What Are We, Exactly?

Image Source: Pixabay
United States
November 3, 2017 3:14am CST
Next week marks 10 years since my boyfriend and I got together. We have lived together for 9 and a half of those years. We aren't legally married so I don't call him my husband. But we aren't "dating" either, so it seems weird to just refer to him as my "boyfriend." I used to refer to him as my "partner," but people started assuming I was gay when I used that term, as apparently it is more commonly used by the LGBTQ community. In other countries they have terms for people who live together like a married couple but who aren't legally married. Why don't we have something like that in the U.S.? Calling him my "domestic partner" seems too impersonal, while saying "live-in lover" is way too personal, not to mention awkward and embarrassing. I know some people call their partners their husband or wife regardless as to whether they have actually tied the knot or not, but I guess I'm old fashioned and don't feel comfortable calling him my "husband" unless he actually is. So I call him my boyfriend. But then when I complain about his occasional bad behavior, people say insulting things and suggest I should just "date" someone else, like what we have is disposable. Would you tell a married person they should "date" someone better if they complained about their spouse? Would you tell them to just get divorced if their husband was having an off day and they were venting about it? No? Then don't say that sort of thing to me either. I only call him my "boyfriend" because there's simply no other word to call him. He's not really my fiance, as we don't have any marriage plans. He's not my "baby daddy" as we don't have kids together. I suppose I could refer to him as "significant other," but then people assume that we're married, or again, that I'm gay. Just because I call the man that I live with and have spent the last decade with my "boyfriend," doesn't mean we are the same as people who are still casually dating or that our relationship is disposable. Because it's not. I am not going to find someone else to "date" because I am not dating. I am in a committed relationship. And our relationship has outlasted most of the marriages of my peers. Most of the people around my age that I know are divorced or on their second or third marriages. I don't think my relationship is any less than their short-lived marriages just because I don't have that piece of paper. But people sure as hell like to try to make me feel that way, both online and in real life. Frankly I'm sick of it. Whether it's my dad telling me how "disappointed" he is in me because I'm "living in sin," or people not respecting the boundaries of our relationship because "we're not married so technically we're still available," or women smugly informing me the guy who knocked them up a month into their relationship "loves them more than mine obviously loves me" because they popped the question, or people telling me I just need to find "someone better to date" if I happen to complain about something he did, it is all extremely disrespectful and rude. I don't know why people feel free to say these things or act that way towards me, and I wonder if my boyfriend gets half the grief I have to deal with. Have you ever felt like people were trivializing your relationship?
7 people like this
6 responses
@Courtlynn (67089)
• United States
3 Nov 17
Oh girl, I get this as my relationship was/is the same. We arent married, but weve been together 7.5 years. Though he did propose.. but neither want to get married, it was just a reinsurance thing that neither of us are going anywhere. Thats the most we want, right now, besides kids. One of my childhood bestfriends has been with her bf for 10 or 11 years, but they arent married either. And thats with 4 kids. Significant other or boyfriend (when not engaged) is probably the right term. But its up to you what he is
2 people like this
• United States
4 Nov 17
My boyfriend proposed (many years ago) too, but we have never had actual plans to get married. We looked into it once for a bit, but stuff came up and it never happened. Now it's just such a huge issue of stress for both of us that we don't really even discuss it. Life is easier that way. I don't think people need to get married to prove their love for each other. Staying together is enough. The only time marriage is a benefit is if a spouse would get health insurance coverage or social security benefits or some other legal benefit/protection from the other person. Or if you were planning on adopting a kid together or something. Otherwise it's kind of a religious ritual and if you're not religious, what's the point? I guess I'll just stick with boyfriend, even though I hate that it makes people think we are the same as people who are still dating. But then I know people who automatically label their romantic interest as "husband" or "wife" after only one date, so sometimes labels are meaningless.
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67089)
• United States
4 Nov 17
@Srbageldog well, if he did propose.. then technicalky you are engaged / fiances. So he isnt just your boyfriend. You dont have to get married to be engaged.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 17
@Courtlynn Yes, this is true. I just hate the term "fiance." Sounds too fancy.
