Saudi Snapchat star threw a 'solo party' in celebration of her divorce

Even though celebrating a divorce remains frowned upon in Saudi Arabia, bashes of this sort are rising in popularity among women in the kingdom, breaking the element of shock in the conservative society. 

Over the weekend, a divorce party - closer to a solo stay in - held by Saudi Snapchat celebrity Amira Al Nasser stirred quite the usual controversy on Twitter. The woman recently separated from her husband and made sure to announce the news to her followers in her own way. 

Dressed in a white gown she was set to wear on the couple's anniversary, Al Nasser told her fans she wanted to party her divorce because "life shouldn't end over one person." 

The woman's bash featured music, dancing, and, of course, a photoshoot. Snapchat videos documenting the entire occurrence quickly made it to Twitter, where they left Saudis with polarized opinions.  

In one of the videos circulating online, Al Nasser explained she would not adhere to the Islamic rule stating that a divorced woman must complete a waiting period ('iddah) following the death of her husband or divorce. During this period of time - which lasts for three months - a woman is prohibited from marrying another man and expected to mostly stay at home. 

"Some women are asking me when my waiting period starts. I won't be sitting through one. To those telling me I should, I am not doing it because I don't want to see my ex-husband in the afterlife. They say women who complete the waiting period see their exes in the afterlife. I don't want to see him, not in this life nor the next one," she said.

Al Nasser's words and party didn't go down too well with hundreds of Saudi tweeps who vehemently attacked her for going against her country's values and traditions. Some ridiculed the woman's party, others criticized her for hosting one, while some accused her of going against Islam. 

However, not everyone was so harsh on Al Nasser as many also felt for her and thought the reason she was celebrating was that she must have had a hard time during her marriage. A few speculated whether the celeb's party was a prank or publicity stunt because she previously pranked her followers by telling them she was getting a divorce. However, this time, things look serious and Al Nasser started her separation posts by publishing an official divorce document. 

"So you've come up with a new thing. Divorce is now a party and a woman feels happy her marriage is over. What level of regression and ignorance have you reached?"

"Though I am against this phenomenon but a woman doesn't decide to host a divorce party unless she truly had a hard time with her husband." 

Divorce is no longer the taboo it once was in the region thanks to a number of Arab women who are celebrating their separations just like they would celebrate a wedding.  

From Jordan to Lebanon, Egypt to Saudi Arabia, divorce parties are all the rage these days and have seen several women turn their backs on bad relationships in the most savage way possible.