To think I must be a chav, as MN has deemed me so?

[Heartbrokenmum73]

According to threads I've been reading lately, most things I do seem to be marking me (and my family) out as chavs.

I fed my children formula and jarred food - this is chavvy
My Mum likes cards that say Nanny and she sends relative-specific cards - chavvy
My children like to wear character clothing - chavvy
I shop at Tesco and sometimes even Asda - chavvy

AIBU to be a bit tired of seeing the word 'chav' on here lately? I've challenged it and said that it's offensive, but just get the 'well, it's only online, why are you bothered', as if that makes it ok.

Yes, I realise I'm being over-sensitive, but me and my family aren't 'chavs' and I'm tired of it being bandied about (along with 'common') to describe things that people see as beneath them.

I have a number in my username, so I guess I'm a chav, though I'm still not sure what it is. I know what chevre is, and I quite like it.

That card thread got my heckles up. I blame pmt.

I do the main shop at Asda at it's the largest store near us but I also class Booths, which according to some on here is vay posh, as my local shop.

I bought a relationship card for someone but it was from M&S.

And so on.

It's all balls really isn't it? (Or should that be testicles?). I do wonder if those who are quick to declare something 'chavvy' have something of a complex about their own status/class and perhaps worry they aren't as middle class as they'd like to think themselves. It's like the 'middleclassproblems' hashtag on twitter, there's something quite earnest about it. Very Mrs Bucket, room for a pony.

You forgot one thing-
Having a number at the end of your nickname is also' chavvy' ...well I think so anyway

I think Chav is no better or worse than other stereotype tribal epithets for example -

Goth
Emo
Gangsta
Boho
Grunge
Crumbly
Hippy

People use them as a form of shorthand to describe people. Both my DSs were called nerds or geeks but it didn't bother them.

I confess I've used all those terms myself at some time. It only seems to be chav that gets people worked up. My Dniece was trying to explain to her 10 year old that it wasn't kind to call someone a chav. His reply was that if they didn't like being called chavs they shouldn't dress like chavs.

I suspect it means different things in different areas of the country as well. Here possession of a big fuck off buggy or shopping at Primark is chavdom.

All of these are used in a sneery way often.

I was one of the ones who used the word chavvy on the card thread, and I regret my choice of word. I don't apologise for thinking they are naff as anything though. There is a lot of po "you mustn't criticise anything ever as someone else likes it and that's ok we're all different" going on. But if that's the case then we need to stop about three quarters of the threads on here including the ritual annihilation of Per Una and Speziale, and that would be a disaster.

Where is this cards thread of which you speak? It sounds hilarious.

I order Funky Pigeon cards especially, because shops don't sell English cards with Taid on. I've even been known to do the ones you can put your own photos on.

I reckon I'd be well popular over there

Another 'chav' here then!

Mumsnet snobbery me thinks, learn to ignore it!

Having been born in a Victorian slum, brought up in a council house (loved it), attended grammar school, got a degree, and did a quiz yesterday that said I was 100% middle-class, at which I was 100% offended may I offer up Owen Jones Chavs?

This class thing has been used recently to divide the traditional left of centre approach to politics and to society.

It's amazing how defensive we get; I feel really pissed off when my eminently sensible decision to put the TV on the wall because I live in a tiny house is used to demonise me! Probably should feel guilty that I don't have a huge lounge. . . Oh no! That's the wrong word!

Just be comfortable in yourself. I know I am ponce-tastic with my veg-box and living Christmas Tree. However, I don't need to feel better than anyone who doesn't make my choices.

But don't get me started on Blue Flashing Christmas Lights!

Chav is different to using naff though, or anything like boho, hippy, geek.

I think there is something particularly unpleasant about the word. It's not just a descriptive it's an insult.

Saying a card is naff is insulting the card, fine. Saying they are chavvy makes a judgement call on the person buying them.

Blue flashing lights are the invention of the devil.

Usual I've seen confirmation Clinton's is chavvy.

In back in the game.

Lol at peruna

SMorgauseBordOfChristmasTat I agree, but a hell of a lot of people use it in a very different way. Which just seems daft to me.

if clintons is chavvy I wonder what people think of THe Card Factory

People now use the word 'chav' in place of common or naff. They are totally different things.

If you think people use Chav in the same way as they use goth,emo etc.Then you have never read the baby names threads on MN.

usual I haven't read the baby names threads on MN - thankfully! But everyone I know IRL uses the word in the same way they use goth, emo etc.

Anyway it's Chriiiistmasss,so I'm off to sort out my chavvy house.

people on mumsnet who use the word Chav are not using it to describe a style of person they are saying these people are common as muck for buying/wearing/doing, it is insulting being called an Emo is not an insult it is a style (if that makes sense)

I must be Chavvy too Heart as i do or have done 3 things on that list and shop at Iceland and Home Bargains.

My DD's name isnt chavvy though.

Ah see I use Emo as an insult

why would you use emo as an insult , tbh that is quite childish and it is something i would tell my dd off for are you my daughter

MrsJ look at the username and the smiley.

The wink was kind of a clue..

It's also a long running thing for goths to dislike emos, especially as the press for a long time kept saying emo's were the "nu goths" And the goth cliché is to be elitist and exclusionary.

Thank you onesleep!