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Just feels so outdated now.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?

Owen Jones can't even define a man or a woman correctly so he's hardly a reliable source for the definition of a subset of either.

Lol. This is so the type of faux-concern middle class hand-wringy drivel that some lefty North London luvvies love to patronisingly bash plebs over the head with to “educate” them.

Chav has never been used as a derogatory term for working class people where I live. Mostly teenagers who act and dress a certain way. Back in early 2000s this was trackies, rockport, ponytail scraped as far on the side as it could and accessorised with a dolly chain, clown necklace or sovereign ring.

I completely disagree that they’re just people in sportswear. You could stick one chav in a line up of 50 people in a variety of sportswear and anyone could pick them out.

Reputable sources.

Owen Jones, and the Socialist Party.

OP show a bit of critical thinking and at least acknowledge that these two people/institutions have as their core purpose class warfare and defending the rights of those groups they see as demonised and oppressed (women excepted, in the case of the lovely Mr Jones). Up the workers! Down with the bourgeoisie! It's all very student politics.

Chavs does not mean working class. You are wrong.

dickhead? arsehole? twat?

This is entertaining! OP the term is derogatory for sure but your pompous declarations and continual reference to Nessie are absolute quality Mumsnet

Also agree with this. Chav is not about class, it’s so much more than that.

My 11 year old used the term just today (and in the right context I may add!).

Whilst it does have working class connotations, I'd argue that they're a class of their own. I've seen many middle class chavs. They have the money but no class so to speak.

It was nothing to do with being 'working class'. It was essentially classless, anti social, under class behaviour, common as muck, shameless, call it what you like. Everyone knows what it means and what type of person. People that sit on a broken sofa in the front garden being loud, smoking and playing with little Kayden who is wearing designer trainers from the market.

These articles would disgree:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/chav-the-word-that-wont-let-go/

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2011/jun/05/how-chavs-replaced-working-class

https://www.businessinsider.com/chav-meaning-what-is-tiktok-trend-working-class-stereotype-british-2021-6

Of course Chav is derogatory as it’s describing a negative stereotype. Anti social behaviour, dressing badly ( knock off versions of labels), being loud and flashy. Incidentally all things we also dislike in any other demographic- braying city boys, loud performance parents in uniform etc.

Theres non chavvy working class people who have individual style, respect for their community etc.

Chavs absolutely exist except where I live they are called Neds. It’s their behaviour that warrants the term not their class and for info a lot of neds I knew were from middle class and upwards ! Plenty of cash plenty of freedom to do as they please and parents who could never imagine their child behaving poorly !

I call them arseholes of society. They are always there, different name depending on who is saying it, location and era.

Owen Jones? That's your source of wisdom. 😂 Dear me, that explains a LOT. I suggest you don't lecture people in future. You sound like a complete idiot.

Chavs exist. Not all working class people are chavs though! To me a chav is someone who is rough, swears alot, drinks alot, gets in to fights, has chosen not to work etc. Someone you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of. Majority of working class people aren't chavs.

Of course they exist 😂 I thought the new term was “road men” but my 14 year old surprised me recently by describing someone as a chav.

OP can't distinguish between a news/factual piece, and an opinion piece.

That's a book review about OJ's book from a social science journal. That is not something that qualifies as supporting evidence.

Why won't the OP say if they use other derogatory words for working class people?

Yes the little wannbe runners and dealers but they're not necessarily chavvy

What phrase are we meant to use for weed smoking folk riding illegal electric motorbikes into incoming traffic then?

This, just this.

Idiots?

No need to ever use slurs

Chav is still very much used amongst the teens. DD is 13 and loads of the kids she knows use it.