Slurs on Gaia

[saint dreya]

I have been a member since 2004. I've seen many things come and go, items, events, etc.

I started a thread in Petitions, here, in September, about the word "Gypsy" being used for the item "Madame Gypsy".

As was accepted and understood when Tea Didikai posted her thread to remove G~ from Nicolae's description (find that here) for zOMG!, G~ was considered a slur and an apology was forthcoming. Nicolae's description was changed and the word was not used.

Gypsy is a racial and ethnic slur used against the Roma.

As per Gaia's ToS, Part 4, Subsection 2
[Prohibited Conduct -- BY USING GAIA ONLINE YOU AGREE not TO: ]
send, post, or make available pornographic, threatening, embarrassing, hateful, racially or ethnically insulting, deceptive, tortious, defamatory, libelous, or otherwise inappropriate or offensive content to other Gaia Members.

Please see the following links -
Bottom paragraph, G~ is pejorative
A personal account of a reaction to the slur
More history and expansion on the Roma

Both Petitions previously mentioned (Tea's and mine) have more links showing the racism and prejudice the Roma have had to endure, and the offense they face under the continued use of this ethnic slur.

Gaia, please remove the slur from this item and stop using it.

EDIT: Attached to the Petition, many of the regular posters have come up with other options to replace G~ and still retain either the Circus aspect, or mystical feelings that are usually associated with fortune telling.

EDIT: In the original release of Cirque du Gothique, Gaia refers to this band of people as a "crowd of misfits and troublemakers".

With the recent rehash of some of the Cirque du Gothique, Gaia has clearly made the use of this word into a slur.

From the release of Arcana Break - "Cirque du Gothique, that traveling band of no-goodniks, ruffians and freaks, has returned to town with Arcana Break. As if their motley crew weren't degenerate enough, the Ringmaster has hired a new fortune teller, Velvetine. Draw a card from her tarot deck and she'll read your fortune."

Not only did the Cirque du Gothique include Madame Gypsy, already a slur, but those "employed" by the mythic circus are bad news and degenerates. This is Nicu all over again.

[K r a z y k a t]

You're going to get a lot of people telling you to suck it up and that you're being insensitive, but you do have a point.

For example, if Gaia created items with descriptions or names using other racial slurs (e.g. Spics, Chings, Japs, Krauts, etc.), people would be up in arms. However, gypsy is often used without malicious intent and has become a common word in the English language. In the U.S. at least, it isn't used as much of an ethnic slur (so far as I have seen).

It's a fine line. Do we edit ourselves? However, if we edit ourselves for this, should we edit for words that were once used to put down other people (e.g. retarded, lame, stupid, etc.)?

[Marokia]

Well, I don't think they mean gypsy as in the Gypsies.

I think they gypsy as in, ya know, they traveling psychic, tarot using type? The ones who wear the jingly gold coin belts and wear pretty dancing shawls?

I think they meant gypsy as in the profession, not the race.

[Sakura Latte]

K r a z y k a t

You're going to get a lot of people telling you to suck it up and that you're being insensitive, but you do have a point.

For example, if Gaia created items with descriptions or names using other racial slurs (e.g. Spics, Chings, Japs, Krauts, etc.), people would be up in arms. However, gypsy is often used without malicious intent and has become a common word in the English language. In the U.S. at least, it isn't used as much of an ethnic slur (so far as I have seen).

It's a fine line. Do we edit ourselves? However, if we edit ourselves for this, should we edit for words that were once used to put down other people (e.g. retarded, lame, stupid, etc.)?

"Jap" is only a racial slur in the U.S. from what I know, and I know and heard of some Japanese people who refer to themselves as such because they don't know that it's a racial slur. For example, a fellow regular I know from the International forum said her Japanese professor (a native Japanese speaker) uses the word "Jap" when shortening the word Japanese because she had no clue that such a term was a slur. o.o

[I Nyotalia China I]

I see nothing wrong with the use of that word. Since a lot of the time it is not used as an insult.

