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Boyfriend doesn't want me sharing a bed with Bestfriend on trip

448 replies

okiedokieokayy · 26/07/2026 21:47

My best friend of around 8 years (we met at uni) has been living abroad for over two years and is finally coming back to the UK next month. I've been so excited to see her. To mark the occasion and make sure we actually get proper quality time together, we booked a little countryside retreat about 4 hours from where I live. Logistics also played a part, as she's coming from visiting family and then jetting off again, so this was the easiest way to make it work. We've had this trip planned for about four months. She made the booking and I was more than happy for her to sort it.
For context, my friend and I have shared a bed completely platonically loads of times over the years. Drunkenly crashing at uni, travelling together as broke backpackers, visiting each other in different cities. It's just never been a thing. So when she booked the room it genuinely didn't occur to me to ask about the bed situation. I'd have been fine with sharing or a twin, it just wasn't a question that entered my head.
It only came up when I was chatting to my boyfriend of nearly two and a half years about the trip. Not the first conversation we've had about it, like I said I've been excited, but this time the topic of rooms came up. He'd assumed we had separate rooms and when I said no, it's one room with a double, his whole mood changed. He said he wasn't comfortable with me sharing a bed with her. I should mention here that my friend happens to be a lesbian, and he knows this. When I asked why it was suddenly an issue, he said it "just feels different" and that he wouldn't share a bed with someone who could potentially be attracted to him, so he didn't see why I would. I tried to explain that we've shared beds plenty of times before, that she's basically family to me, and that she has never once, in eight years, shown even a hint of interest in me like that. He wasn't having it.
He then asked me to at least check if the hotel had twin rooms. I did check, to keep the peace, and there aren't any available. His response was that I need to book a separate room. It's a lot of money and honestly I'm not sure I can afford it, especially for something I don't think is necessary.
The bit that's really bothering me is that I mentioned it to my friend. I told her what he'd said and after some conversation I floated the idea that maybe I should just book the separate room. She went quiet for a second and then said "erm, yeah, okay, if that's what you think's best." There was a definite tone in her voice, like she was holding something back and trying not to cause drama. And now I feel awful. I can't work out if I'm more upset that my boyfriend doesn't seem to trust my judgement, or worried that she's hurt by the inference, because let's be honest, the implication is that because she's gay she can't be trusted to share a bed with a friend, which feels really unfair on her.
I know some people here will use the "what if she was a guy" or "would you be okay with your boyfriend sharing a bed with a straight female friend" argument, and I get why, but I'm honestly not sure it's the same thing. This is someone I've known for nearly a decade with zero history or hint of anything romantic. I don't know how I feel and I don't know what to do. Do I pay for a room I can't really afford to keep my boyfriend happy, or hold my ground and risk a row? And is it unreasonable of me to feel a bit insulted on my friend's behalf?

OP posts:
Nobodycares · Yesterday 09:01

Elboob · Yesterday 08:12

That's not the same though is it!! No idea why you think it is. The boyfriend and OP are heterosexual.
The matching scenario is him sleeping in the same bed as an attractive homosexual man. Not a woman.

Yep, it's the same. Her boyfriend doesn't know if she's attracted to her lesbian friend or vice versa.

And I have noted that at absolutely NO point has OP said she's straight, not bi.

And she's repeatedly said her friend has never shown any attraction to her or interest in her sexually

Seems a bit odd that in all her messages OP hasn't said the same about how she feels.

TheLette · Yesterday 09:06

Assuming you aren't bi AND attracted to your friend, I don't see the issue. I am similar (in a relationship with a man, one of my oldest friends is lesbian). I have bed shared with my friend before, not really out of choice but because we couldn't find somewhere within budget with twin beds but we did find a nice place with a king size bed. It helps that she seems to be attracted to butch lesbians (which I don't resemble in the slightest) but even so we are grown ups and I've never even thought for a second that she might jump me or try anything on.

Partingofthewaves · Yesterday 09:07

Fleetheart · 26/07/2026 21:56

Goodbye BF, imagine what he will be like in a few years if he is this controlling now.

This.

CrazyMidget · Yesterday 09:08

Oh God, another troublesome man, what a shock.

Tell him to mind his own business and that you won't be dictated to.

Controlling arse-wipe.

And yes, I think it's insulting to your friend. Like she's going to sexually assault you while you're asleep or something, just because she's a lesbian.

CrazyMidget · Yesterday 09:10

Partingofthewaves · Yesterday 09:07

This.