• United States
3 Nov 17
I hated the saying "boyfriend",because I was with a man and not a boy. LOL. So I called him my better half. Was easier to say that than partner in crime. LOL.
2 people like this
• United States
3 Nov 17
I like that, "better half." Maybe I should start using that one. I am always trying to think of an appropriate term to call him, but nothing ever seems quite right. Sometimes he refers to me as his wife, but I just feel weird calling him my husband when he's not.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 17
@Srbageldog I remember when my husband would introduce me as his wife before we were even engaged. I told him to stop calling me that until I actually had the title. He just introduced me by my name after that.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Nov 17
@ElusiveButterfly Some people use those titles so loosely. I am not like that. I don't want to be referred to by that title unless I actually have it.
1 person likes this
@Ithink (10106)
• United States
7 Nov 17
Awww don't let it bother you, you obviously are happy with what you have and that is all that matters. I get comments as we were so young when we got married, like ohhh well that had to have been fast, blah blah blah. I'm happy and that is what matters. Yes like you I need to let off steam at times but it doesn't mean I'm running out for a divorce. Live your life and enjoy!
1 person likes this
@Ithink (10106)
• United States
7 Nov 17
@Srbageldog Exactly our lives, we live them and no one else has say!
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Nov 17
Thank you for this comment! I'm sorry you also get comments like that. I wish people would just keep their busybody remarks to themselves sometimes. You're right, all that matters is that you're happy. Nobody else gets to dictate how we live our lives!
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22245)
• United States
3 Nov 17
Yeah. I have been "dating" my guy for over 20 years now. We got engaged back in 2005. We are in long distance relationship. People keep telling I should either dump him, get married, or something. I'm sick of people telling what I should do.
2 people like this
• United States
4 Nov 17
Congrats for staying together so long! I am so sorry people are so disrespectful and rude to you by saying those things. I hear the same things all the time, too, or people constantly saying "you deserve better, you should just leave him and find someone else." It's nobody else's business how we choose to live our lives. I have been told by other women that they would break up with any guy who doesn't marry them within a certain time frame. I guess love has nothing to do with whether they stay together. I think many women are in love with the idea of a wedding, not a marriage or a long-term relationship.
1 person likes this
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
3 Nov 17
No it is harder for woman, men say my old lady, or at least that is how I hear them refer to a live in, or main squeeze. I like main squeeze better . I feel like you do its only a piece of paper and I know many that never married but lived together their entire lives, 50 years! I have had the live together relationships before and I never said "boyfriend" I just called him by name, or online a made up name., when I introduced him I said " this is __." Do not let people upset you, 99% of the time they are alone.
1 person likes this
• United States
3 Nov 17
My boyfriend (I really am starting to hate that word!) says he never has any problem with people giving him a hard time over our relationship. So I guess it's just me! Even his relatives occasionally will bug me about when we're going to get married. You're right, it's only a piece of paper, but I know people who have not been with their guy very long who act like their relationship is somehow "more" because they're getting married. To me it's meaningless if they've already been married two or three times before already... What makes this one any different? Women tend to be the most judgmental, guys usually don't care -- unless they're my stupid uncle Dan wandering up to me in the store out of the blue and expressing his concern that I'm not married yet. Maybe I should do like you and just call the boyfriend by name... Which is what I do in real life, unless I'm talking to someone I don't know very well. It's just online that I really don't know what to call him, as I don't want to give away his identity. I guess I could just make up a name for him. I realize it's pointless to get upset over peoples behavior, but it does get annoying after a while. I have spent the last 10 years feeling like I've had to defend or justify my relationship, as well as the reason why I'm not popping out babies. Which is also nobody's business, but they sure do love to give me a hard time over it.
@responsiveme (22923)
• India
4 Nov 17
You both know what is best for you. Don't let others bother you...Though I guess because you are facing it ,it's easy for me to say. But deep down I believe what you two share is yours alone... Take care and keep it the way you two want it.Best wishes
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Nov 17
Thank you for those kind words.
1 person likes this