If you haven’t been keeping up with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s divorce until just recently, don’t worry: Kardashian filed for divorce back in February of 2021, but there isn’t much in the news about progress in the proceedings.
However, at the beginning of March, California judges approved Kardashian’s request to be declared “legally single,” a step in the right direction for finalizing the divorce.
But what does “legally single” even mean? This decision splits the divorce proceedings into two parts: the first settles her legal name and marital status, while the second determines the allocation of their assets and custody of their children.
This is typically a way for both parties in the relationship to move forward with their lives while dealing with the more complicated aspects of divorce. However, Kim and Kanye’s relationship is not typical, which makes the former’s decision to become legally single all the more interesting.
West has made it clear that he wants to continue his relationship with Kardashian. He ignored her initial divorce filing, and has expressed on social media his desire to make things work between the two of them.
However, in court documents filed prior to the bifurcation, Kardashian sad that “no counseling or reconciliation effort” could change the “irreconcilable differences” she and West have.
“Kanye has been putting a lot of misinformation regarding our private family matters and co-parenting on social media which has created emotional distress,” explained Kardashian in the documents. “I believe that the court terminating our marital status will help Kanye to accept that our marital relationship is over and to move forward on a better path which will assist us in peacefully co-parenting our children.”
West’s recent behavior on social media has shed some light on the “irreconcilable differences” Kardashian is referring to. His aggressive presence on Instagram has been going on for weeks, which resulted in him being banned from the platform for 24 hours for violating policies on hate speech, bullying and harassment.
The primary target of his aggression is Pete Davidson, Kardashian’s new boyfriend. Referring to him as “Skete,” he has made comments about his dislike of his and Kardashian’s relationship, warning fans that “THERE’S A SKETE LURKING IN EVERY […] ALLEY WAITING TO HELP DESTROY YOUR FAMILY.” In an official animation video for his song “Eazy,” West depicts a clay version of Davidson being violently attacked.
Although West is protected under freedom of speech, it can’t be denied that his behavior is crossing the line.
In a post that has since been deleted, West shared screenshots of messages between him and Kardashian, where she begged him to stop harassing Davidson online. She told him that “Someone will hurt Pete and this will be all your fault.”
Although Kardashian has more resources than the average woman in an abusive relationship, no amount of money prevents this behavior from occurring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that one in four women in the United States have been subjected to intimate partner violence (IPV), which is characterized by abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship.
Social media has emerged as a platform that perpetrates domestic abuse. A survey conducted by Women’s Aid found that 85% of respondents said the abuse they received online from a partner or ex-partner was part of a pattern of abuse they also experienced offline— and 50% of respondents said the online abuse involved direct threats to them or someone they knew.
Kardashian filing and becoming legally single is a win for all women, especially those who are victims of domestic abuse. It is a public example that harassment and intimidation have no place in a healthy relationship, and neither should prevent someone from leaving a toxic relationship.
It will be exciting to see what Kim Kardashian does as an officially single woman. Hopefully this decision will help the divorce move forward and allow her to close that chapter of her life.