Girlfriend??

[placidjoy123]

All of a sudden(?) it seems that quite a few younger female acquaintances have adopted the American habit of referring to female friends as girlfriends

One of them does it deliberately to let everyone know that she "used to live in New York" (for about two months I think it was). So sophisticated.

Do they call male friends "boyfriend"?

Yes, this annoys me too. And saying movie instead of film.

Girlfriend to me implies female life partner.

Friend should suffice.

I have family in USA and still can't get my head around it.

What would a male call his female partner (after the first few dates)? Not girlfriend then?

I guess partner whether male or female is what most of us have become accustomed to when we hear the term boyfriend orgirlfriend. I have no problem with the language evolving. But I just find the adoption of an American affectation (calling a female friend girlfriend rather than simply friend rather strange).