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I'm not his girlfriend....

I'm pretty hurt and upset right now and don't know if I am over reacting or not.

I've been dating a guy for two months and everything is going really well. We spend so much time together and I genuinely like seeing him and no one has made me feel this happy in a long long time.

The problem is that he refuses to say I'm his girlfriend (despite the fact we are exclusive) and whenever we meet his friends they naturally say "aww is this your girlfriend" and he replies "no, the girl I am seeing."

I brought it up and he just ignored my comment but it's actually upsetting me....does this mean he doesn't see the relationship as being one as I do?

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Maybe he has some commitment issues. Bring it up again, sit him down to have a proper conversation so he can't ignore you.
Yeah he's still questioning whether he wants to commit. I bet he's banging someone else
Reply 3
I'm sorry to give you bad news as it is often difficult to honestly acknowledge.
This question is plain and simple.

Any guy who does this, does not think highly of you. He does not think you a worth committing to.
If he thought you were girlfriend material, he would have made it VERY clear that he wants to be exclusive with you.
He is keeping his eyes open for better options. I guarantee this.
Men & women who do this, think you're just "Meh" and may even be embarrassed to call you their gf/bf.
Don't even bother giving him an ultimatum. He will just be settling for you if he agrees.

There are no exceptions. This guy doesn't think you are a quality catch. Get rid of this vile person who is using you.
You are worth more than that. You owe respect to yourself because you are not being respected by this man.
(edited 9 years ago)
Don't worry about it. Guys get funny about this sort of thing, my boyfriend has only just stopped referring to me as his mate to his parents and we've been together almost a year!

Have you had the talk yet? Maybe if you haven't he wants to talk about it with you first before he announces it to people!
This is a guy, and some males do have commitment issues.
So, don't worry. Be happy!
It'll take time for him to adapt to the commitment, or he could just be a douche bag. Maybe..
Original post by succexxy
I'm sorry to give you bad news as it is often difficult to honestly acknowledge.
This question is plain and simple.

Any guy who does this, does not think highly of you. He does not think you a worth committing to.
If he thought you were girlfriend material, he would have made it VERY clear that he wants to be exclusive with you.
He is keeping his eyes open for better options. I guarantee this.
Men & women who do this, think you're just "Meh" and may even be embarrassed to call you their gf/bf.
Don't even bother giving him an ultimatum. He will just be settling for you if he agrees.

There are no exceptions. This guy doesn't think you are a quality catch. Get rid of this vile person who is using you.
You are worth more than that. You owe respect to yourself because you are not being respected by this man.


This isn't necessarily true, please don't end things based on this advice.

I was in a similar situation when I started seeing my girlfriend. We'd been seeing each other for about six weeks, it was going really well, but I was reluctant to actually "make her my girlfriend". I had decided previously that I didn't want a girlfriend at university, I was really enjoying being single. She then told me she needed some time to think about things, because there was this other guy who liked her. That made me realise how much I really liked her, so I asked her out. That was in May 2011 and I'm typing this from her bed :smile:

So you see, it wasn't that I was looking for someone better, but that I was unsure of whether I wanted a relationship at all. Such commitment issues are so common in young men that it's a cliche.
Reply 7
I can see why this would be upsetting. Hard to say whats behind it. Potenially sets alarm bells ringing though. What's his previous dating track record like?
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
Don't worry about it. Guys get funny about this sort of thing, my boyfriend has only just stopped referring to me as his mate to his parents and we've been together almost a year!

Have you had the talk yet? Maybe if you haven't he wants to talk about it with you first before he announces it to people!


Alright mate!

Aye ^ - need to have the talk.
Reply 9
Original post by succexxy
I'm sorry to give you bad news as it is often difficult to honestly acknowledge.
This question is plain and simple.

Any guy who does this, does not think highly of you. He does not think you a worth committing to.
If he thought you were girlfriend material, he would have made it VERY clear that he wants to be exclusive with you.
He is keeping his eyes open for better options. I guarantee this.
Men & women who do this, think you're just "Meh" and may even be embarrassed to call you their gf/bf.
Don't even bother giving him an ultimatum. He will just be settling for you if he agrees.

There are no exceptions. This guy doesn't think you are a quality catch. Get rid of this vile person who is using you.
You are worth more than that. You owe respect to yourself because you are not being respected by this man.


This. I would cut losses quickly should i happen to be interested in him and find someone respectful of my feelings. Do yourself a favour and pull the plug here. Should've taken you while he had the chance when he's left hanging. No point in leading each other on.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Mankytoes
This isn't necessarily true, please don't end things based on this advice.

I was in a similar situation when I started seeing my girlfriend. We'd been seeing each other for about six weeks, it was going really well, but I was reluctant to actually "make her my girlfriend". I had decided previously that I didn't want a girlfriend at university, I was really enjoying being single. She then told me she needed some time to think about things, because there was this other guy who liked her. That made me realise how much I really liked her, so I asked her out. That was in May 2011 and I'm typing this from her bed :smile:

So you see, it wasn't that I was looking for someone better, but that I was unsure of whether I wanted a relationship at all. Such commitment issues are so common in young men that it's a cliche.



