In older times, what did it mean if a lady had a boyfriend?

Question

I mean, if a lady had a boyfriend what was the meaning of it?

I think we are beginning to lose the roots of that idea....

Answer 1

Well I don't think that you want to base too many of your female/male relationships on the "old times." You do realize the magnitude of sexism and discrimination in those times (although it still is around today)? In those times having a boyfriend or girlfriend was a completly different thing. It was alot more slow paced and organized. It was the guys responsibility to make the first move on practically every occasion because if the girl did it she was viewed as being too forward and having questionable characteristics. Basically, the girl had a very limited role in taking the relationship to the next levels. Because of this there was alot of dreams placed into girls heads about the the times when they would get a boyfriend and be married (they couldn't start these things so they had dreams about the day that they would come). Women's ideas about relationships were in many cases driven by the thought of getting the guy to want to take the relationship to the next level. That sounds very different then today but at the same time it is still very relavent today. There are still pieces of that thinking that manifest themselves in the fact that alot of people still expect guys to make the first moves in the relationship and alot of people will say that women shouldn't be involved in those things. Also, guys may be expected to impress the girl by taking actions that are contradictory to equality (openning doors, allowing her ot enter first, etc. even when many of the girls won't do the same for them. That's definitly inequality). Alot of people still think that it is the women job to be more involved in household duties and child care even when they have jobs. Even more strange is that people still believe in the idea of the masculine man and the feminine woman when we are supposedly trying to destroy gender and the discrimination that comes along with it. There are many differences and similarities.......too many to list.

Answer 2

Back then, any woman in a steady relationship was pretty much preparing to get married to the guy. Women of those times didn't have as much choice in who they married, and parents were relatively hopeful in trying to get their daughters married off as quickly as possible, and out of the house.

I'm rather thankful that we're able to experiment more with what personality types suit us. With advanced means of communication, we have practically the whole world to choose from, meaning that we have all the greater chance of finding somebody who just may be that perfect someone.

Or, perhaps people should stop screwing around, settle down you, and make lots of babies. Whatever. ^_-

Good luck.

Answer 3

A boy friend was someone she was seeing and she might have two or three boy friends.

A steady boy friend was one she went out with exclusively and if they were in high school or college they might wear each others class ring on a chain around their neck.

If they were out of school they might still go steady or with only each other for a while before becoming engaged.

In older times sh**king up was unacceptable.

Answer 4

it was called courting not dateing