Oprah Winfrey is all in on having a partner. Not a “girlfriend.” Not a “significant other.” A partner.
During her appearance on the Jan. 13 episode of TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle, Oprah chimed in with her take on a recent GQ article about men calling their girlfriends their “partner,” a title that was amplified when Timothée Chalamet referred to Kylie Jenner as such while accepting an award at the Critics Choice Awards. (He would do so again when he won best male actor in a motion picture — musical or comedy during last weekend’s Golden Globes.)
“You know why I like the word ‘partner’? Because it’s mature. It says that it’s a mature, it’s a stable relationship,” Oprah said. “It’s not just like ‘my girlfriend.’ ‘Cause you have a girlfriend when you’re 7, when you’re 10, when you’re 15. So ‘partner’ adds a level of maturity and responsibility.”
“So, if a guy says, ‘You know what? You’re my partner,’ that means ‘I’m riding with you.’ Like, ‘We’re in this,’” Sheinelle Jones added.
“That means, yes, we’re in it together. There’s a partnership. … So I thought that was really good,” Oprah replied.
Oprah has referred to Stedman Graham as her partner for years, putting her at the forefront of this word choice.
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham in October 2019. Paul R. Giunta / Getty Images
“Before it was a thing, you were calling each other ‘partner,’” Sheinelle pointed out.
“Yes, we’ve always used the word ‘partner,’” Oprah said.
“Of course she started it. She started everything,” Jenna Bush Hager joked. “Oprah started the word ‘partner.’ How dare we!”
Oprah said it’s only natural to use partner, given the length of their relationship, too.
“After 20 years, you can’t say, ‘He’s my boyfriend.’ … And, also, once you get to a certain age, ‘He’s my boyfriend’ — No! ‘Partner’ is a much better word,” she said.