What exactly does the word girlfriend mean to you? As in, how close would you have to be with someone before you started considering them your girlfriend, what are some of the key differences between a girlfriend and other types of relationships? (F buddies, friends, lovers, partners, beloveds, etc.)
Your categories for relationships?
Anything tangentially related welcome as well.
I ask because of a conversation I had earlier, at this point yesterday, and it made me really think about it. I never had before, it had just always been whoever I had an agreement to use that label with and agreeing to use that label usually just meant I wanted to make out with them. It also carried a requirement for fidelity* and honesty to my mind.
I still feel that the most important part is agreeing to use that label for your relationship and now also having a long discussion about what exactly it means to everyone involved.
*I define fidelity as faithfulness to the stated or implied agreements of the relationship, which may not always be monoamory.