I'm just an average gypsy AMA

[GypsyAMA]

I've noticed a lot of hatred towards gypsies on here so I thought I'd answer any questions anyone may have that could help you to understand my culture more. You might still disagree with many aspects, but at least you'll be coming from facts and not stereotypes.

Hopefully a bit of a lighthearted one...

What do you think about (non Gypsy) people who name their child Gypsy? Is it offensive/funny/weird to you?

Hi, OP. You have described yourself as Roma. I read years ago that English gypsies called themselves romanichals. Do you ever use that word, and if so, how is it pronounced? I've always wondered!

I wouldn't say it was particularly common but it's certainly not something that doesn't happen

You are writing like the Gypsy community or anyone who doesn't embrace the education system must be thick with no life skills or abilities which is not accurate at all because there are plenty people, Gypsy and non Gypsy, around the world who have had little or no schooling, college or university in their life and are extremely successful who are also aware of sex and relationships because these two things can be taught outside of school 🙄

It’s not the dress, it’s the behaviour. Pushing to the front of the queue en massse in the co op, being loud and oblivious to anyone else’s comfort , respect. Basically behaving in a way which is not generally acceptable.

Yes, but you seem to feel that your community is superior to the Irish Travelling Community. Are there not bad and good in equal measures in their community as well as you own ?
'I certainly don't feel superior to anyone and hope I haven't given than impression'

You still find it 'frustrating' that Romany gypsies get 'lumped together' with them though, don't you? You stopped short of saying 'tarred with the same brush' but I think we all know that's what you really mean. But hey, let's not fall into the trap of believing the stereotypes about any particular ethnic group based on most people's experience of their behaviour.

The area I live in has a lot of Roamni (Roma) living in it and I have some as neighbours and tbh they are the source of a lot of problems, noise, mess, petty crime. The ones next to me make my life miserable with shouting that goes on til the early housdumping rubbish out on the street, litter everwhere. They have broken into my back yard and pinched my bin and gone through my garden storage container. One of the almost knocked my mother's day flowers, it was on the doorstep and I caught her just about to pick it up! I have frequently spoken to them with the aid of Google translate asking them to tone the noise down a bit but they are rude and despite claiming to have "no English" know plenty of obscene language. I guess what I want to know is why do people refuse to respect the area and the people they have come to live amongst. I really believe in people being able to maintain their cultural heritage and norms but I do not understand why they seem to go out of their way to antagonise people.

It seems pretty obvious…she left school at age 12 and her written English is excellent, as are her reasoning skills.

Sorry, another education question!

Are children typically homeschooled after 12 or do they accompany parents to work? If homeschooled, how is that arranged (online schooling, community, parents, tutors, etc) and do many take GCSEs and A Levels? If your girls had an interest in something like medicine and were able to get the required GCSEs and A Levels, would it be acceptable for them to leave home to attend university or would they look for a local university they could attend whilst living at home?

Sorry for all the questions!

Her grammar may be good but her reasoning leaves a lot to be desired.

Exactly

How is a mental health problem dealt with in your culture? I appreciate that there can be a general distrust of health services so what would happen to someone showing signs of mental health issues?

You say that you are 'settled' and that you live 'detached' and rurally.

Do you live in a bricks and mortar house on a regular street that anyone might buy, or do you live a settled life in one of those very large park home type things, on a private plot of land? Do you live completely independently of other gypsies or are there several of you on a private site?

It's a shame you've chosen to not really answer the question, as I thought it was an interesting one.

Can you be a bit more specific?

You’d like the education system to teach children how to keep the house clean?
Cooking lessons already exist in mainstream schools, and family values should ideally be taught within the (extended) family.
What most families will probably struggle with is providing adequate secondary education to their children, without which those children’s life choices will be limited.

I don't think it is colonial to want girls to have an education

What do you think of travelling showmen @GypsyAMA ?

I’m from that background and grew up with a lot of hostility between the two cultures.

Do you use the word joskin / flattie too, or just gorger to describe non-travellers?

For anyone interested, I’m from another sub-group of travellers: travelling showmen - I.E. people who travel with carnivals / fairs. It’s a very small and insular group, and less well-known.

I actually left my community, because I wanted to get an education and marry outside of it. If anyone is curious, I’d be happy to answer questions too! It’s quite sad though, and I don’t want to jump on this lady’s thread too much though.

This is a really good read - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gypsy-Boy-bestselling-memoir-childhood/dp/0340977981

I agree there is a lot of prejudice against gypsies, but I also think the unwillingness to educate children, which is something all children should be entitled to according the United Nations, is one of the things people find hardest to understand, and creates a lot of negatively towards the community which is something that gypsies could chose to change

Thoroughly agree with this, the key point being that it's a choice - though one that's being imposed on others, in this case the children

It interests me that the community are rightly very keen to emphasise the Equality Act regarding prejudice, but disregard what you accurately describe as the childrens' right to an education, and I wonder why it's considered acceptable to focus only on the rights of choice?

I'll be back to answer some more later but I just want to thank the people who have been able to ask questions and even disagree, in a respectful way.

Thanks for being so open, how can we reduce stigma and prejudice when because of it you staying your own communities? Obviously it doesn't help that Roma, Gypsy, Traveller is one catagory a bit like BAME

She did:

The men are easy. Shirt/polo tucked into their jeans with a belt and boots and slicked back hair.

Women are more difficult but a lot of designer bags and shoes, matching sets, that sort of thing. They tend to dress (what they would consider) quite glamourosly. Then most will have long hair too and dark skin, probably from sunbeds or self tan.

💐 Well done Op for wading through this lot and keeping a cool head, can't be easy reading.

I just wanted to thank you for this thread.

I have a very dear friend who is Romany, and she is so lovely. Very strong moral compass,and just a great human. Family values are so important to her. She is always immaculately dressed, and immaculate manners.

It's really unfair that gypsies are being lumped in with travellers.

I have a question, do us gorgers do anything that you find really bizarre that you would like to ask about?

How do you look if you’re British???