AIBU to really not like the word Chav ?

[Frequentblooper]

I've seen a few threads now where people use this word to describe others who I guess they feel are beaneth them ? The problem I have with this is I know these people may well view me as a "Chav" I certainly have all the background of one (although my eyebrows are normal) and although I work I can't afford my own house so I rent and I can't afford the best clothes so j have to shop at places like "select" etc also members of my family who I love could also be described as a "Chav". I think it's hate speech from middle and upper classes. I would like to say please can people not use it. I know it may be not meant in hatred but when I read that my heart sinks a little

YANBU, Frequentblooper. Show me someone using 'chav' and I will show you an ignorant and/or uncouth idiot, not the kind of person you would want to know. Feel free to despise them.

It's sneery and horrible and I disagree that it's not meant in hatred. People don't use it in an affectionate way.

I don't think it's horrible. To me it describes attitude rather than the clothing/lifestyle. But I'm a foreigner, so I might be seeing it wrong.
Btw, the way you describe it, I might be chav too. And (oh, no!) my DD has a dummy.

Yanbu. A lot of names on the baby names board are described as 'chavvy', when it reality they are perfectly good names, just not classic or granny chick. It gives me the rage that people will judge a child by it's name.

This word seemed to appear from nowhere. I live abroad and had never heard of it until a couple of years ago.

I thought it was meant to describe a kind of attitude rather than a socio economic group?

YANBU it's used to describe working class people who don't behave in the way that middle class people think they should. I hate the word too, as I hate racist language and stereotypes. Owen jones' "Chavs: the demonisation of the working class" is a really good read.

YANBU

Just came onto this thread to post a link to the Owen Jones book but I see a PP has got there before me.

It's nasty and sneery and deeply unpleasant but I can't see that it's more nasty, sneery or unpleasant than 'common' which was the thing we were all supposed to be terrified of being when I was a child.

There will always be a word for people who commit the crime of being less affluent, less educated, less 'polished', less privileged' than 'us'.

It's better, actually, in some ways, when people signal their snobbery with the word, than when they dance around it.

What are chav eyebrows? I know I'd be considered chav but I'd tell them I'm a chey if I was ever called one

Mimi I think op means those coloured in eyebrows?

Wow I'm really pleased with these responses I don't know what I expected but I just wanted to stick up for myself a bit and haha brideofwankingstien I saw the dummy post too that pissed me off a bit.
The great thing o like on here is all women supporting each other despite background. I mainly use mumsnet as its so funny and gets me through my night shift. I used to lurk as too shy to post. I still don't know what all te abbreviations mean!
Anyway Now I will have the confidence to pull someone up about that word without feeling like I'm going to get into a confrontation

I see it as a name of a self-identifying "tribe". No better or worse than Goth or Emo etc. It's lazy stereo-typing, a shorthand description.

I used to lurk as too shy to post.

Glad you got over it

Have you seen the Owen Jones book? They're right^, it's very good.

Yes mimi I mean ridiculously drawn on clown eyebrows which now you mention it I don't know why I said that ! I was just getting across that I'm working class and from a working class family but despite chav being insulting I don't look like the stereotype. As a teen I definitely did !

Where did the word come from anyway? Was it a TV programme?

I was going to say what strawberry did, that it's the same as saying 'common' which you don't hear as much. Both are looking down on others for a perceived lack of 'good taste' I think. So yes, sneery.

But people do prejudge others by their name. When I was a TA there were some boys' names that made your heart sink a bit on the new class lists as they tended to be associated with the more troublesome ones!

The leading theory is that evolved from 'chavver' which is a gypsy word for 'child' Two, but it's hotly debated. 'Townie' is another nasty word with the same (current) meaning.

Thanks strawberry no I haven't seen that book I may look it up! It may be to describe a tribe but all I can say is when I read Chavie remarks it makes me feel bad and prickly and upset.

when I read Chavie remarks it makes me feel bad and prickly and upset

You will love the book then. He completely eviscerates the snob position

The word "charva" was being used in this context in parts of the North East around the turn of the millennium, so it's been around for a while.

YANBU OP. It's a sneery, judgemental shorthand for "not one of us ".

I see it as a name of a self-identifying "tribe". No better or worse than Goth or Emo etc. It's lazy stereo-typing, a shorthand description.

I agree that it's lazy stereotyping but it is different to describing someone as a Goth or an Emo, these are labels that people will actively choose for themselves they're subcultures that aren't dependent on class. People don't self identify as "chavs", it's a derogatory term that is used by some to label others based on class and snobbery.

Frequentblooper

I found the mumsnet acronym list helpful

www.mumsnet.com/info/acronyms

There is also an idea that it originated to describe people from Chatham in the Medway towns. In that they all looked the same with a "uniform" attire etc

YANBU.

People don't self identify as "chavs" - Exactly.

It's just another way of calling someone 'common'.

There were a lot of people when I went to school who identified as chavs. When the word first came about is quite fashionable. You wee either an emo or a chav.