Otis G: What Do You Call A Lover?

Otis G: Digger refers to his significant other as his “partner”. I work with a lady who was always referring to her “partner”, and I assumed her as being a lesbian. One day I finally talked to her about it, and turns out… she’s lived with the same guy for several years, and they have kids together. She feels the relationship is deep enough that she doesn’t want to call him her boyfriend, but he’s also not her husband. She’s fairly conservative, and was horrified that I thought she was gay… and then was worried about who else might think the same thing. Now she REALLY struggles with how to refer to him.

Question: Otis G brings up a point that I’ve pondered since hearing advice on a radio program in which the host suggested that the S.O. be called a “lover” — no matter what the age. What do you think?