Our Definition
a person with whom one has the intent of a long-lasted and intertwined committed relationship. Often, but not always, the relationship is sexual and/or romantic in nature. A life partner need not necessarily be a spouse, though most often a spouse is a life partner.
Common Practices & Experiences
Everyone is different! You'll see this repeated throughout our website and glossary. Common practices and experiences for life partners include, but certainly aren't limited to:
- A high degree of commitment to being together for the future.
- Making plans together such as a 5 year plan towards your shared goal of buying a ranch in Montana.
- Making reproductive or family planning decisions together.
- Being legally and financially entangled either through marriage or other binding contract such as owning property together.
- Deciding to share a surname, sometimes one partner changing their name to another’s, sometimes with all partners taking a new surname.
Bert and Ernie live together and share a bank account.
Tyrone, Jacquetta and Philomina have lived together for 10 years as a triad, and have adopted 7 chinchillas together.
Beaufort and Langley are not romantically or sexually involved but have decided to be life partners, registering as domestic partners and filing taxes together.
