[Callers] Gypsy perception

Harris Lapiroff via Callers callers at lists.sharedweight.net
Tue Nov 3 11:21:39 PST 2015


To quote the Gypsy Council website
<http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/gypsy.html> you have shared: "In the UK
today we are proud to be Gypsy's but in Europe many people regard the term
Gypsy as a term of abuse and prefer to be called Roma or to be called by
the name of  their individual group, such as Kalderash or Sinti."

On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 2:16 PM, Donald Perley via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> I'd say I'm putting it in the context of a bigger picture, in multiple
> dimensions.
>
> I would call diving right into which phrase should replace gypsy
> before there is any agreement that it should be replaced
> passive-aggressive.
>
> Go ahead and discuss.. as someone else posted, a national group in
> Britain uses the term in their web address
> http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/ so maybe you can pop in there and
> ask whether they find others using the term in a non-derogatory way
> offensive.
>
> Personally, I look at the situation with African-Americans.  There
> have been many iterations of a term being offensive and deemed
> impolite.  A new term comes into use, but if the same people hold the
> same ill feelings with the new term, it also becomes derogatory in a
> few years.  Rinse and repeat; you haven't fixed anything.
> If a term has its roots in disparagement, (say, "nigger" as a
> demeaning variation on negro) then it is offensive from the start.  I
> don't think that's the case with gypsy.
>
> On Tue, Nov 3, 2015 at 11:22 AM, Ron Blechner <contraron at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Donald,
> >
> > I am reading your comments as an attempt solely at shutting up other
> people.
> > Is this your intent? It also comes off pretty passive aggressive. That is
> > *not* appreciated and *not* helpful.
> >
> > Disagree all you like, but if you don't want to participate in a
> discussion,
> > please don't interfere with others who do.
> >
> > Respectfully,
> > Ron Blechner
> >
> > On Nov 3, 2015 9:06 AM, "Donald Perley via Callers"
> > <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> >>
> >> On Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Aahz Maruch via Callers
> >>
> >> > I have to admit that technically your argument is correct WRT me, but
> >> > that's because I haven't been contra dancing at all (except for Queer
> >> > Contra Dance Camp).  Instead, I've been focusing my time/energy on
> >> > learning to call MWSD, which leaves this as my only outlet for contra
> >> > dancing.  ;-)
> >>
> >> Like I said, more into the crusade than the dance.
> >>
> >> While we're at it, more offensive terms that may need replacing:
> >>
> >> Chain - represents slavery
> >> Cast(e) - discrimination affecting a billion Indians
> >> Swing - derogatory term for swapping sexual partners.
> >>
> >> I notice that in quotes from the original complainant who spurred this
> >> subject, he never claimed to be Roma himself, and it was a little
> >> unclear whether he was more offended by just the term gypsy, or the
> >> implication that same-gender gypsies would be flirting with each
> >> other.
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