Random rant because it’s Valentine’s Day.

I hate the word “partner” when it’s used to describe a romantic relationship. Absolutely hate it. I get the need for a word that’s gender-neutral and marital status-neutral, but for that, “significant other” works perfectly well, or “s.o.” if you think “significant other” is too long. But “partner” just sounds so unromantic to me. The kid you get stuck doing a project with in middle school is your partner. The person you play doubles tennis with is your partner. The person you open a business with is your partner. And you’re going to use the same word for the love of your life? Maybe it’s because of that first example, but when I think “partner,” I never think “equal partner.” I think of one person giving a lot more than the other person. So…yeah. I really wish people would stop with “partner.”