While we all hope for a ‘happily ever after’ in our relationships, sometimes they just don’t work out—and that’s okay. It’s often better to go separate ways than stay together when things aren’t right.

Even so, there are times when the cause of a breakup can be a bit… unconventional. Like a disagreement over Star Trek or a fight about toilet paper. At least, that’s what did it for a few couples in a recent r/AskReddit thread, where users shared some of the strangest reasons people ended up getting divorced.

Keep scrolling to check them out, and don’t miss our conversation with divorce coach Nawal Houghton about what might be hiding behind these seemingly trivial splits.

#1

My history teacher in high school was married to a woman who had escaped from a Magdalene laundry in the '80s. Less than a year into their marriage she started having seizures that had no visible physical/neurological cause and couldn't be controlled with meds. Eventually the hypothesis was that the seizures were caused by the trauma she suffered in the Magdalene laundry, but they couldn't figure out how to treat them. By then the seizures had damaged her brain so much that she was functioning on the level of a toddler. There was eventually a new anticonvulsant that came out and was able to control her seizures, but the brain damage was permanent. This wasn't the cause of their divorce -- my teacher stayed married to her for another 30 odd years. He got her in-home care while he was working and took care of her himself when he was home. 


The actual cause of the divorce was that my teacher was about to retire, and he wouldn't have been able to afford the level of home care his wife needed on his pension even with him being home more and the government subsidies that are available in our province, so she needed to be placed in a long-term care home. Problem was, LTC homes at the time were prioritizing admitting people with absolutely no potential family support. The fact that they were married would have left her on the wait list for a spot in long-term care for 3 to 7 years. He had to divorce her in order to get her the care she needed.

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#2

She didn’t like the ghosts that haunted him… he didn’t even believe in ghosts.

I still think the real reason was the dog walker she was banging.

Image credits: Billbapaparazzi

#3

Guy I used to work with divorced his wife during her first round of chemotherapy. He explained that her hair had started to fall off and that the perspective of not being able to pull her hair during doggy style for at least two years was too much of a sacrifice. He tried his hardest to play the victim after that when EVERYBODY in the office stopped talking to him.

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#4

I knew a couple that were married for years. The wife became pregnant about year 10 of the marriage. Husband left her because he decided the day the baby was born that he didn’t want children.

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#5

Went on a date one time with a man that had divorced his wife because “she was just sad all the time and I just couldn’t take it anymore. It had been like 3 months and she would still cry when she heard his favorite song”. Her dad had passed from a heart attack at the age of 52 but this man had the audacity to believe “she should have expected it. All parents die at some point”. Yeah sure, maybe if he had been 92 it wouldn’t have been as much of a shock but it would still be something to be sad about and grieve.

I put my head down until I could catch the waiter and then noped the f out of there. Imagine if this man ever found out I had checked myself into the hospital for a 72 hour watch TWO YEARS after my mom passed because the grief finally caught up with me.

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#6

The couple was actually still in love but one of them became disabled and couldn’t access support benefits unless they were legally single, so….

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#7

Saw a story on here about a guy divorcing his wife because she chose to breastfeed her children. Why you ask? Because she was “perverted” and it was “pe**phile-like” of her to allow her newborn to breastfeed because nipples are only for pleasure according to him. Sounds made up but she posted the court documents and everything and it was 100% real. Dudes definitely projecting some inner pedo tendencies.

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#8

My ex divorced me after his best friend died of a d**g overdose. He left me to be with his best friend’s girlfriend, he felt he needed to “take care of her” now that his friend was gone. We had only just met her at the funeral. They broke up within 2 weeks.

Image credits: Old_Judgment5317

#9

Her husband was purposely over-tightening every jar of food in the house. She finally snapped after he said he would stop and he started again a few weeks later and she filed for divorce.

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#10

A friend of mine divorced her husband over a cocktail.

