Why Rose Leslie is Being Unfairly Shamed After Kit Harington Enters Rehab

It was first reported late last month that Kit Harington had checked himself into a wellness rehab in Connecticut, as his rep said it's for him to "utilise this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time… to work on some personal issues." Soon after, Harington's wife, Rose Leslie, went to the All Points East music festival in London with friend/actress Carrie Mulligan.

While fans were generally supportive of Harington's decision to take some time to work on personal issues, people have had very different reactions to Leslie taking a day to relax with a friend, according to Stylist. On Twitter, people have said that Leslie is "the reason" Harington is in rehab, after photos were released of the actress at the festival. Another wrote, "supportive wife my ASS." And a third said, "She's enjoying what he's going through, disgusting."

The reaction to Leslie's attendance at the festival shows a deep-rooted misunderstanding about the role of partners when one is seeking help. The negative buzz speaks to an outdated expectation that the actress should hide at home--implying some kind of shame about Harington's time in rehab--or that she should be physically at his side. This latter expectation, that Leslie hover around Harington or put on a performance of misery, is a dangerous request for codependency, which means at its most basic level, "excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, typically one who requires support on account of an illness or addiction."

Leslie does not have to shut down her entire life to show that she's supportive of her husband. The fact that she's taking a break to have a good time is actually a healthy and positive sign. Self-care looks different for everyone and while Harington is taking some time at a wellness center, self-care for Leslie may very well be a day out with a friend.

Some fans on Twitter are also calling out the misogyny behind these negative reactions towards Leslie.

They have a point. Have we romanticized the image of the wife who loses herself because of something her husband is going through? It certainly seems so, based on all of the shame targeted towards Leslie. Instead, imagine how amazing it would be if we celebrated her decision to look after herself and backed off because we know nothing about their actual relationship. How a couple works on their issues, both separately and together, is so none of our business.

[h/t: Stylist]