• Cardigans@lemmy.zip
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    5 days ago

    In general, the norm is boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, etc. I never heard partner until after college and started using it pretty regularly (I mean, it just sounds so much more eloquent. Also anyone can be partners, married or just dating), but I think it’s an easy way for LGBT+ folk to not ‘out’ themselves when talking to inconsequential people.

    • rainwall@piefed.social
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      5 days ago

      but I think it’s an easy way for LGBT+ folk to not ‘out’ themselves when talking to inconsequential people.

      This is why conservatives hate the more general use of “partner.” It became a way to out gay people because it became a common coded term to not out themselves.

      Using the term to not out yourself was a way to out yourself that is being unwound by common usage of “partner” by everyone.