He didn’t drink. She drank occassationally. They always slip the bill, except if she ordered an alcoholic beverage, then she would pay for it. Ironically, his non alcoholic drinks cost more than her alcoholic drinks. Expensive mocktails, smoothies, etc.

A crowd of about 8 of us went out for dinner. After dinner she ordered her first alcoholic drink, a cocktail. He told the waiter no, cancel it. She said yes she wants it, he said no, she yes, he no, yes, no. This went on for ages and bare in mind, she was paying for it anyway.

She walked out and filed for divorce.

He refused to pay for her dinner, I paid for her and said consider her first divorce present.

Image credits: Willing_Lemon2231

#11

This is not the only reason why we divorced, but my former husband and I fought A LOT because I would not make an appointment for him at my gynecologist’s. (I worked in the office.) He was not trans. He had male genitalia. There was literally no reason for him to see a gynecologist. It was a huge bone of contention in our marriage.

Edit: He did not have male breast tissue concerns. His reason was that he thought it was unfair that a doctor could choose to treat women only. He found gynecological science to be discrimination against men. I was never able to convince him that a gynecologist is basically a uterus doctor and there’s no reason for a cis man to see one. In his mind, he was oppressed.

I was the person who answered the phone and set appointments for patients. He didn’t want me to call for him.

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#12

I know a couple who had different opinions regarding coronavirus and ended up divorcing over it.

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#13

Medical bills, so the partner isn’t forced to accept debt after the other’s passing.

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#14

My coworker’s daughter divorced her husband right after their honeymoon because he was so cheap he wouldn’t let her eat out on their honeymoon. They had to get things from the grocery store for the mini fridge and that was all they were allowed to eat because it was a waste of “their” money now that they were married. (But it was fine when she paid for meals out *before* they were married). I think it was technically an annulment.

She didn’t want to be married to a cheap bastard her whole life.

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#15

He refused to share the Netflix password... yup, that was the final straw.

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#16

I don't think it was a divorce but my favorite is still the you smell guy! This guy kept telling his significant other that she stinks. He'd tell her go get a shower, I don't know why I put up with you, you smell so bad etc etc. It had been going on for years and she had seen doctors and other professionals and had even purchased medical grade deodorants and soaps! 


She could never smell it so she would ask her friends and then be like you're fine. But the minute her boyfriend/husband/whatever came home he'd be like oh my God you stink. Finally she freaks out and says we just need to break up then because I don't know what's wrong with me and it's clearly making you unhappy and I don't think I stink at all and I've been doing everything I can so we just need to break up! 


He breaks down and admits that his dad has done that to his mother their whole married life and told the him to do it to his significant other, I.e the original poster.. because if he could keep her insecure enough she would never leave him. So the whole thing was a lie. She dumped him.

#17

He ate meat. She was vegan. They had separate grills. He cooked burgers on hers while she was gone.

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#18

My mate teared up during the ceremony apparently it was unmanly and she got the "ICK".

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#19

I know a couple for whom the last straw was my father making a joke at the wife's expense, and the husband laughing at the joke.

For context, they'd been on the rocks for a while but were doing counseling etc to try to save the marriage. At their son's birthday party, my dad was lighting the candles. The wife asked, "why did you start from the edge instead of the middle?"

Dad said, "I was worried you'd have nothing to complain about."

The husband laughed, the wife stormed out, and they divorced.

#20

I heard from a friend was because one partner refused to share their collection of rare rubber ducks. It sounds odd, but it became a major issue that led to their separation.

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#21

One of my uncles. His first wife filed for divorce after he took a bite of a sandwich she'd made herself.

Now I guarantee there were other problems in that relationship, but that was apparently the final straw.

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#22

There was a story on reddit about a man divorcing a woman, because she lived according to a very precise beige color scheme, and would toss out any item (including baby toys and clothes) that didn't fit that scheme, culminating in a bunch of lovingly knit sweaters the MIL had made. It didn't help that this woman came across as utterly bonkers and abusive. So, that's that.

