I live on a traveller site AMA

[namechange2026198]

Well exactly that really got a spare bit of time and I know with some of the recent ridiculous tv shows I thought I’d see if I could answer a few myths and questions. I will say my partner is a traveller I am not but am married into the community which in itself is rare

How do you think health care can be made more accessible for travelers, particularly maternal and child health care services?

Presumably because sex before marriage is frowned upon for the girls.

So the earlier they marry, the less likely it is to happen.

Eww’s right though.

It is absolutely a subjugated lifestyle for women and girls.
Why should their run-of-the-mill opportunities, like finishing school, going to university and working, routinely be almost taboo.

How many times did the OP use the words ‘unheard of’ about very everyday examples??
It’s wrong, and I condemn those actions.

You agreeing with a racist also makes you a racist. At least I know who I'm dealing with 👍

Can your husband read & write.

How do you keep the caravan warm when its freezing weather?

Grow up.

I've to grow up because I called you out as a racist?

Righty-ho

Why don’t you call out the rank sexism of the community instead, cos that’s worse than anything Eww and I have said??

My question is about how you ended up visiting a traveller site when you were a kid.

That is really, really unusual around us. Traveller kids (and that includes Irish Travellers and Romany) do not let their kids go to settled community birthday parties or playdates, and settled kids aren't ever invited to gypsy or romany sites.

Second question is, what do you think is the solution to the major relationship problems between settled and GRT communities, where there are indeed problems? What would make the animosity there often is, go away?

that’s great your daughter is at uni OP you should be proud. I hope she will set an example to some of the other girls. I did some work on traveller sites a long time ago and found there was a great sense of community particularly among the women. I find a lot of people who are judgy about Travellers don’t actually know any in real life at all.

Probably because any criticism of the treatment of women, or wondering why an educated woman would choose subservience to men for herself or her daughters, is met with accusations of racism.

See @AMurderofMurderingCrows lovely contributions above.

Why do you think that those of your community that do travel and set up camp on an open space think it's ok to leave piles of rubbish and other unsanitary waste (often taking weeks to clear)? Interest to know what you think having married into the community because I know a lot of people struggle 'looking in' ?

She's on a traveller site, part of a traveller community and literally said to ask anything!!

It's AMA, it's not an offensive question.
There have been plenty of documentaries over the years that give this impression.
Thank you OP for this interesting post.

I'm Romany and got sooo much stick at school, even though the last travelling was done by my great grandma! People have so many misconceptions and horrible ideas, its great to see nice folks on this thread :)

Someone alluded to it earlier but I get the impression that girls and women are very chaste and virginity is highly valued and important and yet the young girls dress soooo the opposite
I find that kind of fascinating? Why aren’t they/you encouraged to dress more modestly?
im sure I’ve worded this super badly. Dressing provocatively doesn’t mean someone is not a virgin or not respectable. But the girls go from the most beautiful smocks to boobs and bums hanging out

Do you come to Cambridge for the Midsummer Fair? If so can you explain what it means to your family and what your experience of it is?

Locals get very worried every year about the damage to property, violence and rubbish left behind! I wonder if you notice any hostility?

It's so tiresome to deal with people like you. Calling people racist for having different opinions. You do need to grow up. It is perfectly ligitimate for different cultures to disagree with others. Many Muslims for example don't like the way our children dress and think it's inappropriate to show so much skin are they racist too then? I'm Catholic many people don't like some of our beliefs and I don't expect everyone to agree, abortion for example people are allowed to have different opinions in a free country. Stating facts is not ' racist'. For some it does seem oppressive for women as we are used to women being free to go to work and school and make independent choices. The opposite view is they hold traditional values, no sex before marriage, divorce isn't common, very close family bonds so their are some positives.

You say your husband would ‘do anything for our family’ but also that he expects, and gets, the final say in your home.

Do you never feel worried about the fact your daughters have been taught by the dynamics in your home that a man should get the final say in their future relationships?

Is it true you don’t have toilets in your caravan? Does your site have shower and toilet facilities separate to your vans?

When a member of your family passes away do you burn the caravan they lived in? I know Irish travellers do.

If a traveller woman becomes a widow, do the wider family generally support her financially or does she have to get a job?

Why do travellers poo in the open and leave the used toilet roll right there.

How did your meet your husband? I’m surprised as it seems to me like traveller communities rarely mix with other communities so I’m surprised you met and dated your partner!

We’ve had Irish travellers in our park recently. It’s a very busy urban park and they pitched right up next to the footpath and hung out their undies while people carry on playing cricket and other park stuff etc. right outside their door. Hundreds of people walk right past every day. They obviously have homes, they only do this in the summer so why choose to camp right there? I realise the travelling itself is part of the culture but why go somewhere so public and so busy? The first lot we had did also cause a lot of damage, they flytipped everywhere, were abusive, and unfortunately used the park as an open air toilet. Not sure about the second lot, they clearly had a lot more cash.