I agree, some people have trouble committing and need time. Especially if they are looking out for their own feelings, afraid of being hurt. However your above statement proves my point. You wanted to remain single, you enjoyed not having to commit. You probably wanted to keep your options open because if you don't want to make it official with someone, that rings alarm bells for me. It usually means you wanted to see what else you could have fun with.

THEN this girl had someone else interested in her. All of a sudden you wanted to be together? I think someone (YOU) was trying to keep their options open, however didn't want to lose her to someone else. hence proving my point, you would have been happy being single with her on the side in case something better came along.

While I was quite critical in my first post. My point has been proven nonetheless.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by succexxy
I agree, some people have trouble committing and need time. Especially if they are looking out for their own feelings, afraid of being hurt. However your above statement proves my point. You wanted to remain single, you enjoyed not having to commit. You probably wanted to keep your options open because if you don't want to make it official with someone, that rings alarm bells for me. It usually means you wanted to see what else you could have fun with.

THEN this girl had someone else interested in her. All of a sudden you wanted to be together? I think someone (YOU) was trying to keep their options open, however didn't want to lose her to someone else. hence proving my point, you would have been happy being single with her on the side in case something better came along.

While I was quite critical in my first post. My point has been proven nonetheless.


You're over simplifying it. It isn't just about wanting to shag other girls. It's the whole commitment thing, have responsibility for another person. Having to keep in touch all the time, meeting parents, missing out on things with friends. For example, one thing I was thinking of doing after uni was moving abroad. That becomes much more complicated if you have a girlfriend. There are plenty of legitimate reasons not to want a relationship.

But if "something better came along", surely I could just ditch her anyway if I was that sort of person? Do you really think if that was my attitude towards her I would have been with her for three and a half years, without even coming close to cheating? The other guy made me realise the strength of my feelings, it didn't change them. I was always going to ask her out, I was absolutely crazy about her, I was taking my time over it. As LavenderBlueSky says, some people take time.

How has it been proven? If my girlfriend had listened to that advice she'd have missed out on a long term loving relationship. You said "Any guy who does this, does not think highly of you"- I can confirm this is untrue, I thought extremely highly of her, and I certainly didn't think I was settling, I'm not being modest when I say she's more attractive than me.

What you don't understand is the objection is often to commitment itself, not to the person in question.
Reply 12
To avoid any confusion, the OP stated she brought up discussing this with her non-boyfriend, who then ignored her comment. Leading people on at your convenience is grossful disrespectful.

If i think highly of someone, i take a step back from the relationship to consider the other things i have in mind at that moment and learn how to keep in touch at a safe distance when unwilling to commit yet. Not continue to go on dates that leave them upset when it's time to be introduced. That is bad manners. Friends won't like it either.
Original post by glycerin
To avoid any confusion, the OP stated she brought up discussing this with her non-boyfriend, who then ignored her comment. Leading people on at your convenience is grossful disrespectful.

If i think highly of someone, i take a step back from the relationship to consider the other things i have in mind at that moment and learn how to keep in touch at a safe distance when unwilling to commit yet. Not continue to go on dates that leave them upset when it's time to be introduced. That is bad manners. Friends won't like it either.


+1

It's a lack of respect. Even to just ignore the question, like it means nothing. That's just rude.
Have you asked him WHY he does not acknowledge you as boyfriend/girlfriend?

He owes you that at the very least. Don't be fobbed off with some lame excuse.

If he cannot/will not give you a reasonable explanation, then you have your answer and you can keep your dignity by walking.

If he says he has a problem with commitment, then at least you have a choice.
(edited 9 years ago)
Thanks for all the advice. I think I sorta missed the boat with bringing this up with him in that we have had "the chat" and established we like each other and don't want to date others and that we are in a relationship....but he still won't call me his girlfriend. I think he may think it's too soon but to me it's rather upsetting that he's telling people we are just seeing each other as they then probably assume it's not exclusive
TWO MONTHS???
what the hell is wrong with you women
Original post by matthewduncan
TWO MONTHS???
what the hell is wrong with you women


What do you mean?
Reply 18
Original post by LavenderBlueSky88
Don't worry about it. Guys get funny about this sort of thing, my boyfriend has only just stopped referring to me as his mate to his parents and we've been together almost a year!

Have you had the talk yet? Maybe if you haven't he wants to talk about it with you first before he announces it to people!


Uh, hate to break it to you but generally speaking guys don't tend to "get funny about this sort of thing". Personally, I would say this is cause for concern. :s-smilie: 2 months is no small amount of time!
Original post by CJKay
Uh, hate to break it to you but generally speaking guys don't tend to "get funny about this sort of thing". Personally, I would say this is cause for concern. :s-smilie: 2 months is no small amount of time!


Some do, some don't. Younger ones tend to get a bit awkward around the subject. 2 months isn't that long if they've just been casually dating. If they haven't actually talked about it then it would be a bit weird if he introduced her as his girlfriend and she was like "wait, what? Since when?" maybe he is trying to keep it neutral because he doesn't know how she feels about it.

Or maybe he just has a different standard of what he views 'seeing someone' and them being a girlfriend. To some 'girlfriend' is a massive step... To others they use it from the first date. I was in the 'seeing each other' stage with my boyfriend for about 3 months before we actually talked about it and decided to be 'official'. You want to make sure it's the right decision before you go throwing the words around.

Obviously, yes, maybe he isn't that keen on her and is stringing her along. However she will never know until she brings it up.

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