Friend still believes in "chavs"?

[waytoooldforthisshite]

Had a funny (well, slightly depressing) conversation today. my friend came round all flustered, telling me that she'd been "harassed by chavs" outside the shop. One was some teenager who asked for her number 🙄

Tried to explain that "chavs" aren't even real, it's a tabloid invented stereotype/myth from the early 2000s that was basically used to demonise working class people. But she just went on about it like she was quoting The Sun from 2004. I ended up showing her this article. She's 39.... and I expected her to know a bit better but what can ya do eh?

Just feels so outdated now. You don't really hear anyone say "chav" anymore (thankfully), and it's weird how those old class-based stereotypes still linger. I honestly felt like I'd timetravelled back to the Little Britain era 😂

Anyone else still know people who talk like that?

I always think of chavs as people of questionable taste ie: sparkly ornaments, everything silver and pineapple jogging outfits, but they don't exercise. Usually don't work so not working class.

I used to be a chav

For fucks sake

Sorry this got me 😂 I grew up in Belfield (bloody rough and chavvy) and was thinking the exact same thing. My parents are still there but I thank my lucky stars I’m not now! It’s a tough life with chavvy people left, right and centre who would batter you if you so much as blink wrong. I’m betting the OP doesn’t live in a place like Rochdale if she thinks chavs don’t exist.

People say chav all the time, what are you on about? And we know who we are referring to when we say it. Please don’t shut down the use of language to explain something really easily.

Maybe you are one?

You are extremely offensive by pretending that "chavs" = working class people.
Being working class does not mean and has never meant being a chav. HTH

I'm really sorry you've had those experiences. You sound like a very strong person to improve your situation in such a horrible environment.
What do you think started the chain of events that the people you write about to live like that? Was it a generational thing dating back a long way? Or more recent?
Sorry, I can understand if you don't want to give more detail.

Wow, this thread is giving me nostalgia. I (American) was last in the UK in 2006, and “chav” was one of the terms I had to figure out. The others were “WAGs” and “Page 3 girl.” 😂

I'm literally standing watching a kids football match surrounded by chavs in dry robes 😂.
They exist.

Oh well, if an article from Cambridge says so and another in the socialist press concurs, it must be right! We all have to accept your two sources, despite the evident biases and limitations.
We all know what chavs are when we see them. It's a certain sub sector. It's not necessarily restricted to class either.

Yeah, Cambridge University… bet they know all about chavs. Much more than folks who’ve grown up with this shite and call it what it is.

😂😂

I'm not sure though : would an upper class hellraiser be called a chav? Hooray Henry maybe? Middle class? Maybe yes

Why?

"Chavs aren't real" 😂 They're not like Santa, there's no debate over whether or not they're "real"!

Where do you live?

I'd suggest you reach for the smelling salts, OP. Chav is one of the less offensive slurs kids are using.

This thread is hilarious. Leftie leaning, middle class Guardianista meets the real world 🤣🤣

No way is this word in the past. As has been said, it's used regularly on here!

Why aren’t chavs? Who are you to decide they aren’t a real subculture? Because you’ve found an article online declaring it when there are plenty of other articles arguing the opposite? You don’t get to decide what is and isn’t a sub culture, sorry, OP. You’re coming across a little bit thick now with comparing chavs to Nessie and Nessie to a fish and proclaiming that because you’ve never seen a chav they don’t exist. I mean, you must realise how ridiculous that particular argument is? I’ve never seen many things but I don’t go around saying they mustn’t exist then. If you had any valid points, people would be agreeing with you, but no one is because you don’t.

If I can ask, why do you think Rochdale became like this? Did deindustrialisation/too-generous benefits play a role? Or other causes?

You can fuck off with that. And I don’t care if I get deleted. Don’t use the death of that poor woman to further your bullshit.

Why do you keep going on about fish and Nessie?

What other slurs do you think kids are using? If you mean the depressing resurgence of the f-slur and r-slur, do you really think that's a good thing?

I agree quibbling over chav is stupid though if it's being used to describe actual chavvy behaviour.

There are “Road Man”, of all colours and persuasions, but predominantly black British!

And yes anti social, criminal tendency, “haughty” boys.

If you believe in chavs, clap your hands! 👏 😂