Emma Watson famously referred to herself as “self-partnered” in 2019, which sparked rumors and interest over whether or not she was in a relationship. Disney is credited.
Emma Watson is not the only well-known person who is changing the definition of relationships. Gwyneth Paltrow used the phrase “conscious uncoupling” in 2014 to characterize her split from musician Chris Martin.
What, then, is behind this tendency of redefining terminology related to relationships? According to Florida therapist Travis McNulty, who spoke to NBC.
“There’s a big shift in renaming the terms of relationships” since younger generations are placing a greater value on uniqueness than on conventional relationship norms.
These changes reframe being single or divorced as empowered situations, challenging the traditional labels attached to these conditions.
The psychological connotations and narratives surrounding the terms “single” and “getting a divorce” are challenged when Emma Watson and Gwyneth Paltrow come out and use terms like “self-partnered” and “conscious uncoupling,” according to McNulty.
