What does it mean when being referred as his “lady friend”?

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I date an Ethiopian gal. We have a lot of fun together, but depending on who is asking, I am either her friend, her boyfriend, or her husband. Doesn’t affect us much, but it helps to keep her social life in order. The Ethiopian community she’s a part of is incredibly gossipy, and judgmental. To them we are just friends. To her close male friends, I am her boyfriend. To guys that approach her that she doesn’t know and doesn’t like, she’s married and if pressed to describe her husband, she talks about me.

I find it very amusing but a little sad to hear her speak of her social gymnastics. It used to bother me having to tip-toe with her when other Ethiopians are around. She has to have me pick her up in another part of the shopping center we often meet at instead of her just getting into my car. It’s annoying, but has become less so over the years.

I wouldn’t make too much of it. After all, how he represents your relationship to others doesn’t really affect how you guys are when you’re together. Unless you make a big deal of it of course. If it starts getting serious enough that you’re both thinking of marriage then you can make an issue of it. But it doesn’t sound like you’re there yet. My Ethiopian gal and I are pretty far away from being able to say we’re ready to devote our lives to each other.

Don’t make things to be more serious than they need to be.