Referring to my boyfriend to people who do not know I am gay

[Valmy]

Except that it is pretty much accepted here that if someone says their partner, they are talking about a same-sex one.  That's actually why my mother doesn't use the term in reference to her boyfriend of 12 years.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had people refer to their 'partner' only to have it be a heterosexual relationship.  But maybe that is just what people do in hippy Austin where they want to avoid gendered titles or whatever.  'A girlfriend?!  HOW OPPRESSIVE!!111'

[Admiral Yi]

Never once heard a straight person refer to their fuck friend as a partner.

[Valmy]

Never once heard a straight person refer to their fuck friend as a partner.

Yeah maybe it is just here.  I get this all the time.  I was recently at a funeral recently where the widow was even referred to as the man's 'partner for over 60 years' keep in mind they had been married most of this time. 

[Martinus]

Never once heard a straight person refer to their fuck friend as a partner.

Do they refer to them as a "fuck friend" then?

[garbon]

Except that it is pretty much accepted here that if someone says their partner, they are talking about a same-sex one.  That's actually why my mother doesn't use the term in reference to her boyfriend of 12 years.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had people refer to their 'partner' only to have it be a heterosexual relationship.  But maybe that is just what people do in hippy Austin where they want to avoid gendered titles or whatever.  'A girlfriend?!  HOW OPPRESSIVE!!111'

I'd say must just be Austin.

[Gups]

Never once heard a straight person refer to their fuck friend as a partner.

I do sometimes, but I think it sounds strange/like I'm a woofter. Wife is just factually inaccurate and girlfriend doesn't seem right for a relationship of nearly 20 years. "The missus" or "other half" is used more often

[merithyn]

Except that it is pretty much accepted here that if someone says their partner, they are talking about a same-sex one.  That's actually why my mother doesn't use the term in reference to her boyfriend of 12 years.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had people refer to their 'partner' only to have it be a heterosexual relationship.  But maybe that is just what people do in hippy Austin where they want to avoid gendered titles or whatever.  'A girlfriend?!  HOW OPPRESSIVE!!111'

Same around here. Usually they're people in long-term, non-marital relationships, though I have occassionally heard married people refer to one another that way, too.

[DGuller]

Never once heard a straight person refer to their fuck friend as a partner.

Do they refer to them as a "fuck friend" then?

Probably not at the funeral.

[sbr]

Introduce them as your Lover.

[Malthus]

Use of the term "partner" can lead to lots of amusing misunderstandings among lawyers. 

[CountDeMoney]

Introduce them as your Lover.

Or Dave.  Or "Wiktor".  Or whatever the fuck the name is.
Let other people figure it out, or come to conclusions on their own.

[CountDeMoney]

"Wiktor", lol.

[Martinus]

Use of the term "partner" can lead to lots of amusing misunderstandings among lawyers. 

One of my partners (male) in my department thinks it is amusing to always introduce another partner (female) from the same department as "this is my partner, XYZ". Hilarity ensues.

Lawyers are easily amused I guess.

[Admiral Yi]

girlfriend doesn't seem right for a relationship of nearly 20 years.

Girlfriend seems the lesser of two evils in that case.  Partner just sounds so clunky and stilted.

[merithyn]

girlfriend doesn't seem right for a relationship of nearly 20 years.

Girlfriend seems the lesser of two evils in that case.  Partner just sounds so clunky and stilted.

I like it.