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Racist origins of "gypsy"

The word "gypsy" is frequently used in pop culture — hiding its origins as a racial slur of a persecuted people. ⚠️ Warning: the following video includes images and audio some viewers may find upsetting or disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

11/05/2018 10:20 PM
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49 comments

  • Gypsy W.
    06/09/2020 17:19

    and I'm still a traveling soul

  • Gypsy W.
    06/09/2020 17:14

    I will not stop...I AM OF ROMANIAN HERITAGE and the original meaning before defiled meant a traveling group of people whom sold goods

  • Treasa B.
    12/06/2019 20:11

    I like everyone I'm not picky we all have the same thing there isn't anyone out their that is better than the next person in line Tracy.

  • Rebekka L.
    02/04/2019 22:15

    Also, the word Gypsy should start with a capital letter, just as you take care to capitalize Native American. Our name is a proper noun.

  • Rebekka L.
    02/04/2019 22:13

    While it actually does not have origins as a slur, it is often used as one now, and I appreciate her greatly for taking a moment to recognize there are many of us ethnic Gypsies who choose it, over Romany.

  • Rebecca J.
    12/31/2018 12:17

    Thank you. I did not know; now I do.

  • Peter S.
    12/03/2018 11:48

    I have been using the word to describe the type of music from Eastern Europe , for example Gypsy Beats , may need a new label to use in the future

  • Amie A.
    11/26/2018 16:02

    Chéri tuvien jeitaim

  • Kena S.
    11/18/2018 21:25

    Wow.... And all this time I thought gypsies were magical creatures. Good to know.

  • L.M. Q.
    11/14/2018 16:01

    Mindblown. Never knew any of this.

  • Jenneine L.
    11/14/2018 02:06

    Gypsy is the new "N" word.

  • Paulina G.
    11/12/2018 13:48

    rename?

  • Razaul R.
    11/12/2018 04:16

    6666666

  • Marie A.
    11/11/2018 16:09

    I’d like to ask everyone who is not Romani not to spell the racial slur anymore. And if, write G*ps* I mean, you wouldn’t do the same on Black People, would you?

  • Karen S.
    11/11/2018 06:11

    I did not know that at all, my mother called herself a gypsy, meaning she was free spirited

  • Shyam S.
    11/11/2018 03:18

    Really! Now the word gypsy is also racist!? I guess soon the word "Human" will be consider racist as well.

  • Greta S.
    11/10/2018 22:14

    It's shocking how many people don't know this.

  • Michael R.
    11/10/2018 17:53

    WHO says Gypsy is a racial slur? Gypsies?? 👎

  • Armour K.
    11/10/2018 11:21

    Good

  • El M.
    11/09/2018 11:23

    Gypsy a member of a travelling people traditionally living by itinerant trade and fortune telling. Gypsies speak a language (Romany) that is related to Hindi and are believed to have originated in South Asia nomadic or free-spirited person. Gypsy is unique name for our people, gypsy is person who travel we been travelind over 1000 years before we even become roma becase we are originally from India where most people believes is hindu or Buddhism or siksm we never been roma until we start travel we shoudl be proud to be gypsy roma