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#23

The wife was obsessed over toilet paper usage, and would listen in when the husband was going to the toilet to see how many pieces he used.

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#24

The husband faked having been in the military to impress the wife while they were still dating (her dad was military). He went to great lengths to continue this lie as the relationship progressed. Wore a military uniform to the wedding, faked time lines in his life.

After the wedding he was pressured into getting a GI loan for a house, and that’s when the story fell apart. Turns out he bought the uniform off eBay.

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#25

Realizing that the wedding ring was not fancy enough (my mother in-law's friend).

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#26

I have a friend who got thrown to the curb because his now ex-wife's new cat did not like him.

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#27

My family actually has a Family Law Firm, so I grew up with strange stories of divorce.

Strangest reason for a divorce? Wife didn’t like that husband made her ex (previous marriage) look pathetic to Wife’s family during a holiday bbq. Apparently, Husband was noticeably better with the grill than Ex and Wife felt that Husband had emasculated Ex on purpose. And before anyone says it, no Wife was not having an affair with Ex, she was having an affair with her stylist.

Dumbest reason for a divorce? Husband idolized his own father, so when his parents got divorced because his Dad thought his wife was getting old and he should find a young trophy wife (Spoilers: He Didn't). Husband filed for divorce so he could act as his Dad's wingman without any guilt.

#28

He refused to shave off his beard.

I'm sure there was more to that story, but that apparently was the relationship's coffin nail.

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#29

Man and woman. They have three or four kids. She was a big woman and wasn’t attractive. Husband worships her.

Wife gets cancer. The weight just falls off her. She survives it and a little weight comes back. Suddenly, other men are finding her attractive. She loves the attention. Starts going out to the bars at night and staying out.

One day she sits hubby down. Tells him she can do better than him since she now has more options. Packs her stuff up and abandons hubby and the kids like they had never mattered to her. Not a drop of regret.

She said cancer had given her a second chance at a better life and she wasn’t going to waste it.

#30

They divorced over a game of monopoly the both thought they were cheating at monopoly it escalated to shouting then fighting until the both got mad and started sawing furniture in half. Three days later divorced, she lives in France, he lives in Botswana now.

Image credits: Acrobatic-Fortune-99

#31

A woman divorced her husband because he insisted on eating peas with a knife—talk about a cutting-edge reason.

Image credits: Robin_Ethereal

#32

I knew a couple who had been together for more than 20 years, but all of a sudden, they both filed for divorce because they argued about where to put their toothbrushes in the bathroom

They have 3 kids, never went to marriage counseling, and both have successful careers and are very popular in their communities

I’m fairly certain there’s more to the story than that.

#33

I have a distant relative, they divorced because the wife slept too much.

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#34

I remember about 15-20 years ago, a couple in their late 90s, who’d been married for over 75 years, were getting divorced because the husband found out that the wife had had an affair 60-plus years earlier.

Dude, the other guy’s probably long dead, and she clearly chose you in the long run. Besides, you probably only have a few months left. Just live it out, and you and the other guy can duke it out in Heaven soon enough.

#35

A coworker thought it was strange that her husband divorced her. After their son was born, she informed her husband that she would be focusing on their son for the next 18 years, and would get back to him after. She was so confused by the divorce.

#36

She accused him of banging his boss.

As she was a relative we believed her, but I bumped into the bloke a few years later and it turned out he had evidence of her sleeping with at least four different guys whilst they were married. She made up the story to safe face.

That was one awkward Christmas afterwards….

#37

Long ago, like waaay back when i was just a tiny little pre-license, i had a couple who had differences about what the dude ate.

not because it smelled weird when cooking. not because it violated her religious beliefs or something. no, it was just the IDEA of him eating bacon, pork, ham, etc...and she wasn't jewish or muslim.

i suspected this issue was cloaking something much deeper, but i never got to find that out. i saw them for 3-4 sessions and they vamoosed, and about 2 months later she emailed saying sorry, but they'd had a huge fight over the easter ham and she'd had enough, she filed for divorce.

it takes all kinds to make the world go round, i guess.

