Since moving into a big office, with lots of people, boy have I found the etiquette dilemmas!
In my old office, there were eleven of us at most in my department. By the time I moved to Georgia, there were four of us. We were a tight group, and everyone knew everyone's spouses, children, pets, etc. and discussed them regularly.
As many of you know, my DP has had quite a medical journey the last two years, and many of my coworkers know *something* about it, as things come up in conversation, asking what I did on my weekend, asking how my family is adjusting to the move, etc. I'm totally fine with them knowing, and am touched that they ask.
The problem that keeps coming up is that nearly everyone asks me "So how's your 'friend' doing?"
She's not my "friend", she's my spouse! I know getting them to use the term we prefer is totally impossible (I call her my husbutch, she calls me her wife), but would correcting them to "partner" or "spouse" be ok? Should I just keep saying "<DP's name> is doing well, thanks for asking!" I know it's a minor point, and I should be grateful they haven't gotten out the torches and holy water after me or anything, but still.... it bugs me.
Suggestions?