Boyfriend

I have to be completely honest here, since this is all about discoveries.

I hate the word "boyfriend". I think it is stupid. And all of this has to do with the connotation of the word, and the feeling I get when I hear or say it.

Essentially, the definition of "boyfriend" is: "a frequent or favorite male companion; beau. a male friend. a male lover." This is according to Dictionary.com, which I thoroughly enjoy! (Think of it. a dictionary right at your fingertips!!)

However, whenever I actually hear this word used, it takes me back to my teen-age years in middle and high school, where the word is generally used in this context:

"Yeah...he's my boyfriend"
"Yeah...my boyfriend and me made out" <---I know it ought to be "I" grammatically, but no one says that in the 9th grade.
"OMG! I just stole your boyfriend!"
"My boyfriend is going to come over later"

I dunno, the word, to me, sems very shallow and completely lacking of any real feeling. To me, I get the same feeling as if the girls were to say "boy-toy" instead, almost as if thier relationship was completely shallow and emotionally worthless. I know that I feel like a 12-year-old every time I say "boyfriend."

However, what else am I to call this person? "Friend" is certainly sub-standard, as is "good friend." "Best friend" does not include the same romantic implications. "Partner" makes it sound like I'm gay and "he" is really a "she". "Lover" implies an extramarital relationship with lots of physical activity. Although we are courting, "courtier" is too Renaissance, and probably also too French. "Romantic interest" implies that the feeling are not returned, and that is not the case here. "Super-Awesome-Date-Buddy" implies one of those best-buds-that-also-kiss-a-lot sort of things. "Manfriend" sounds like Mowgli from the Jungle Book.

Some of you reading this may be a little skeptical of this connotational analysis, but I will show you! Here are some normal sentences where "boyfriend" has been replaced by one of the above titles:

"My friend and I are gonna hang out later."

"Yeah, he's my good friend."

"My best friend is so sweet, he brought be flowers for no reason!"
"My Partner is gonna take me to the dance."

"Hey, can I bring my lover as my date to your wedding?"

"My parents are gonna meet my courtier this weekend."

"I love that my romantic interest is willing to help out with the dishes!"

"OMGN! My Super-Awesome-Date-Buddy just proposed!"

"My manfriend and I visited his parents this weekend."

Do you see now that none of these really work? None of these titles, in my opinion, completely and accurately express the depth of feeling I have towards my boyfriend, and this fact is extremely vexing to me! Because, you have the emotions I wish to proclaim, but also our relationship status. We are not married or engaged, but we are in a rather serious dating/courting relationship. We rely on each other for support and in turn bolster each other up. We can talk about anything: from dinosaurs, to the Gospel, to zombie survival tactics, to future plans and dreams we may have. I love him, and I know he loves me. This runs so much deeper than a teenage dating-for-butterflies; this is a real relationship that both of us have so effortlessly invested so much energy into. We both love making the other happy. The title, then, I feel must reflect this: both what we are to society, and what we mean to each other.

So, if any of you ever think of a good title that expresses what I feel as well as our current relationship, please, by all means, let me know!

TTFN,

S