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Old 09-20-2015, 07:40 PM
 
Location: NoVa
18,432 posts, read 34,260,287 times
Reputation: 19814

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A friend of mine married her male partner very recently. Before that when she referred to him as her partner I had no idea what she was talking about. I am so literal, I was thinking he was some kind of business partner.

Now they are married. Man and wife. I do not know if they call each other partner still, or spouse, or husband and wife

It seems strange to me but not so strange that I get bent out of shape over it. I do wonder why.
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Old 09-20-2015, 07:47 PM
 
6,304 posts, read 8,984,016 times
Reputation: 8149
My prior partner was 25 years my senior. Calling him my "boyfriend" just didn't work. He was my fiance for a short while, but up until then, he was my partner on the rare occasion that I referred to him other than by his first name.

When he passed away, I was referred to as his "life partner" in his obit. Since he had an androgynous first name, I found it humorous that those who did not know us would assume that we were a lesbian couple. In the grand scheme of things, how I refer to my mate is not something that worries me too much. I call my current mate my partner- mostly this comes up on forums like this one. IMO, it works best to describe our relationship, and if others have an issue with it, I'll just keep chuckling.
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Old 09-20-2015, 07:58 PM
 
8,867 posts, read 6,177,508 times
Reputation: 12128
Quote:
Originally Posted by George Bosche View Post
When people say "my partner" I find it very irritating. It's like they're saying "it could be someone of the opposite or the same sex, but I'm not going to say because it shouldn't matter" (by the way, when someone says that something shouldn't be or shouldn't matter, you're dealing with a PC wacko). It's pathetic. If it doesn't matter, then say it. Stop hiding behind a stupid word.

And when men do it, it makes me want to headbutt them. Stop it! Say "my girlfriend" or "my wife". She's a woman, not some vague, anonymous something. Be a man, not a PC dweeb. The word partner implies two people who are 100% equal and alike, like twins or something. You're not twins, one of you is a man, and the other one is a woman. And if you're a gay or a lesbian, then just say what it is instead of hiding it.

Aside from that, it just sounds like such an effeminine, pansy word. My partner. Ugh.

Am I the only one who sees it?
I am curious have you ever worked in the business world? Partner is not an effeminate word. It has signified a type of business that has been around for centuries normally called a partnership. Your disdain for the word as it pertains to romantic relationships borders on the bizarre. Personally I like have multiple ways of describing a relationship.
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:11 PM
 
8,867 posts, read 6,177,508 times
Reputation: 12128
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawaiiancoconut View Post
I've never heard anyone call their SO my 'partner' IRL, only on the anonymous internet.
I have heard "partner-in-crime" used in real life as well as "my other half."
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Old 09-20-2015, 08:20 PM
 
Location: Punta Gorda, FL
773 posts, read 781,264 times
Reputation: 981
Quote:
Originally Posted by George Bosche View Post
When people say "my partner" I find it very irritating.

Aside from that, it just sounds like such an effeminine, pansy word. My partner. Ugh.
My partner thinks we should fire our secretary. I told him it's hard to find a secretary who knows her way around a law office like she does. I know he's my partner and all but we can't afford to lose her. Our clients love her.

After what you wrote George, I fear I might be effeminine. So what should I call my law partner, er, uh, I mean, the lawyer with whom I share a law practice? Ugh?
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Old 09-20-2015, 10:11 PM
 
Location: Columbus, Ohio
1,781 posts, read 2,673,749 times
Reputation: 7071
Exclamation There Seems To Be A Plague On Here, Lately...

Quote:
Originally Posted by George Bosche View Post
When people say "my partner" I find it very irritating. It's like they're saying "it could be someone of the opposite or the same sex, but I'm not going to say because it shouldn't matter" (by the way, when someone says that something shouldn't be or shouldn't matter, you're dealing with a PC wacko). It's pathetic. If it doesn't matter, then say it. Stop hiding behind a stupid word.

And when men do it, it makes me want to headbutt them. Stop it! Say "my girlfriend" or "my wife". She's a woman, not some vague, anonymous something. Be a man, not a PC dweeb. The word partner implies two people who are 100% equal and alike, like twins or something. You're not twins, one of you is a man, and the other one is a woman. And if you're a gay or a lesbian, then just say what it is instead of hiding it.

Aside from that, it just sounds like such an effeminine, pansy word. My partner. Ugh.

Am I the only one who sees it?
Of wanna-be tough guys who can't get it up unless they're attacking someone else's manhood

I've got news for you... I am a man, 24-7-365, and I will call my wife my partner, my love, my whatever-the-bleep I dang well please, and what's more, I didn't get a copy of any documents stating that you are in a position of authority over what verbiage comes out of people's mouths

Let me speak on two other points here:

1) If you want to be some knuckle-dragging, loud-mouthed, caricature of what you think a man should be, then by all means, knock yourself out...but don't expect people to quake in fear because the best you can do is call someone a 'PC dweeb'...as if

2) I'm applying right now for an event license, so I can sell tickets and popcorn and selfie sticks the day you actually DO try to headbutt another guy over his choice of words, so folks can take pictures of you after you get rendered unconscious ...speaking of words, if you're gonna use a word in context, spell it right---it's 'effeminate' not 'effeminine', and no matter HOW you spell it, your opinion of people's use of a word holds about as much weight as a roll of wet toilet paper

Find something else to do with your time besides wasting bandwidth on an internet chat forum, working yourself into a lather because you don't think 'partner' is a 'manly' word...aren't there any schoolchildren nearby you can shake down for their lunch money? Ugh...
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Old 09-20-2015, 10:15 PM
 
Location: So Cal
51,952 posts, read 52,370,290 times
Reputation: 52445
OP has got some serious first world problems.......
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Old 09-20-2015, 10:22 PM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,734,577 times
Reputation: 41862
I find it confusing and odd too to say "partner." You are never sure if they are gay or straight. My ex GF once introduced me as her "significant other" and I thought that was downright goofy ! I simply prefer the old terms of BF or GF, regardless of the person's age.

Don
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Old 09-20-2015, 10:30 PM
 
507 posts, read 441,249 times
Reputation: 1154
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chowhound View Post
OP has got some serious first world problems.......
My thoughts exactly. What a thing to be peevish about.
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Old 09-21-2015, 12:47 AM
 
Location: Illinois
4,751 posts, read 5,415,409 times
Reputation: 12999
Quote:
Originally Posted by don1945 View Post
I find it confusing and odd too to say "partner." You are never sure if they are gay or straight. My ex GF once introduced me as her "significant other" and I thought that was downright goofy ! I simply prefer the old terms of BF or GF, regardless of the person's age.

Don
I don't date boys, and I am not a girl, so at my age it would be ridiculous to call a partner of several years a "boyfriend."
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