Jemima Harrison
Since their announced divorce earlier this month, Joe Jonas appears to have taken a route of criticism against Sophie Turner. However, this attempt to paint her role as wife and mother has backfired massively, resulting in a win for both Turner and women everywhere.
In 2023, a woman can be a successful wife, mother and party-goer in one take, something that Jonas’ PR team soon found out by the swathes of support that Turner has since received.
The Divorce Details
Jonas claimed the reason behind the divorce was Turner’s partying, which caused “irretrievable” damage to their relationship. Stark differences between the pair were highlighted by a source who told TMZ that Turner “likes to party and [Jonas] likes to stay at home”.
Tabloid news outlets such as the Daily Mail have splashed images of Turner drinking “£6.50 cocktails in Birmingham”, while Jonas cares for their two daughters, “pretty much all of the time”. Pictures of Jonas taking his daughters out for breakfast on Wednesday are all over the internet, showcasing a doting and dutiful Jonas. At the same time, Turner has been marked as a vanished parent.
“In our modern culture, women have the option to thrive alongside, or without, their domestic expectations”
Many have questioned the truth behind Jonas’ allegations, citing an old Buzzfeed interview in which Turner made clear her preference for the quiet life. Regardless, it remains true that even if Turner had chosen a more vibrant lifestyle, she would not constitute a villain in any shape or form.
Making Turner out to be an absent caregiver, a removed and failed wife who favours partying, booze, and even work over her family, is a familiar tune that feels outdated and misogynistic.
The roles of wife and mother are beyond remarkable, but women still have the option to thrive alongside, or without, these domestic expectations. It seems somebody forgot to remind Mr. Perfectly Fine.
An unforeseen failure
Perhaps unexpectedly, Jonas’ attempt to tarnish Turner hugely backfired. Claims in support of Turner have wholeheartedly rejected this attempt to emphasise gender roles as grounds for criticism and divorce.
Fans have taken to TikTok to argue that “you can like to party and still be a good mum”, and point out that “Sophie has every right to pursue passions outside of motherhood the same way Joe has the right to pursue things unrelated to fatherhood.”
E! News wasted no time in showing their support for Turner, creating a montage of the A-Lister captioned “Our banners are raised for the Queen in the North.” The reel has since collected over 1.1 million likes.
Commentators have also rightly questioned why Joe taking care of his children is seen as admirable, or even noteworthy – when if roles were reversed, this would be seen as the norm.
“Western society no longer prescribes to, or even accepts, old-fashioned gender norms”
It is no secret that Turner has gone to extreme lengths to take care of her daughters, even protecting them from the pervasive stare of the paparazzi. In 2021, she issued a video message to paparazzi, saying: “It’s f–king creepy grown men taking pictures of a baby without their permission. I’m sickened, I’m disgusted and I’m respectfully asking for everyone to stop following us around.” Photos of the Jonas family in the last few years have been sparse as a result.
So, why have photos of Joe and his daughters emerged mere days after the divorce announcement? Could it be that Joe has contacted news outlets in an attempt to paint himself in a positive light, at his daughter’s expense? I think, most likely, it is a telling tale of how Jonas may not be as innocent in this separation as he is trying to portray.
A Feminist Victory
The current news cycle, coupled with the unwavering support for Turner, has revealed an interesting shift in our collective values and marks a wonderful win for women.
Western society no longer prescribes to, or even accepts, old-fashioned gender norms that in the past would have tarnished a woman’s image beyond repair. Gender roles have had their time, and the Jonas-Turner divorce has shed light on this.
And while it would be wrong to choose a side in a divorce, all I can say is that Forever and Always alongside Mr Perfectly Fine and The Last of the Starks will be added to my playlist.
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Featured image courtesy of APK via Wikimedia Commons. Image license can be found here. No changes have been made to this image.
jemimaharrison_
Hello! My name is Jemima, and I am currently studying history at the University of Warwick! I have a passion for writing, and absolutely love what Empoword Journalism stands for - I can't wait to share and read stories and ideas together!