When did people start calling their boyfriend/girlfriend their partner?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for this OP. I have also noticed the growing use of the word partner, and I despise it so much that I actually spent time once doing some internet research on where it came from. I don't take people who use the word "partner" seriously in the slightest.

It's a grotesque word, symbolic of a modern soulless, sterile worldview in which men and women are interchangeable and indistinguishable, and aspire to transactional "partnerships" instead of loving marriages.

Things have reached the point where, when a woman uses the term "boyfriend", it's a green flag that she has a healthy view on male-female relationship dynamics.

I think it's absurd after your teens to refer to a long term romantic interest as a boy-or-girlfriend. It makes you sound like a child. Even married people are partners in their marriage and life, so there is nothing clinical and soulless about having a partner. In many languages, it is actually "life partner", but it sounds stilted in English, so partner it is.

Maybe you should grow up and open your mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you're north of 30, talking about your "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" just sounds immature.

Bingo

Who cares? It's pretty direct, whereas partner isn't as clear. I like saying boyfriend, regardless of the fact that I'm well north of 30. And I like being a girlfriend. YMMV.

Partner is very clear, and the gender of the partner really doesn't matter. Maybe you're just a little girl who likes that image?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for this OP. I have also noticed the growing use of the word partner, and I despise it so much that I actually spent time once doing some internet research on where it came from. I don't take people who use the word "partner" seriously in the slightest.

It's a grotesque word, symbolic of a modern soulless, sterile worldview in which men and women are interchangeable and indistinguishable, and aspire to transactional "partnerships" instead of loving marriages.

Things have reached the point where, when a woman uses the term "boyfriend", it's a green flag that she has a healthy view on male-female relationship dynamics.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm married and sometimes I will say husband but most of the time I say partner. Its a common phrase in other countries.

Definition for partner is "either member of a married couple or of an established unmarried couple".

But people love labels, they need people wrapped up in boxes all labelled up. Meh I don't say it to be woke or PC, to me its just a phrase but being married also doesn't mean commitment to me. Look at all the divorces that happen, so I guess commitment to me means being a partner in life which is probably more why I say partner.

Well said. Thank you for a concise, on target response.

+1

I enjoyed reading your thoughtful response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm married and sometimes I will say husband but most of the time I say partner. Its a common phrase in other countries.

Definition for partner is "either member of a married couple or of an established unmarried couple".

But people love labels, they need people wrapped up in boxes all labelled up. Meh I don't say it to be woke or PC, to me its just a phrase but being married also doesn't mean commitment to me. Look at all the divorces that happen, so I guess commitment to me means being a partner in life which is probably more why I say partner.

Well said. Thank you for a concise, on target response.

+1

I enjoyed reading your thoughtful response.

To me partner is ambiguous but depending on context may mean something more committed that a boyfriend/girlfriend, which are like casual partners. When partner is used by a married couple, it is like saying they are just meeting the minimum of being together. Spouse encompasses more than being a partner, and has a more robust meaning. Unfortunately, many people don’t take marriage seriously and may as well have remained just partners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a woman who uses "husband" (and previously "boyfriend") in her life, but will refer to her "partner" on social media. I'm not really sure why she does this, but I think it might be because she thinks it conveys "wokeness", like posting a black square on Instagram to support #BLM.

What's funny is that I am a bisexual woman of color and it mostly just annoys me (as do the black squares). Just call him your husband, girl! We all know you're square AF, it's fine. Donate some money to an LGBTQ+ cause, vote correct, and stop posturing.

I think that global use of the term "partner" could normalize describing the significance of a relationship, without automatically making the gender identity of one's partner relevant. I appreciate this. Harmless at worst, and doesn't get in the way of voting or donating. If someone wants to feel "woke" about doing something that makes things easier for me, so be it. Why be annoyed by people who feel good about visibly support something positive. Leave it for those who visibly do nothing at all or worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a woman who uses "husband" (and previously "boyfriend") in her life, but will refer to her "partner" on social media. I'm not really sure why she does this, but I think it might be because she thinks it conveys "wokeness", like posting a black square on Instagram to support #BLM.

What's funny is that I am a bisexual woman of color and it mostly just annoys me (as do the black squares). Just call him your husband, girl! We all know you're square AF, it's fine. Donate some money to an LGBTQ+ cause, vote correct, and stop posturing.

I think that global use of the term "partner" could normalize describing the significance of a relationship, without automatically making the gender identity of one's partner relevant. I appreciate this. Harmless at worst, and doesn't get in the way of voting or donating. If someone wants to feel "woke" about doing something that makes things easier for me, so be it. Why be annoyed by people who feel good about visibly support something positive. Leave it for those who visibly do nothing at all or worse.

I use partner unless the gender of my partner or the legal status of our relationship is material. The fact that people get upset about you avoiding talking about the legal status of your relationship and the gender of your partner highlights why it is important for people to try and normalize more neutral language.