HN guidelines say: Assume good faith. We should apply it to Sheryl here as well.
In Europe several of my acquaintances shared a bed with their professors/superior for various non-sexual reasons. It’s also a cultural thing.
< In Europe...cultural thing.
Go on, which culture is that? Most "cultures" in Europe I know of it would be a breach of many stated and unstated rules and norms (Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Belgium).
definitely not a cultural thing in United States.
Coming from a European, this is definitely not normal.
I would examine why your acquaintances are normalizing such creepy behaviour.