Janelle Brown Breaks Down Why She Doesn’t Call Herself ‘Divorced’ After Splitting From Kody Brown

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Janelle Brown revealed that she doesn’t consider herself “divorced” after her split from Kody Brown, 55, in 2022. The Sister Wives star, 54, opened up about her feelings about the breakup and how she discusses it with friends in an interview with People, published on Tuesday, January 23. She also discussed why she prefers the term “single” over other relationship statuses that could apply to her.

Janelle revealed that she had a very simple reason for why she doesn’t consider the fact that she and Kody broke up to mean that they’re divorced. “Because we never were legally married, I can’t really say I’m divorced,” she told People. “I just say ‘I’m no longer with’ [him] when I explain it to outside people, I’m like, ‘I’m no longer with my partner.'”

The reality star explained that above all else, she prefers to just call herself “single” when speaking about her relationship status. “It’s nebulous for me at this point. It depends on who I’m talking to really. I guess I just consider myself single, I don’t consider myself divorced or separated or whatever. I just think I’m single,” Janelle said.

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Janelle and Kody were married from 1993 until they split in 2022, shortly after Christine Brown split up with Kody in 2021. Meri Brown also split up with Kody in early 2023. The Sister Wives star remains only married to his fourth wife Robyn.

Despite the split, Janelle, who shares six kids with her ex, has spoken about how she and Kody had good physical chemistry together towards the end of their relationship. “We’ve been friends with benefits for years. I’m ready now for something a little bit more. If he were to give me what I needed in a relationship, I would stay,” she said in an October 2023 episode of the TLC show.

Janelle got a little more candid about the physical side of their relationship (saying that makeup sex was one of the “best parts” of their time together) in a December episode of Sister Wives. “I don’t talk about that stuff. I’ll hint at it but yes, of course, everything was very good in that department,” she said.