The GRT (Gypsy, Romany and Traveller) community still experience prejudice and discrimination every day. This toxic atmosphere makes it impossible for their employees to feel comfortable being themselves at work. This community includes three distinct ethnic groups: Romany Gypsies, Roma, and Travellers. Sadly, such damaging stereotypes and misconceptions are still prevalent today, forcing some people with Asian heritage to hide their culture for fear of reprisals.
Worrying recent results from a YouGov poll commissioned for Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) paint a stark picture. Even more shockingly, 22% of those surveyed said they would be put off hiring a Gypsy or Traveller. This shocking statistic serves as a reminder of the deep-rooted discrimination faced by the GRT community. Sadly, this discrimination is still pervasive and mostly rarely opposed. Many Romany Gypsy women find themselves pressured to conceal their identity. They are forced to do this in both professional and public spaces as a means of avoiding discrimination and hate.
Chantelle, a proud Romany Gypsy, is all too familiar with these challenges. She’s learning to feel more comfortable sharing her heritage. Nonetheless, she continues to be on edge at times due to constant negative depictions of her community that are perpetuated by the media. As a creator with more than 400,000 followers on TikTok, Munoz shares her family’s dance heritage while breaking down stereotypes along the way.
“Oh, these are the Gypsies, they’re the bad guys,” – Chantelle
Chantelle’s journey is featured in Stacey Dooley’s BBC documentary Growing Up Gypsy, which follows three young Romany women as they navigate everyday life. Through the lens of the GRT community’s struggle against discrimination and invisibility, the film powerfully illustrates the marginalized group’s experiences. Instead, it frequently portrays them as unwanted in most social settings.
Ebony, another member of the GRT community, echoes the sentiments of many when she states, “There is a lot of hate and discrimination against travellers, and people don’t get jobs because they’re travellers.” Ebony and Chantelle both touch on the pervasive influence that stigma can have on their employability and ability to engage with the public.
Chantelle says she’s proud of where she’s from, even with all the stigma that area has. She states, “I know we get talked bad about and things like that, but I’m proud of it.” Her confidence has grown tremendously over the years. Supportive interactions online have fueled a real desire to learn more about her heritage, increasing her confidence.
“It goes back in your generations and it’s in your blood,” – Chantelle
Alongside this natural beauty, the GRT community’s cultural heritage is diverse, deep and vibrant. Most of our members have vivid—and dear—memories of summers spent in cherry orchards working alongside their families. This homesteading development process forms a deep sense of roots and identity of place within this community. The more troubling underside of that experience, the reality of prejudice, often clouds that positive experience.
Ebony emphasizes that all non-travellers do not have the GRT community’s interests in mind. She notes, “I don’t look at every non-traveller like you’re a bad person.” This statement illustrates the complexity of perceptions and the potential for understanding across cultural lines. Ebony urges others to recognize the humanity behind stereotypes: “That’s what I would like people to sort of open their eyes to.”
Even in the face of all these challenges, many in the GRT community are working to change perceptions and increase acceptance and understanding. Chantelle’s transition to being out and open is a model for those who don’t know if they’re ready to be true to their identity. As they find their way through public perception and potential personal pride, voices from inside the GRT community are growing in importance.
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