I'm tired hearing couples refer to each other as "partners"

[FlexpertHamilton]

This fad of calling someone a partner might seem trivial, but I actually find it a bit disturbing. You see it most in communities like Reddit which we all know is full of simps and feminists, but also seems increasingly common from the left or from wealthier demographics in the 30+ range.

Calling someone a "partner" is laughable and almost insulting. The first thing that comes to mind when I hear "partner" is business associate. And this is how many modern relationships appear to me: transactional, incidental, passionless, insincere. What's worse, if a woman refers to her man as a 'partner', it basically implies she wears the pants.

I think there are two main reasons for this trend:

1) Women want to be "equal" to men, and calling them a partner brings them down (in some contexts, it could actually be demeaning or disrespectful)
2) The left is trying to change our language to be more "inclusive" and 'partner' is a gender neutral, inoffensive, and bland word that perfectly encapsulates their agenda
3) People think using the term "boyfriend/girlfriend" is too juveline for them, and partner is being used to convey a sense of maturity, which itself implies the relationship is transactional, passionless, and the frame is controlled by the woman

I'd sooner use the term "lover" over partner; while the former may sound a bit corny, it at least indicates sexual/romantic interest and passion. I see nothing wrong with couples even in their 50s using boyfriend or girlfriend, the term is endearing, and only seems weird because it's rare for couples in their 50s or older to not be married. Alternatively, I think another term that works quite well is saying "my girl/lady " or "my man".

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[BaronOfHair]

"Partner" is still less stomach churning than "My Person". THAT was enough to ruin this otherwise scrumptious sequence between Zayas and Mandi here

Nude Jacqueline Toboni, Arienne Mandi - The L Word Generation Q s01e04 (2019)

sex videos. Nude scenes, naked atcress. Explicit and censored sex videos.

heroero.com

 

[AmsterdamAssassin]

What are your thoughts on this?

I prefer private endearments, mostly feline based.

 

[Scaramouche]

Hi Flexpert,
The word Partner to describe romantic relationships has been current in this Country since the Eighties,its not new....I guess being gender neutral it suits the "woke"crowd LOL.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

 

[Bokanovsky]

I'd sooner use the term "lover" over partner; while the former may sound a bit corny, it at least indicates sexual/romantic interest and passion. I see nothing wrong with couples even in their 50s using boyfriend or girlfriend, the term is endearing, and only seems weird because it's rare for couples in their 50s or older to not be married. Alternatively, I think another term that works quite well is saying "my girl/lady " or "my man".

The problem with "lover" (aside from the fact that it's also gender-neutral) is that it can also refer to someone you're having an affair with, whereas the term "partner" excludes that meaning. I don't like "partner" either (it sounds too business-like) but I think it's popularity is largely due to the fact that it's fairly unambiguous. The only other term I can think of that conveys the same meaning is "significant other". But that really isn't any better!

 

[Bokanovsky]

Hi Flexpert,
The word Partner to describe romantic relationships has been current in this Country since the Eighties,its not new....I guess being gender neutral it suits the "woke"crowd LOL.

When I imagine 1980's Australia, I think of this guy. Somehow I can't envision him referring to his woman as a "partner"

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

Hi Flexpert,
The word Partner to describe romantic relationships has been current in this Country since the Eighties,its not new....I guess being gender neutral it suits the "woke"crowd LOL.

Sure, but it seems increasingly common now.

The problem with "lover" (aside from the fact that it's also gender-neutral) is that it can also refer to someone you're having an affair with, whereas the term "partner" excludes that meaning. I don't like "partner" either (it sounds too business-like) but I think it's popularity is largely due to the fact that it's fairly unambiguous. The only other term I can think of that conveys the same meaning is "significant other". But that really isn't any better!

The best term imo is to refer to them as "my lady" or "my man". Might be a bit ambiguous, but unless you're referring to them in 3rd person when they're not around, it should be pretty obvious what it means... You could also just say "the man/woman i'm dating", longer, but still way better than partner sense it is ambiguous enough to not force a label/intrepretation of what type of relationship it is, unlike partner which seems to convey a self-aggrandizing sense of smugness ("look how mature I am, I don't have a boyfriend, i have a partner")

I would still sooner use boyfriend or girlfriend though I don't see anything immature about it and it's much more endearing. Reddit types do also use SO as well but this is cringe too because it's trying to imply maturity and also seems to convery a certain sense of codependancy.

