tooyoungforthelivingdead:

golden-zephyr:

tooyoungforthelivingdead:

C4’s gypsy wedding ad prompts 56 complaints to ad watchdog

I really think we need to sort out the word “racist”/”racism”. On the one hand there’s the common interpretation, on the other there’s the power plus privilege sociological definition.

Pretending that everyone understands the latter is pretty elitist, but then equally the word “racist” to describe this ad won’t really be understood by a lot of people.

I mean, calling someone a gypsy obviously isn’t inherently negative as a descriptor, especially if these people class themselves as gypsies specifically - but when coming from a poster in such a sensationalist way I find it really hard to not read it in the pejorative way.

The consent isn’t the issue here, and neither is the term specifically - it’s the overall attitude that sensationalising a community for personal profit (especially at the detriment of the community like this seems to be) is basically cultural imperialism.

Help me out here, I’m struggling…

Well. Here’s the thing.

The word gypsy is historically racist. Many, MANY people pejoratively grouped under that term, find the word offensive. Sure, of course the people in the show, the ones who fucking sold out to glorify their way of life—-of course they don’t agree. But, they’re being PAID and GLORIFIED to disagree.

I’m upset that there are only 56 complaints. ONLY 56.

By putting up these posters, Channel 4 is saying that all gypsies live and act this way and all gypsies identify with the pejorative term, WHICH IS JUST NOT TRUE.

I don’t identify with any of these people. They are not Rroma, they are not “gypsies” but Irish Traveller and Romanichal and then there’s even some debate about that. I do not want to be sensationalized in this way. I do not want giant posters featuring pissed off kids and a guy with a horse to represent ME.

I am going to make that number of complaints 57.

reblogged for commentary

I saw a different version of this poster, with an angry ginger kid as the picture instead, yesterday morning. All I could think was WHAT?! I don’t understand how they ever thought this could be justified.