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#38

Some couple divorced because one thought the other made bad coffee... like really that’s a dealbreaker now? gotta choose your battles.

#39

I know a girl who met her truest love on WoW. She moved from CA to like the Midwest to be with this dude and start their "amazing life". At some point during wedded bliss she started an argument with members of her guild that boiled to the point where she insisted her man defend her from these online meanies. As he was a real adult he told her to handle it on her own, so she left. 10/10 romance.

#40

A friend divorced her husband because he was afraid of the ghost who was haunting the place they were staying and who was tormenting their child (the ghost, not the husband). He was afraid of being in the house alone too. I mean I can see her reasoning though regardless of whether you believe in the paranormal or not.

Image credits: WWBSkywalker

#41

Not technically a divorce, but I knew a long-term couple that broke up because he insisted that she should be the one to buy condoms for him...like, if she wouldn't buy condoms for him, she was showing she wasn't committed to the relationship. They are both insane, but what a weird reason to end a years-long relationship over.

#42

My ex husband got remarried fairly quickly and after not knowing the woman very long. My kids never liked her very much but she was kind to them and they were trying to get to know her. He divorced her after less than a year and told everyone it was because she is a “flat earth believer”. ???‍♀️ .

#43

One couple divorced because the husband refused to stop feeding seagulls that kept stealing their food and ruining their picnics!

#44

Not heard but personally experienced.

In the paperwork for my divorce the reason down is that i did not make her a cup of tea.


Im from the UK.

#45

A friend of a friend moved back to his country after deciding that he doesn’t want to pay taxes in wife‘s country and support its welfare state. They had two children in school and his wife obviously didn’t want to uproot her life for such a stupid idea. They divorced shortly after.

#46

The wife got a visa to Australia but he didn't. They were trying to leave communist Poland together so she went ahead with their small child. By the time he was able to join them they'd grown so used to being apart they just didn't want to be married anymore. They're still very close friends but both remarried and live separately.

#47

A roll of toilet paper and which way it goes on the roll.

This was >30 years ago and we still tease him about it.

To be fair it was the straw that broke the camels back but yeah. Toilet paper.

(he's since been happily married for almost 26 years).

#48

A uni friend got divorced because her husband left desiccated coconut on the sofa after he ate a snowball (chocolate covered marshmallow covered in the coconut).

She was married 2 months.

#49

They got married in college and divorced by the time he got into medical school her reasoning “he doesn’t make any money” the guy is a heart surgeon in Chicago now.

#50

My mom got in a fight with her first husband and threatened to divorce him. He said, "you wouldn't divorce me," and she said, "oh yes I would!" And told me she marched downtown and filed because he didn't take her seriously.

Luckily, she married my dad and I'm here but she always loved him and regretted that. And yes, she has an (undiagnosed) personality disorder from my viewpoint.

#51

"Intolerable puns" was listed in the divorce paperwork.

#52

The husband of my sister cheated on her more than once. Every time they got back together and finally married and had kids.

She wanted couple counseling to flat out some problems they had (he wasn't able to get the money together and bought nice things for himself, she earned more than him, he was a man child and didn't help much in the household, he often was mean to the kids.

Finally HE divorced on Christmas eve because SHE doesn't have trust for him. Left her in debt, git together with another woman two weeks later. Today (circa one and a half years later) both kids don't want to visit him anymore because they eventually realized what an idiot he is.

#53

I don't have a source. But I read a story about a couple in rural Pakistan (I think). Per the rules, if either spouse says the word "Divorce" three times, then they are divorced. Period.

Well apparently they were in bed and the husband talks in his sleep a bit. And the wife heard him say "divorce" three times. So she wakes him up to tell him he just divorced her. He calls it nonsense as he was sleeping and nothing said while sleeping counts. She argued it did.