Absolutely this.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · Yesterday 09:10

Pistachiocake · 26/07/2026 21:55

There's no difference between a long-term, like family, friend depending if they're a man or a woman. So if he had a female friend who was like family to him, and you'd be ok with her sharing a bed with him, then it's fine, because it is the same thing.

No it isn’t the same at all. The OP is not a lesbian so isn’t sexually attracted to other women. The equivalent would be him sharing with a gay best friend when he is straight.

DaysOfWild · Yesterday 09:15

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · Yesterday 09:10

No it isn’t the same at all. The OP is not a lesbian so isn’t sexually attracted to other women. The equivalent would be him sharing with a gay best friend when he is straight.

Do you think all straight women are attracted to all straight men and vice versa?

If not, why can't he share a bed with a woman he's not attracted to who is like family to him?

BustyLaRoux · Yesterday 09:16

Sorry @VointofPiew your arguments seem a bit chaotic to me. Girls can’t make each other pregnant, people are homophobic, sleeping in a bed with a lesbian is the same as sleeping in a bed with a blonde heterosexual man, if a straight man shared a bed with a gay man people would accuse the straight man of being gay….. it’s literally all over the place. To me, and to most people, sharing a bed with a gay person when you yourself aren’t gay, isn’t the same as sharing a bed with someone of the sex you’re attracted to. The boyfriend sounds controlling. The OP has thankfully spotted that.

rrrrrreatt · Yesterday 09:18

I think your partner needs to reflect on why he feels so insecure about this because it’s his problem, not yours. It’s not healthy to assume your partner would cheat with anyone if they so much as sleep next to them.

My best friend is bisexual and mainly goes out with women. We shared a bed the night before my wedding (she was maid of honour) and I didn’t give it a second thought, neither did my DH.

aberturret · Yesterday 09:20

Haikuing · 26/07/2026 23:15

There is a massive difference between men and women in these situations. You might not want to think so, but there is.

Yes. And the equivalent isn’t a straight man and woman sharing a bed. It would be the same as OP’s partner sharing a bed with a male friend who was gay or bisexual. People don’t usually decide on a whim to change their sexual preferences because they’re in the same bed and think “I might as well.”

Mnetcurious · Yesterday 09:21

Nobodycares · Yesterday 08:37

Yep. It's like for like.

Question stands.

It’s not like for like!

Why can’t you see that 1 - a straight man sharing a bed with a straight woman (as you’re suggesting) have compatible sexualities that mean there’s potential for them to be attracted to each other

vs 2 - op’s straight male partner sharing a bed with a gay man (op’s partner would not be attracted to him as he’s straight) or gay woman (the woman would not be attracted as she’s gay). The sexualities are not compatible in these situations.

WyattCallow · Yesterday 09:26

RunsABit · Yesterday 08:24

Don't be so deliberately misleading, the two are different scenarios. It is common for girls to share a bed during sleepovers and this can extend to womanhood where friendships are established and trust exists, whereas I don't know of any situations where friends have said their sons share a bed with a friend during sleepovers. Perhaps this is due to society norms, ingrained perceptions or a lack of understanding but that is not the issue here, the point being that the OP had absolutely no problem with it until her bf objected. That she had no worries shows she was comfortable with it.
I would suggest it is your discomfort and lack of understanding/ experience that is the problem, not the OP's warm and trusting friendship with an old friend.

A long time ago in the UK male homosexuality was illegal. The stigma hung over for many years. I was in the Boy Scouts in my teenage years 50+ years ago and six or so boys slept together in the same tent with no suggestion of sexual impropriety. Boys sleepovers still do happen (?) but it is to me a different scenario. I am old skool!

LiveLuvLaugh · Yesterday 09:36

ThatRatBastard · 26/07/2026 21:54

I'd be calling her to apologise for listening to him, and saying of course we can still share. Then I would tell him that any attraction I had to my friend would have come up in the previous 8 years. It hasn't, it won't, and he needs to relax. Otherwise I'd be seriously thinking about ending it with him for being irrationally jealous and controlling.

Agree

rainbowstardrops · Yesterday 09:39

I think I’d be pretty upset that my boyfriend didn’t trust me. Nothing has happened between you and your friend up to now and even if she did make a move, does he not trust you to shut it down immediately?

