It seems Jennifer Lopez has joined the ranks of those taking to Instagram to prove to their ex, the world, and even themselves that actually, they’re doing just fine, thank you very much.
After two years of marriage, Lopez and Ben Affleck are set to divorce – and J. Lo is handling the split in a startlingly relatable way.
As summer situation-ships seemingly shatter all around (or, in Lopez’s case, a marriage), a phenomenon often referred to online as ‘posting through it’ has returned with a vengeance and even J. Lo is not immune.
Anyone with a social media account has likely noticed the uptick in mirror selfies and inspirational quotes on their feeds as the recently single among us seek to control the narrative surrounding their end-of-summer breakups.
While you may not have known the phenomenon had a name, odds are you’ve ‘posted through it’ yourself.
All the term refers to is the tendency for those who have recently gotten out of a relationship to suddenly start posting online with gusto as they navigate their heartbreak.
These bids for attention often manifest as an increase in ‘thirst traps’ (aka attractive pictures of the poster), quotes or song lyrics that subtly refer to the breakup, and content that seems to scream with tears in its eyes: ‘LOOK HOW WELL I’M DOING!’
J. Lo posting through her highly publicised divorce from Ben Affleck may be the most relatable thing the singer has done in recent years – even if it is embarrassing.
This week, the 55-year-old superstar took to Instagram to post a carousel of photos captioned: ‘Oh, it was a summer.’
The first picture shows the Jenny From the Block singer pouting in the mirror as she shows off her famous curves, with a Tumblr-worthy quote that reads, ‘Everything is unfolding in divine order’ following it up.
The entire carousel – which also features a photo of a t-shirt that reads ‘she’s in bloom and unbothered out of reach and at peace’ as well as an extremely cheeky mirror selfie of J. Lo in a white bathing suit – reads as a not-so-subtle statement on Lopez’s divorce.
Fans quickly took to social media to comment on the relatable post-breakup post, with @trigllav writing on X: ‘Every girl no matter status/money acts the same after a breakup.’
@emilygmonster posted: ‘There’s something affirming about how even celebrity and wealth can’t protect you from posting through it.’
@QteeFoxx agreed: ‘The thirst trap plus the motivational pinterest quotes combo, oh she’s really going through it huh 😭😭😭’
@GraceKing1167 commented: ‘She should know that her posting this just proves how much she is hurting.’
@mjrsumption said: ‘Worried that posting through it may not, in fact, cut it as a long-term strategy.’
@royal_bobby24 posted: ‘All women no matter income/age act the same on social media after that breakup.’
@cuteritu55 wrote: ‘Even she goes through the inspirational quotes phase after getting dumped…..’
@ArtsRayne agreed: ‘It’s a canon event. Unfortunately, I know Pinterest hates to see us coming when we are going through it😭😭😭’
Many seem to agree that Lopez is attempting to appear unbothered and in a personal renaissance in the eyes of the world (and maybe even in Affleck’s eyes) as the divorce unfolds.
But those of us who have posted laughing bikini pictures and quotes about self-love to our Instagram stories while sobbing in the bathtub can see straight through her methods.
Like most people who post through it, Lopez has unintentionally revealed the depths of her vulnerability by putting so much effort into trying to appear invulnerable, or as @HusenMymor wrote about the post on X: ‘People who say they are unbothered are usually bothered.’
A breakup is a specific kind of emotional minefield that’s as much about redefining one’s sense of self in the wake of a relationship as it is about grieving the person who exited your life.
Lopez is navigating this in the public eye in a way we can all connect to – even if it’s embarrassing – and it’s made the often out-of-touch star more likable than she’s been for a long time.
This was the second time Lopez and Affleck attempted to make their romance work, almost certainly compounding the heartbreak when they called it quits this time.
They were first engaged in the early 2000s after meeting on the set of the crime comedy film Gigli and were quickly dubbed Bennifer by the press.
However, the relationship ended just before their wedding, with decades passing before they reconciled in 2021.
Now, it seems they’ve split for a final time, ending the Hollywood fairy tale once and for all.
‘[Lopez is] very disappointed and sad, but Ben hasn’t given her any signs that he wants to continue their marriage,’ one source told People.
‘He hasn’t shown any commitment and interest in making their marriage work. It’s gotten to the point that she just needs to look out for herself.’
As J. Lo attempts to redefine herself in her post-Affleck era, all we can do is wish her the best – and maybe gently suggest that she stays off the Internet for awhile.
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