@kyotokoyote Why not use 'partner' then? They could be your buisness partner, your partner in crime, your romantic partner? There's still ambiguity! It also works the other way for those who are beyond using girl(boy)friend but don't wish to be married. There your life partner.

@kyotokoyote Partner is also a gender neutral term as well so it's incredibly inclusive ^_^ I use the term partner, my parents who have been together years use 'partner' there in there 50's they don't wanna say girlfriend or boyfriend but there no married either, see what I mean?

@kyotokoyote Then do you switch it out around normies? If so what's the point? XD when someone even in furry circles calls someone there mate, I don't know if they mean romantic or platonic. Truth is it dosent work as a term. Outside of it just being....well a bit silly

@Reskell492 I always go for the “mate as a friend” way, I haven’t bumped into anyone who’s questioned me on it though.

@Pixel_MegaByte Yeah it's very common in Britain to say mate as friend, that's the way I always hear it, :)

@Reskell492 @valerie_iggy In the "proper" term Mate generally is meant to mean partner for reproductive purposes. :v But naturally people think they're cool by calling their internet date of the week "my mate". Mate as slang though is fun, both to refer to a friend and in a general addressing.

@404_ArtNotFound @valerie_iggy Mhmm! To mate just means to well....reproduce with! Or its other meaning to me, is to be your friend, so using it to describe your partner is just a bit baffling to me! XD

@Reskell492 “ mate or soul mate” sounds cringy in either sense , one is just a drowned out tacky term , just to feel more closer to there sona and basic as hell . The other is just romanticized and tacky phrase for couples after there first year

@Evilsquirrel123 Tacky and cringey are certainly the ways to describe it as far as I'm concerned, for me it falls into the whole: 'pawsome' category but actually worse? Because your using it to describe someone you love

@Reskell492 I can no longer use this word in general conversation with other furries....thanks furries....

@FezzFox Hah! Yeah I can't be like, oh me and my mate were in town yesterday because they think I'm talking about my partner like. Omg.

@Reskell492 When I first met Ellis he mentioned going out with his "mate" so having been part of the fandom first before hearing the term I associated it with "Other half" and TOTALLY didn't realize its a normal term over here for friend/buddy/fam. Haha!

@PawPrinting_Val Aha! That's actually pretty hilarious goodness! Yeah mate is just such a common term in blighty to mean friend that furries using it for partner over here just dosent work, maybe in other places? In Britain it's just confusing aha xD

@Reskell492 ....or you could just let people call them whatever they feel like? :3 I mean it isn't hurting anyone! You might just have to clarify with that person what the definition is for them x

@KaoruFox I mean I don't see how I'm stopping anyone? XD The fandom will continue to use whatever terms they like regardless of me pointing out its confusing, but I will point out that it's confusing and feels very childish

@Reskell492 I use it quite unironically, but then, for me, Furry isn't a hobby or a social thing. I do get why folks may not like the term, or consider it inappropriate for them, though. And in case, am absolutely not having a go or offended, or anything like that. :3

@radek_ratel So long as your not offended my dude that's okay :D furry is much more than a hobby to me as well but if nothing else I just find the term mate confusing as to me it usually means friend so throws me for a loop! But you can do whatever you like 💜💙👍

@QuakeTheDragon Dear other random Internet person: Hello!

@QuakeTheDragon Your apparently speaking Norwegian! Silly twitter xD

@Reskell492 Basic? I totally get your point but isn't calling people basic furries a bit elitist? Never got why we need to install hierarchy.