It's not normal. I don't know anybody who actually makes their husband sleep on the couch over something as trivial as who did or did not do the dishes. And if they do, then maybe it's not actually about the dishes.

That's what I mean when I say we don't live in a 50's sitcom. Fights don't happen so that we can cue a laugh track or an "aww" moment when someone apologizes, learning lessons about ourselves once a week. On top of that, it's not really an issue of sexism except for the men who feel self-conscious; nobody calls a man a piece of shit for making his wife sleep on a couch.

What they do say is, "wow that must be a serious fight" or "that's a very unhealthy relationship". If one person is constantly in the doghouse over actual petty shit, then at least one side of that relationship is toxic and the couple probably shouldn't be together.

There's always another layer to relationships, especially longer marriages, and trying to paint chronic fights as petty disagreements is ignoring the real issues that couples need to confront and talk about if they want to maintain a healthy relationship.

I've been living with my wife for over ten years, and not once have we gone to bed angry. That's not to say we haven't had fights, but an ounce of self awareness about one's self and healthy communication does wonders for a relationship.