Something To Consider

Mcmeanie

Newbie
On the use of the word Pikey.

"There is no word more offensive to a traveller, says Cliff Codona, a Roma Gypsy and chairman of the National Travellers Action Group."

"This is the language of social discrimination and it's quite shocking that this language is now being bandied about" - Tony Thorne
 
Just keep in mind, as the late great George Carlin used to say all the time, words are only insulting if you give them the power.
 
I never heard that term until recently. I would have used it as a nickname for a Pika wylderkin. :ugeek: I always thought they were rodents, but apparently they are Lagomorphs (like rabbits and hares). Their name can be prounounced py-ka or pee-ka. Interestingly I also just found out that this is the real animal that Pikachu is based on!

Here's a real Pika.

pikapika.jpg
 
One of the things about IG Romani is that we're supposed to be outsiders. Our ways often misunderstood and stereotyped. In game, I've been called every racist slur there is for a Romani. It's a struggle to be overcome IG. Nobody means it to apply to actual wandering descendants of Aryan slaves.

~Jesse
aka: Marcena Cenkraea "The Dove" Idumea DagonGaddi, proud to be a Romani no matter what anyone says.
 
A buddy of mine had said he wanted to use an accent like the one Brad Pitt used in the movie "Snatch" for his gypsy character. So, I was looking for other possible sources outside of the movie and came across this almost immediately. I was actually surprised to find out this was an ethnic slur that the people it referred to found very offensive. Looking back on it, I probably should have picked that up watching the movie. It had just never occurred to me. Since I have read and heard people use it casually in OOG conversations I thought maybe they didn't know. So I just kinda posted up here because, I would not want to offend someone accidentally and thought others might feel the same.

Jesse,
Are you saying that players have used real ethnic and racial slurs to insult your character?

Chris
 
I can honestly say that this is the first time I've ever heard this word.
 
Yeah, so? It's what we get for loosely (VERY loosely) basing one of our In Game fictitious races off a race of real-life people. Were I a real gypsy or were they directed at an actual Romani person, I would be outraged. But yeah, Gypo, Pikey, thief (whether she actually took anything or not), it's just in game bigots playing their role. A struggle for my Romani to overcome.
 
"Pikey" actually sounds like a term of endearment to my ears. Were it not for this thread, I wouldn't even know it was ever considered derogatory. That's the trouble with getting offended by words without knowing who supplied them or why. While racism is an insidious evil, identifying it should be done with care, or else we can all become fearful of accidentally being branded racist, or we can become calloused to the real sources of racism.
 
I to have never heard of the word until this thread... :?
 
ok, I find it weird that people have not heard of "Pikey" before, with Snatch being a great movie and all. As to the meaning of the word and it being a "racial slur" ... as someone who has/had family that is family, I take no offense to it. Because this is a game!!! :eek: :lol: :lol: :D

Matt K.
 
Thats the great thing about gypsys. You get to know pretty quickly if you offend them.

<-- plays an ala "Snatch" pikey styled gypsy.
 
Some Roma think "Gypsy" is super offensive. On the other hand, some use it with pride. It's definitely a tough balance. The important thing for those of us who play this race is that we continue to be awesome. Then nobody can shake their fist and say we're disrespecting a people.

Caldarians call Pikeys "Parkers" in the race packet, but the three I know all call themselves Pikeys (I think they just forget). I believe they're called Pikeys in Deadlands, though I haven't seen any PC ones in awhile. What do other chapters call them?
 
I have heard them be called Romani, Roma, Romachal, Gypsies, Of the Blood, Pikies, Gypos, rainbow people, and the colored folk.
 
Samara is right btw. I cant say for the other one, but I do. There are too many times the mouth moves faster then the brain.
That's why shes on staff and stuff.
 
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