 

[Giovanni SouthSide]

I guess the whole "partner" thing origins in that god forsaken endeavor to make everyone "equal" and degrade masculine men from the leaders of households to "equal partners" with their women. If you break up the traditional roles of man and woman, you end up as "partners".

Never be "partners" with your woman.

To me “partner" and "partnership" are business concepts

“Partner" implies a passionless, transactional, unnatural, "equal" business relationship... exactly the sort of term a feminist or career-empowered woman would use to refer to her beta boyfriend/husband; meanwhile she would refer to the Sancho she's fvcking on the side as her lover.

A faithful feminine woman who knows her place in the food chain, that respects your masculine nature and gives you full ownership of her fruits refers to you as “my man”.

 

[SW15]

It's a bad trend. In 2023, I asked out some Gen Z female on a date. She claimed she had "a partner" but was willing to get together with me as a friend. I declined due to the fact that I was attracted to her and I know my value.

It's way better to use the term boyfriend/girlfriend. I also agree with the term 'lover' over 'partner'.

 

[AmsterdamAssassin]

Never be "partners" with your woman.
To me “partner" and "partnership" are business concepts

So, you shouldn't have a business together with your spouse?

 

[BaronOfHair]

So, you shouldn't have a business together with your spouse?

If a fella goes by the name Bubba The Love Sponge, he and his woman can easily make waves as DIY porn producers

 

[Epicenter]

I found the German version of this word quite funny:

Life stage partner

 

[oOh Nasty]

Anytime language norms are changed in order to not "offend" someone, it pisses me off. I always notice when guys are hanging around and say things like "how many people have you slept with?" rather than "how many girls have you ****ed?"

Language is becoming weak. I've never been one to talk like a sailor but I find that I recently have become more brazen in my speech as a response to this new snowflake culture and always having to filter what you say.

 

[FlexpertHamilton]

So, you shouldn't have a business together with your spouse?

Actually, no, I think that's a horrible idea. You live AND work together? That's a recipe for disaster, people need time apart.

 

[Bokanovsky]

Actually, no, I think that's a horrible idea. You live AND work together? That's a recipe for disaster, people need time apart.

I disagree. From what I've seen, couples that work together are usually success stories. In fact, it's a totally natural thing. For thousands of years, our ancestors were farmers (i.e. men and women worked together on a farm).

 

[AmsterdamAssassin]

I disagree. From what I've seen, couples that work together are usually success stories. In fact, it's a totally natural thing. For thousands of years, our ancestors were farmers (i.e. men and women worked together on a farm).

@FlexpertHamilton is more the hunter-gatherer type, where he goes hunting mammoths while the women stay back at the cave gathering vegetables and herbs.

 

[pipeman84]

I disagree. From what I've seen, couples that work together are usually success stories. In fact, it's a totally natural thing. For thousands of years, our ancestors were farmers (i.e. men and women worked together on a farm).

A couple of points: 1. I think it depends on what working together entails ... is he a dentist and she's his dental nurse? Or does she have some other role in the business (accounting, marketing etc) where they don't spend all/most of the working day together? I think the second case would be a success story.
2. Couples that were formed out of the primal needs to reproduce and survive (such as the men and women working on a farm 300yrs ago) are not at all representative for modern day couples.

 

[BaronOfHair]

Language is becoming weak. I've never been one to talk like a sailor but I find that I recently have become more brazen in my speech as a response to this new snowflake culture and always having to filter what you say.

Yep. This isn't an entirely new phenomena per se

Nonetheless, s-it has gotten way out of hand, from late '16-present. It ain't even confined to The Woke Left anymore either

https://www.cato.org/multimedia/media-highlights-tv/alex-nowrasteh-discusses-patriotic-correctness-colorado-public

 

[BeExcellent]

I'm married. I say husband or spouse, but marriage is also a partnership. So if someone on occassion uses that term who cares?

It does bug me that my 19 yo daughter calls her boyfriend of 3.5 years "my partner" and she subscribes to much of the woke nonsense.

So I get it. She also tends to be the bossy one, but he is putting his foot down more than in the past. That seems to be fine with her. She's the one who is going through the wierd haircolor tatoo phase (Ugh), so not even the old lady has got everyone lined up going the direction I'd prefer. She's been in a stable LTR for a long time but FFS she has drunk the woke Kool Aid.