Long story short, they went to the village elders for a decision. They said that they were, in fact, now divorced. (Ex) husband says he doesn't want to divorce her, he loves her. They said that didn't matter, they're now divorced. He asks if he can just remarry her right there. They say he can't. He has to marry someone else first, and then divorce her. Only then can they remarry.

I often tell people no divorce was ever a bad idea... except that one.

#54

I heard of a couple who couldn’t decide if their kid should go to public or private school. Divorced over it. Still didn’t solve the problem.

#55

Guy absolutely hates *Star Trek* and refuses to have it in the house. Girlfriend loves sci-fi and *Star Trek* specifically. They get married. Naturally, girl wants to watch *Star Trek* but new husband won't let her. They divorce some time later.

#56

I got divorced from my partner for tax reasons. Her employer sent her on a prolonged work assignment to Belgium, which requires both spouses in a marriage to declare tax (in Belgium), regardless of whether they live there. Neither one of us wanted to deal with the extra tax complexity, and we had gotten married mostly because we thought it might make life easier should we have moved to a country where there would be tax benefits etc. Ironically, the crazy Belgium tax system was the exact opposite. I don't remember the exact duration, but I think we were only married for about 6-9 months.

We stayed together as a couple for several more years but ultimately split up for other reasons.

#57

Pam Anderson listed "Borat" as the reason for her divorce from Kid Rock.

#58

When I worked in mortgage, I facilitated at least 3 divorces so people could qualify for loans.

#59

It's been almost exactly 5 years since the divorce, but if you ask my step-dad today why my mom left him, he'll tell you "she left me because of socks". He's convinced she left him because he refused to pick up his socks. No matter what literally anyone says, he'll say it was because of socks.

It was as much the socks as it was the Iranian yogurt(tho it was actually closer to the mustard post). Dude was an abusive POS and I thank a god I don't believe in that she finally got away.

#60

Mormon couple I knew had an *extreme* lack of sex ed. As in, they didn't know a thing about it even on their wedding night.

Their expectation was that they would get married, get naked and lay next to each other on the bed, and God would do magic-something for the pregnancy to happen.

When nothing happened, the dude actually went out and got advice from a male friend of his about what *should* have been happening. That's literally the moment that he learned penetration would be a thing.

They were both so disgusted by the idea that they had their marriage annulled the next day.

#61

The couple's dogs hated each other,so they divorced.

#62

A friend once told me her parents got divorced because of Princess Diana's death.

#63

I know a couple that were married then divorced to keep a rent stabilized apartment low. 4 Bed Room + 2 Bath + 1 Parking in the heart of the NYC. Rent today is $635.18. Had they stayed married - $2,400 a month.

#64

My Grandmother was married like 5 times. One guy was really tall and when she moved in, the kitchen cabinets were installed really high. He didn’t want to adjust, so she left him.

#65

So a friend of mine said his wife shut the door on his father's face. Apparently he got really mad at this and things haven't been the same again. Filed a divorce couple of months ago.

#66

They got married, big white wedding, six weeks go by and they file for divorce. "I realised I didn't actually love him". HUH?

#67

I saw an AITAH post yesterday where the guy wanted a divorce and was questioning the paternity of his child after his wife (who has been entirely faithful for more than a decade) went to a bachelorette party with a stripper there.

In fact most of the weirdest reasons for divorce I read about on there.

#68

I once heard of an Indian American getting served divorce papers because it was a green card marriage (unbeknownst to him) to prevent his wife from getting deported back to Canada.

#69

Brazilian Football player Kaka's wife divorced him because he was "too perfect".
Df.

#70

I divorced my husband because he didn't pull the tongue of his shoes out from in between the laces...

(I mean there were a lot of other issues, but that one got on my nerves every single time we left the house and I just couldn't take it anymore).

#71

Woman and man each wanted to keep their last names. So they divorce every three years and change their names.

#72

I read somewhere that a man divorced his wife because she was wearing pants.