“Gray Divorce” a Growing Trend

“Gray divorce” – the new term given to divorces that occur after 20 or more years of marriage – is on the rise in the U.S. and Baby Boomers are leading the way, according to a recent article in the Sacramento Bee.

The divorce rate among those born between 1946 and 1964 is triple that of their parents, and most relationship experts agree that the main reason is because of Boomers’ spirit of independence and “make my own way in the world” viewpoint.

Experts also say that divorce is part of the Boomers’ “value system,” having grown up as divorce lost its social stigma and became more prevalent in American society. Boomers, who have always taken the “pursuit of happiness” proviso to an extreme, are finding that once the kids are gone, there is not much tying them to their spouse anymore because interests have diverged.

And, according to one divorce lawyer quoted in the article, “There’s a lot of infidelity in that age range, a lot of infidelity.”

In addition, some experts question whether couples were really meant to be married for 50 or more years. As medical advances continue to add years to our lives, they may also be shortening our marriages.