I have spoken often about the media’s portrayal of separate sleepers. Essentially, it’s a simple formula and goes something like this:
Couple sleeping in the same bed = happy relationship
Couple sleeping in separate beds = unhappy relationship
If only life was that binary.
In my book I talk about the movie Hope Springs that opens with the lead characters’ marriage ‘obviously’ in crisis because they are sleeping in separate rooms. The movie then spews forth every cliché about what can happen to an ageing relationship. And I know these things can and do happen IF THE COUPLE CHOOSES TO LET THEM.
(Trailer provided for those who didn’t make it to the movies)
Well, there is a real life, hot young couple who have met the same fate as Meryl and Tommy.
Poor old Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth OBVIOUSLY are in crisis because they are sleeping in separate rooms. Just check out a recent Google alert I received.
(Note inserted for reality check I am ‘hip’ enough to know that Miley and Liam’s relationship is not in the best place at the moment – thanks to all my research when I am at the hairdressers – so I’m not naïve enough to think that there ain’t some issues going on there. I am quite sure they are in separate bedrooms because they are just a little cranky with each other – and that’s completely understandable.)
(Although…. Liam Hemsworth is just a bit cute and if he wasn’t a big old loud snorer, I know where I would rather be.)
HOWEVER, the fact that the headlines are screaming loudly about their separate bedroom status does not make me happy. Here is a brief sample of some of these headlines.
What are all the young folk going to take away from this? I’ll tell you.
Couple sleeping in separate beds = unhappy relationship
This loud message deals my ‘crusade for understanding’ a savage blow. Even though there is far more to the story and the reasons why they are not co-beditating, the message of the doom found in a separate bed is loud and clear.
And that’s the sort of bad press us happily-coupled separate sleepers just don’t need.