I believe I have made reference in the past to my father's partner, Murray.
Now don't go all 2004 on me. Murray was my father's business partner for 45 years or so. That's how they always referred to each other: my partner, Murray. My partner, Jack. This is -- or was -- the word for their relationship to each other.
Now, of course, it means a whole other thing.
My Chum at work was for many years my co-advisor to the Junior Class. Naturally, I referred to her as "my partner". As in, I'd be looking for her down by her classroom so we could go out for a smoke before school, and she wasn't there, so I'd say to the teacher in the next room "Seen my partner anywhere?"
Now, of course ....
Curious how the English language does love to change. Saying now that Chum is my parter, or that Murray was Jack's partner, sounds a little bit off. I'm reminded of a woman I was semi-friendly with when the kids were little; K and her daughter were friends. Her son was a year older than R. So they were little kids, second and third grade, and she'd refer to her son's friends as his "boyfriends." The way you might say our little girls were "girlfriends." But it was already not the same thing. Each time I heard her refer to one of her son's boyfriends, it sounded not quite right. Just not using the word to mean what it really means.
What does partner mean anymore? The answer is, it means more than it used to, and in some cases, something altogether different.
I've been watching the Queer Eye marathon all day in lieu of the dreaded football game to come, and I keep seeing ads for the Gay Wedding Special tonight. Just thinking.
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I'm watching Queer Eye
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