Historically, wives were often female companions to a male cohort, which means wives traditionally fulfilled a role that is analogous to "girlfriend". But the “girlfriend” is not necessarily a wife. The “girlfriend” is a social invention of recent history, and the consequence of this invention led to the deregulation of intersexual relations. I haven't yet concluded with evidence from sources that the invention of "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" was part of a deliberate scheme to deregulate sexual relations. But my theory is that there was an intention behind the invention of "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" with respect to deregulating sexual relations
The man difference between "wife" and “girlfriend”, is that the “girlfriend” is not expected to be legally bounded by any promises made to the male partner under the intersexual partnership. In other words, a “girlfriend” can cheat without violating an obligation that is legally enforceable under the partnership (because no such kind of obligation would exist in a partnership between "boyfriend" and "girlfriend", as compared to a partnership between "wife" and "husband")
The Legal Consequence Achieved by the Invention of “Boyfriend” and “Girlfriend” (TLDR There is None)
Historically, a “girlfriend” in traditional society would have been the equivalent of a concubine or mistress. Both concubines and mistresses were seen as comparable to streetwhores in terms of their social standing. Also sexual relations with concubines and mistresses were historically unlawful acts that corresponded to adultery, or possibly fornication if the man was only betrothed to the woman who wasn’t the concubine / mistress (aka their fiancée or wife-to-be)
A concubine or mistress was usually lower than a wife in social status, but a concubine / mistress could sometimes prove themselves as useful to married men, depending on the situation (e.g., if the wife had fertility issues, or if the wife was becoming a rotten hag)
The BFGF partnership model serves no pragmatic purpose other than emulating an intersexual relationship between two people of the opposite sexes, but without the limitations of having a legal obligation to the other partner via the intersexual relationship
The concept of “boyfriend and girlfriend” essentially isolates “legally enforceable promises” from intersexual relations. It allows a certain kind of intersexual relationship to take place outside the constraints of a legal agreement (other than ensuring that both partners are legally able to consent to sex and have consented to sex if they are to ever have sexual interactions with each other)
A BFGF partnership is not exactly a partnership that is recognized by law, but things that are likely to happen in it (e.g. sexual intercourse) wouldnt necessarily violate the law either (as long as the male and female partner have the capacity to legally consent). Essentially the BFGF partnership serves to emulate intersexual relations without legally enforceable conditions, other than ensuring that both partners are capable to legally consent prior to engaging in sexual relations with each other
The Legal Consequences of Marriage
Unlike BFGF relationships, marriage had a certain significance beyond mere intersexual relations
The significance of marriage has to do with promises and legal accountability / legal obligations
Firstly, marriage is a legally binding agreement between two parties, and marital partners are bound to each other by law
This means certain legal consequences are incurred as result of the consummation of a marriage (e.g., citizenship status can be affected by marriage, asset ownership can be affected by marriage, tax liabilities can be affected by marriage). This does not happen to the parties of a BFGF relationship, as there are no immediate legal consequences incurred from the consummation of a BFGF relationship
Secondly, marriage often involves a legal obligation to deliver some service to the other marital partner. For some ancient cultures like Judaism, it was the husband’s duty to provide economic resources to his wife, and it was seen as a legal responsibility, not a moral responsibility, such that the husband was liable to be penalized by law for his failure to provide economic support to his wife. This is still continued in the United States and some European countries, aka alimony
The Decriminalization of Intersexual Relations outside of Matrimony
Intersexual relations that happened outside of the constraints of a legal agreement historically were often one of the following types: Prostitution, rape, fornication, adultery, homosexuality. This is very relevant to the concept of “girlfriend”, because there's one common factor which had to do with sexual relations between people outside of a heterosexual marriage – They were historically not permitted under statutory law and were punishable by law. But times have changed, as most countries in the West have now declared “homosexual marriages” or “civil partnerships” as lawful otherwise not against the law. Homosexual relations are now decriminalized in most of Western countries where it previously was against the law to participate in it
Adultery was also abolished as a criminal offence in many Western countries where it used to be a violation of statutory law. There also was an expectation where if a girl lost her virginity via fornication, she would marry the male who fornicated her. Now this expectation no longer holds, as girls have been allowed to indulge in fornication without being expected to marry the men that have sex with her. This also explains how the concept of “girlfriend” differs from a "fiancée" / "wife-to-be" – The latter was expected to eventually wed and commit to the man who fucked her; this expectation does not hold for the former
