always as easy as it might seem.
No-fault divorce is really the easiest way to get a divorce both fast and pretty much anywhere because it allows you to say that the divorce is the reason for the divorce. No one has to give a better reason than hey, we simply don’t want to be married anymore—hence, irreconcilable differences being the choice divorce words for celebrities and normies everywhere.
Now, while it doesn’t seem like legislation to end no-fault divorce would be THAT big of a deal, there are plenty of reasons why we don’t want this to happen. For one, like I mentioned earlier, fault can be hard to prove, even if your spouse is a cheating piece of shit. Even if your spouse uses you as a punching bag or has a nasty gambling habit or heroin addiction or is in the middle of a severe mental health crisis. Finding fault also takes time and again lots of money—neither of which you might have, depending on the circumstances.
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