Discussion: Why are gay couples reffered to as 'partners' ?? - Page 5

Benjamin

Boyfriend and Girlfriend sound so childish to me, I'd much rather refer to my partner as, well, my partner.

As already said, partner is such a common term over here that I didn't even realise it was an issue anywhere in the world until I read this. I use it all the time to be gender neutral, especially when I don't know the sexuality of the person I'm talking to.

seanttz

Quote:

Originally posted by psychodj

I don't use partner.

I use boyfriend, spouse, husband, and almost any other word but not partner. It just seems weird to me personally.

I can see it's universal, and I don't knock people who use it. I've honestly never heard anyone around me say "partner". It was always:

"Yeah, that's my husband/wife"
"Yeah, that's bae."
"He's my boyfriend/girlfriend."

I've legit never heard the word "partner" be used when describing a relationship; only used when referring to business partners and things relating to that.

For real? I grew up hearing it. I mean for example

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...lay-floor.html

Shinning

Ugh I HATE that.

Faruhs

The word "partner" makes me cringe. I would never want to be called like that or use that word AT ALL.
Your dog is your partner. You have a business partner, etc. But for relationships, no. For relationships a partner would be someone who's helping you out with your life, which is retarded, because it's life sharing, not helping out live it out.

Besides, gay relationships have been referred to "partners", because they could not legally be married, so they've never been husbands to start with.

DrownedWorld

In my experience because straight people feel uncomfortable referring to gay people as bf/bf or husband/husband.

I absolutely hate when people say partner

it sounds so awkward and dancing around the subject. Why not just say bf or husband like everybody else?

Jameson Teqkilla

To me a romantic partner is someone you're sharing your entire life with. A partner to come home to and depend on.

Vespertine

"Partner" just seems like a term to make the straight people around you feel comfortable. But I really could care less if straight people are comfortable around me, so...

You guys have really heard straight people use it for their husbands/wives too? I never have

bleuwaffle

Partner sounds stupid. I'd use boyfriend/husband.

James Maslow

I've heard straight people saying that too

Goosey

Most people don't accept gay marriage so they are probably trying to avoid offending Christians and other traditionalists.

Drais.

Partner/Spouse is pretty common around here for all couples.

Jay Fenty

Quote:

Originally posted by Eternium

This is one of those things I always get mad about. Partnerships have a connotation of shared business benefits, not mutualism in love. It's so dehumanizing to automatically label my boyfriend as my "partner" just because we're historically atypical.
The difference is that straight people get to choose which term to use whereas gay people get the term "partner" automatically labeled to them. It's dehumanizing because it covers up the gender, sex and sexuality of your lover, mostly for the sake of hiding gay relationships. It doesn't matter how many straight hipsters want to try and use it to look PC and cute, it's still incredibly offensive.

you hit it right on the head, thank you

Eric.

I wondered this recently. I've seen it used mostly on adult same-sex couples (that have generally been together for a long time without being able to get married), young people don't really use it.

I don't really have a huge problem with the word, but I wouldn't use it myself to refer to anybody I'm in relationship with.

Aurora

Whoa at this becoming a huge mess. Why can't people just share their opinions without always trying to tear down someone else's?

I am personally not for the term "partner". For me, a partner describes a relationship that is not on the same level as a relationship based on love. That is just my personal connotation of the word. I see a business partner, a school project partner etc. not a partner in life.

Boyfriend, girlfriend, husband and wife are more definitive and express the intensity of a relationship, I feel. If I want to be in a relationship with a women, I will call her my girlfriend, or wife if it progresses to that stage. The same for a man. The idea that calling your male lover your "husband" insinuates that you're his "wife" is abhorrent to me. There is no reason why a relationship can't be husband/husband or wife/wife.

I personally have never seen or heard straight couples use this term "partner" as the main descriptor for their relationship. Perhaps in passing. But as others have said, it's generally man and wife, husband and wife etc. not partner and partner or partners. That's definitely more something associated with the LGBT community in order to not emphasise on the fact that they have a same-sex of different-sex partner that isn't straight.

Jay Fenty

Quote:

Originally posted by Sam Jay

Whoa at this becoming a huge mess. Why can't people just share their opinions without always trying to tear down someone else's?

I am personally not for the term "partner". For me, a partner describes a relationship that is not on the same level as a relationship based on love. That is just my personal connotation of the word. I see a business partner, a school project partner etc. not a partner in life.

Boyfriend, girlfriend, husband and wife are more definitive and express the intensity of a relationship, I feel. If I want to be in a relationship with a women, I will call her my girlfriend, or wife if it progresses to that stage. The same for a man. The idea that calling your male lover your "husband" insinuates that you're his "wife" is abhorrent to me. There is no reason why a relationship can't be husband/husband or wife/wife.

I personally have never seen or heard straight couples use this term "partner" as the main descriptor for their relationship. Perhaps in passing. But as others have said, it's generally man and wife, husband and wife etc. not partner and partner or partners. That's definitely more something associated with the LGBT community in order to not emphasise on the fact that they have a same-sex of different-sex partner that isn't straight.

drag, slay, do it all for a post like this