nPostednon April 8, 2016
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nDon’tncall them gypsies!
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nThenRomani people have met with stereotyping, discrimination, andnoutright persecution for centuries. n
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nBy the way, if you’re notnsure what these three words mean:
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“stereotyping”n means assuming that pretty much all members of a group share certainn characteristics, good or bad (such as “gypsies are thieves” orn “Asian people are super smart”).n
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n“discrimination”n means facing prejudice based on negative stereotypes (such as notn being hired for a job because the boss assumes that Romani peoplen can’t be trusted, or not being welcome in a restaurant because “wen don’t serve that kind”).
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n“persecution”n means aggression, punishment, or violence (such as anti-Gypsy lawsn expelling Romani people from a nation, or Hitler imprisoning andn killing Romani people).
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nRomaninpeople still face discrimination even today, in Europe. In the U.S.,nthings are a little more complex. Many Americans don’t recognize thenname “Romani” (aka “Roma” or “Romany” or “Roms”), but theynassociate the word “Gypsy” (aka “gipsy”) with a lifestylenrather than a people. To some extent, American perceptions of “thenGypsies” is positive – free-spirited hippy sorts who travel fromnplace to place, wear colorful clothing, and love to sing and dance. n
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Butneven popular stereotypes are offensive, right? Why should people whondon’t move a lot, who don’t sing or dance, and who wear “regular” or “normal” clothes have to explain over and over again, “Not allnGypsies are like that”? When an entire group of people isnmisrepresented – even if they are romanticized, rather thannvilified – the people being misrepresented are often – understandably – angry or sad.
Butneven popular stereotypes are offensive, right? Why should people whondon’t move a lot, who don’t sing or dance, and who wear “regular” or “normal” clothes have to explain over and over again, “Not allnGypsies are like that”? When an entire group of people isnmisrepresented – even if they are romanticized, rather thannvilified – the people being misrepresented are often – understandably – angry or sad.n
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nSomenRomani people don’t mind being called “Gypsies,” but many do; itnis considered by many to be a racial slur. So play it safe and avoidnthe term.
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nTodaynis a day to celebrate the Romani people and culture. Here are somenresources:
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nFacing History and Ourselves
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nFRUA
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This is the flag of the Romani people.
The ancestral roots of the Romani people are
in Northern India. Can you see the similarity between
Romani flag (above) and the flag of India (below)?n
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| Some Romani people are very wealthy and built and live in large, posh houses like the one above. On the other hand, too many Romani people live in |
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| Above, traditional Roma dress. Below, most Romani people wear modern clothes most of the time. |
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nAlsonon this date:
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National All is Ours Day
National All is Ours Day n
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nDrawna Bird Day
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nSealingnthe Frost in Guatemala
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nBuddhanDay
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nHananMatsuri, or Flower Festival, in Japan
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nPlannahead:
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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nApriln holidays
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nMayn holidays
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nMayn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in May
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