Something In The Peaky Blinders Community That Has Caught Mine And A Few Others’ Eyes, In The Frequent

Something in the Peaky Blinders community that has caught mine and a few others’ eyes, in the frequent and so relaxed use of the word “Gypsy” when not in book context.

As someone part of the Rroma community, having once lived in Romania, moving from country to country until we settled in England in 2008, I think it’s important to make it known to people who may not be aware before it becomes a widespread issue.

The word Gypsy has been used since the beginning of our communities in the North of India, where majority of us originated. The word has been used to enslave the Rroma community until the late 1800’s, it was used during the Holocaust to justify the slaughter and eradication the Rroma community endured and wipe out our community.

Between 200,000-500,000 (the records unknown due to the disregard of Rroma life) Roma and Sinti people were murdered by Nazi’s in the 2nd World War. Roma and Sinti people were sent to ghettos, Auchwitz, Dachau and Brikenau, which has a specific “Gypsy Camp”, made specifically for the Roma and Sinti communities.

Romani is not Romany, Romany is not Sinti. Rroma is an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that has a closed language. We wish that for the purpose of fanfiction, you do not attempt to learn that language as it is closed. The language has saved the lives of millions of Rroma through the years - being a symbol of our strength and integrity. If something were to happen to our community again, we would rely on our language to keep us safe once again.

Having Romani, Romany, Sinti or any other Rroma connection does NOT make you ethnically Rroma. Having Great-great grandparent connections to Rroma does not make you Rroma, for you will not be persecuted for living in a Vardo, nor will you be persecuted for the label on your birth certificate.

We want you to celebrate our culture, when you are invited. We want you to celebrate our dished and clothing, when you are invited. If you have a Rroma friend, you will more than likely understand a few basic words of our language.

In fan-fiction, it is expected to see the word Gypsy be used sparsely, giving context to the time period and the lack of regard for our community, despite the hardships. However, we ask you do not use it in reference to us or our people, fiction or not. We ask that when you talk about the Shelby’s as people, you refer to them as Romani, not as Gypsy.

We ask that you do not call yourself Gypsy in your usernames, for that is disregard to our culture and our people. We ask that you do not refer to yourself as a Gypsy in context of you like a person of Rroma descent.

We ask so little, but these changes can change the future of so many Rroma people. It can change the future of my grand-children’s lives, my children’s lives. If we understand now why Rroma are important, why we aren’t thieves, job stealers and lazy, we’ll make a change to the future and what may happen next.

Rroma has had so little rest, and we are still in a constant battle with the engrained systems that disallow us to do certain activities and events due to our heritage.

As authors on this app, we ask YOU to be the first to make that change.

Of course, any reblogs etc are appreciated, or if you choose to illiterate this piece into something else to spread to your friends on this app, we will also be entirely grateful. If the message is spread, maybe the next generation of will not have to be told the message at all.

All my blessings to anyone who has read this. Nais nais tuke <3