I know this question seems oddly specific. It’s just that my brain tends to fall sown rabbit holes and this is one of them.
A newly elected President has a wife, but the couple also has a third partner we’ll call Jane. The throuple have been together for over 35 years. And have always been open about their relationship to the public. There is no hierarchy in this relationship. The only reason the three aren’t married to each other is because the law won’t allow it.
Now, what label do you think the media will give to Jane?
My guess would be:
MSM: Something along the lines of “2nd lady”.
RWM: 1st Mistress.
With the Prez having been elected with this information out there in the open, I think the media would (generally) be as inoffensive as they know how. “Companion”, “other partner”, terms like that.
The 2nd lady is the VP’s wife, so that’s taken. Besides, 1st Lady isn’t just the POTUS’s wife. It’s its own office that just so happens to be occupied usually by the wife. It doesn’t have to be.
Yeah, in the universe where this happens as described there will have organically evolved a socially polite way to refer publicly to the parties of such an arrangement and that’s what will be used.
I’m sure Miss Manners would have an excellent answer if she lives that long…
What is wrong with “partner”? Seems to imply equality and avoids judgemental or sexist implications like who is the wife and who is the mistress. Not sure why you would formally marry one partner, though: seems like that would have some un-egalitarian legal consequences,
A sexist office from 200 years ago. If you were married to some politician, would you want it even suggested that you should be some sort of “first lady” or organize events or work in the White House at all?
Sister-First-Lady? In any event I think if society had changed to the point where someone in an openly polyamorous relationship could be elected President there would also be options for such relationships to be legally recognized.
Nice of everyone to automatically assume the third member of a throuple “belongs” to the man. Maybe Jane and the first lady are the ones who sleep together and POTUS is the third wheel. Maybe they have a very large bed and always sleep together. Maybe POTUS is gay, the ladies are his beard and he has a very discreet arrangement with his Chief of Staff. Remember what they say about what happens when you assume.
Hell, for that matter, why decide the hypothetical POTUS is a man with two partners? What would you call it when a woman POTUS has a husband and another man in their relationship?
I would think “partner” would be perfectly appropriate, assuming POTUS is legally married to First Lady.