Partner ?? What Happen to bf/gf ?

[xix]

Mainly I hear women using the word Partner instead of bf.
Does anyone have a answer to this?

Is it because she switches bf constantly or just trying to look sophisticated?
I noticed the same with some men.

 

[Jenesis]

Mainly I hear women using the word Partner instead of bf.
Does anyone have a answer to this?

Is it because she switches bf constantly or just trying to look sophisticated?
I noticed the same with some men.

Or maybe it is just a word????

Or maybe GF/BF sounds really high school and they are living together and having kids but just not married???? Partner would seem More fitting then

Plenty of reasons why that don’t involved the woman being a slut

 

[Oistins]

….it might not even be a bf

 

[Cbr20152012]

All of the above I bet…personally, I appreciated the change. Divorced middle aged guy talking about his GF in a professional setting sounds “ high school” (as noted above).

 

[anon1]

gender neutral

 

[Mr Deeds]

Who cares

 

[Butler1000]

I think living together is the cutoff at this point, with age and perhaps time spent living together a factor.

 

[Joyrection]

If you understand who they are talking about what does it matter?

 

[Hipjdog]

It sounds pretentious to me. Is someone you've been dating for 3 months truly your partner in life? And if
it's been a long time and they really are your partner, just get married.

 

[shack]

I've thinking about those exact different designations a lot the last few days.

I used to see this girl who then became an MPA. For a number of reasons I didn't think it was a good move for her personal welfare. Nothing to do with me.

We still keep in contact and occasionally see each other. She had a boyfriend but then they broke up. She says that things have changed recently in her life as it relates to us. Now she tells me she has a partner. She didn't say boyfriend.

So now I'm thinking another "p" word might have been more appropriate. Does partner really mean pimp? If so, I'm afraid that her future is now fucked. She is very talented/intelligent and was on a couple of scholarships. If she's getting pimped out she no longer is in control of her life. I'm not sure if she's even in school anymore. She has health and mental health issues and could be vulnerable to a predator who knew which buttons to push and exploit her weaknesses.

So yeah, when I saw the title "partner/boyfriend" it hit close to home but in a different way than OP intended.

 

[xix]

@shack thanks for your input did not see that coming. I meant in general love/relationship conversation.

But now you got me wondering about a few women I used to know. Oh well as mention it's life.

@Mr Deeds "who cares" I don't but I like to keep abreast of words been used for old words.
I remember when chatting became a thing on the internet, then the Acronyms started to pop up. I got out of it and Texting came along new Acronyms. Got to stay with current language or else you won't understand people.
I speak two languages, I speak the old slang so when I go visit every 7 years the old country I have no idea half the words / stuff they are saying.

So now I can say "sure I have a partner that I like to see an hour a month. I think that is good enough for me."

 

[ogibowt]

why are employees now called team players?
why has hunger been replaced by food insecurity?
why has homeless been replaced by unhoused?
the sanitization of the English language

 

[csmitting]

Usually partner is used for same sex couples who aren’t married.

 

[Hipjdog]

Usually partner is used for same sex couples who aren’t married.

Not in my experience. People are using it in straight relationships all the time, including
if they've only been together for a short time.

 

[xix]

Not in my experience. People are using it in straight relationships all the time, including
if they've only been together for a short time.

I agree with you. I noticed this too.
Maybe the people are thinking if this doesn't work I will go Bi.

At one time people would say their bf/gf then they switched to their first names in the 90's I think. Once people were swinging partners, starting in 2020 more people are using partner to hide that fact that they are monkey branching 5 people in 3 months. This is common for the Unconnected minded people.

Oh well just keeping up with this planet.

 

[Valcazar]

It moved from being primarily used in queer relationships to more straight ones some time ago.
Some people like it, I know others who find it a bit too flat or boring, but they think "lover" is too pretentious.
Some just don't like boyfriend and girlfriend when they are older, so that's kind of all they have right now if they aren't actually married.

I'm sure some other term will trickle up eventually.

 

[Leimonis]

Mainly I hear women using the word Partner instead of bf.
Does anyone have a answer to this?

Is it because she switches bf constantly or just trying to look sophisticated?
I noticed the same with some men.

Gender is a spectrum!

(I don’t really know what it means but it seems like a good phrase to use whenever someone mentions genders)

 

[massman]

I like the term partner, especially when referring to relationships between more mature adults. It implies a committed relationship which is exactly what it should. BF/ GF sounds immature after one becomes a proper adult.

Now it can sometimes be ambiguous tho, especially if someone is referring to a business partner

 

[rhuarc29]

I use "partner" or "SO" when not referring specifically to one or the other. If I'm not just referring to bf or gf, but both, I'll say "partner" because it's simpler.

 

[opieshuffle]

Anyone remember the days of Miss, Mrs. and "Ms"... the last one barely gets used anymore. But in its time it was a way to break out of the "two options only" world and politely (-ish) say "none of your fucking business". Maybe that's the point. Honestly... for the 10seconds you're thinking about it, does it change your life? Does it change how you feel about that person? Probably not... so...