VointofPiew · Yesterday 09:43

BustyLaRoux · Yesterday 09:16

Sorry @VointofPiew your arguments seem a bit chaotic to me. Girls can’t make each other pregnant, people are homophobic, sleeping in a bed with a lesbian is the same as sleeping in a bed with a blonde heterosexual man, if a straight man shared a bed with a gay man people would accuse the straight man of being gay….. it’s literally all over the place. To me, and to most people, sharing a bed with a gay person when you yourself aren’t gay, isn’t the same as sharing a bed with someone of the sex you’re attracted to. The boyfriend sounds controlling. The OP has thankfully spotted that.

Why do you think you have to be "gay" to have sex with someone while you are in bed with them?

This has nothing to do with sexuality and everything to do with two adults routinely sharing a bed.

I do think you're new here. I'm relatively new but you seem very out of touch with the general responses to certain topics.

Cattywillow · Yesterday 09:44

He needs to pull his head in. Part of the fun of a girls sleepover is sharing a room. You’re straight so what’s the problem? Unless he thinks you’re secretly not or that your friend is so persuasive/predatory you won’t be safe. Either is ick.

VointofPiew · Yesterday 09:45

Nobodycares · Yesterday 09:01

Yep, it's the same. Her boyfriend doesn't know if she's attracted to her lesbian friend or vice versa.

And I have noted that at absolutely NO point has OP said she's straight, not bi.

And she's repeatedly said her friend has never shown any attraction to her or interest in her sexually

Seems a bit odd that in all her messages OP hasn't said the same about how she feels.

Yes I've noticed that too.

VointofPiew · Yesterday 09:46

Mnetcurious · Yesterday 08:54

The straight male partner sharing a bed with a straight female friend is different because they might be attracted to each other due to their sexuality.

The op, who is a straight woman, sharing a bed with a gay woman will not be attracted to her friend because that’s not her sexuality.

Where did she say she's straight?

notatinydancer · Yesterday 09:49

I see you’re going to apologise to your friend , I hope that goes well and enjoy your trip. Tell your bf to mind his own business.

MajorProcrastination · Yesterday 09:52

I have shared many many many double beds with many different females friends and acquaintances and we've never accidentally fingered each other once. FFS.

Your boyfriend is projecting his lack of trust onto you and dulling your sparkle. Your friend seems deflated because you'll miss out on all that gorgeous sleepover vibe chatting as you fall to snoozing at bed time, and the sitting in bed with a cuppa in the morning flipping through magazines or sharing photos off your phones or just chat chat chatting and catching up.

He's pissed on your parade.

He's assumed your mate's going to try pulling you because she's lesbian which is wild as you've had a long term friendship and that's not what's going on here.

I'm sad for him that he's never experienced the joy of sharing a bed and a bedroom on a weekend away with friends.

My husband has and he's also never accidentally boffed a buddy. FFS.

Dump the boy. Live your life fully.

Mnetcurious · Yesterday 09:53

VointofPiew · Yesterday 09:46

Where did she say she's straight?

The fact that she’s a woman with a male partner would heavily imply that she is 🙄.

(I’m sure if she was bi she would’ve mentioned that as it’s relevant and a more rational reason for her bf to object).

Rightsraptor · Yesterday 09:55

Boyfriend is an idiot.

Men often seem to have problems grasping the fact that women share beds platonically, as you describe. I'd put that down, in part at least, to watching lesbian porn. They're wrong, of course.

It's a shame you told your friend. I don't know how you can resolve that apart from apologise to her. Personally, I'd go ahead with your trip as planned and the Boyfriend will show you even more who he is and you then make a decision about your future.

Rightsraptor · Yesterday 10:03

Nobodycares · Yesterday 06:19

So you'd be fine with him sharing a bed with an attractive heterosexual woman, if he said he felt platonic towards her and they'd never had a romantic relationship?

If the answer is yes, push on.

If OP and boyfriend are heterosexual, which is implied by her posts, wouldn't a more accurate comparison be the boyfriend planning to share a bed platonically with a gay male friend?

Also, I've noticed a trend in recent years for hotels to dispense with twin beds and have a double instead. There are people I'd share a room with but not a bed, so this makes things tricky.

UltimateSloth · Yesterday 10:09

I'd just tell him it was twin beds. My ex husband did actually share a bed with a gay male friend once. It wasn't planned, it was a crashing at a friend's house after a party situation but I didn't think anything of it. My husband was straight, his friends knew he was straight and there was no problem.

YorksMa · Yesterday 10:10

He's projecting his sexual fantasies onto you 😂What a twat he is. I am heterosexual and one of my best friends is a lesbian. We frequently share a room when we travel (although not a bed, tbf). I don't expect her to suddenly lurch at me in the night - that's a man thing.