The BFGF partnership model is a response to the traditional standard of sexual relationships, as it serves as a deregulated model for intersexual relations without violating any laws pertaining to this type of partnership (like consent). It defies the old tradition of placing legal restrictions on sexual relations between people in society on the basis of sexual orientation or / and marital status. This old tradition was an Abrahamic one, but its influence is dying worldwide
The man difference between "wife" and “girlfriend”, is that the “girlfriend” is not expected to be legally bounded by any promises made to the male partner under the intersexual partnership. In other words, a “girlfriend” can cheat without violating an obligation that is legally enforceable under the partnership (because no such kind of obligation would exist in a partnership between "boyfriend" and "girlfriend", as compared to a partnership between "wife" and "husband")
The Legal Consequence Achieved by the Invention of “Boyfriend” and “Girlfriend” (TLDR There is None)
Historically, a “girlfriend” in traditional society would have been the equivalent of a concubine or mistress. Both concubines and mistresses were seen as comparable to streetwhores in terms of their social standing. Also sexual relations with concubines and mistresses were historically unlawful acts that corresponded to adultery, or possibly fornication if the man was only betrothed to the woman who wasn’t the concubine / mistress (aka their fiancée or wife-to-be)
A concubine or mistress was usually lower than a wife in social status, but a concubine / mistress could sometimes prove themselves as useful to married men, depending on the situation (e.g., if the wife had fertility issues, or if the wife was becoming a rotten hag)
The BFGF partnership model serves no pragmatic purpose other than emulating an intersexual relationship between two people of the opposite sexes, but without the limitations of having a legal obligation to the other partner via the intersexual relationship
The concept of “boyfriend and girlfriend” essentially isolates “legally enforceable promises” from intersexual relations. It allows a certain kind of intersexual relationship to take place outside the constraints of a legal agreement (other than ensuring that both partners are legally able to consent to sex and have consented to sex if they are to ever have sexual interactions with each other)
A BFGF partnership is not exactly a partnership that is recognized by law, but things that are likely to happen in it (e.g. sexual intercourse) wouldnt necessarily violate the law either (as long as the male and female partner have the capacity to legally consent). Essentially the BFGF partnership serves to emulate intersexual relations without legally enforceable conditions, other than ensuring that both partners are capable to legally consent prior to engaging in sexual relations with each other
The Legal Consequences of Marriage
Unlike BFGF relationships, marriage had a certain significance beyond mere intersexual relations
The significance of marriage has to do with promises and legal accountability / legal obligations
Firstly, marriage is a legally binding agreement between two parties, and marital partners are bound to each other by law
This means certain legal consequences are incurred as result of the consummation of a marriage (e.g., citizenship status can be affected by marriage, asset ownership can be affected by marriage, tax liabilities can be affected by marriage). This does not happen to the parties of a BFGF relationship, as there are no immediate legal consequences incurred from the consummation of a BFGF relationship
Secondly, marriage often involves a legal obligation to deliver some service to the other marital partner. For some ancient cultures like Judaism, it was the husband’s duty to provide economic resources to his wife, and it was seen as a legal responsibility, not a moral responsibility, such that the husband was liable to be penalized by law for his failure to provide economic support to his wife. This is still continued in the United States and some European countries, aka alimony
The Decriminalization of Intersexual Relations outside of Matrimony
Intersexual relations that happened outside of the constraints of a legal agreement historically were often one of the following types: Prostitution, rape, fornication, adultery, homosexuality. This is very relevant to the concept of “girlfriend”, because there's one common factor which had to do with sexual relations between people outside of a heterosexual marriage – They were historically not permitted under statutory law and were punishable by law. But times have changed, as most countries in the West have now declared “homosexual marriages” or “civil partnerships” as lawful otherwise not against the law. Homosexual relations are now decriminalized in most of Western countries where it previously was against the law to participate in it
Adultery was also abolished as a criminal offence in many Western countries where it used to be a violation of statutory law. There also was an expectation where if a girl lost her virginity via fornication, she would marry the male who fornicated her. Now this expectation no longer holds, as girls have been allowed to indulge in fornication without being expected to marry the men that have sex with her. This also explains how the concept of “girlfriend” differs from a "fiancée" / "wife-to-be" – The latter was expected to eventually wed and commit to the man who fucked her; this expectation does not hold for the former
The BFGF partnership model is a response to the traditional standard of sexual relationships, as it serves as a deregulated model for intersexual relations without violating any laws pertaining to this type of partnership (like consent). It defies the old tradition of placing legal restrictions on sexual relations between people in society on the basis of sexual orientation or / and marital status. This old tradition was an Abrahamic one, but its influence is dying worldwide
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