I agree that it is most likely Gaia was going toward the profession and not toward the Roma people as an insult.I see no reason to change the item name

[K r a z y k a t]

Kanashii Sakura Uta

K r a z y k a t

You're going to get a lot of people telling you to suck it up and that you're being insensitive, but you do have a point.

For example, if Gaia created items with descriptions or names using other racial slurs (e.g. Spics, Chings, Japs, Krauts, etc.), people would be up in arms. However, gypsy is often used without malicious intent and has become a common word in the English language. In the U.S. at least, it isn't used as much of an ethnic slur (so far as I have seen).

It's a fine line. Do we edit ourselves? However, if we edit ourselves for this, should we edit for words that were once used to put down other people (e.g. retarded, lame, stupid, etc.)?

"Jap" is only a racial slur in the U.S. from what I know, and I know and heard of some Japanese people who refer to themselves as such because they don't know that it's a racial slur. For example, a fellow regular I know from the International forum said her Japanese professor (a native Japanese speaker) uses the word "Jap" when shortening the word Japanese because she had no clue that such a term was a slur. o.o

★ Huh. Learn something new every day. ★

[Gabriella Ellenor]

"There is duality in everything. If you can not understand that, there is no hope for your victory"

~
And we have to bring this up again why?

Edit: The likely probability of the item being changed now is far slimier than it what when the first issues was raised. The item is out, and has been out for a while. I wouldnt hold your breath for a name change.
~

"Your kind of cute. I got some free time, why don't cha show me how far you have come in your training"

[MadSam123]

:l Are you kidding me? This again?

I see nothing wrong with the madame gypsy items name, Gaia obviously pointed it towards the profession not Roma. I don't see why people are all up in arms about the name of that item and creating drama about racism that isn't there.

Gaia may be many things, but racist isn't one of them.

[panoptes]

I still have no problem with a name change, as it does not affect the item itself.

Madame Fortuna sounds way classier anyway.

[tuna can pp]

I suppose you do have a point,
but c'mon, don't take things so seriously...

[Marokia]

panoptes

I still have no problem with a name change, as it does not affect the item itself.

Madame Fortuna sounds way classier anyway.

They could save that for a recolor. Of course, there's the fact that Fortuna is the name of a Goddess also, so Fortuna may be a name waiting for the just right item.

[panoptes]

Marokia

panoptes

I still have no problem with a name change, as it does not affect the item itself.

Madame Fortuna sounds way classier anyway.

They could save that for a recolor. Of course, there's the fact that Fortuna is the name of a Goddess also, so Fortuna may be a name waiting for the just right item.

Whatever they choose, it doesn't matter. I just always thought that Madame Gypsy was a completely stupid sounding name because - aside from the matter brought up by the OP - Gypsy is not a name.

It's about as nonsensical as "Madame Breadbox."

[Marokia]

panoptes

Marokia

panoptes

I still have no problem with a name change, as it does not affect the item itself.

Madame Fortuna sounds way classier anyway.

They could save that for a recolor. Of course, there's the fact that Fortuna is the name of a Goddess also, so Fortuna may be a name waiting for the just right item.

Whatever they choose, it doesn't matter. I just always thought that Madame Gypsy was a completely stupid sounding name because - aside from the matter brought up by the OP - Gypsy is not a name.

It's about as nonsensical as "Madame Breadbox."

Umm... what do you mean?

Gypsy isn't a name, it's the profession. You do realize that Gaia capitalizes every single word in an item name like in a book, correct? Like Snow Witch, Puss in Kamik, Alruna's Rose, Scarlett Rose?

Frankly, if Gaia had an item named Muffin, the M would be capiytalized.

Not all Madame's even have names. Sometimes they're just called Madame.

Anyways, wouldn't it be stupid to change a name when already enough people know what it is? What if someone went looking for the item but they couldn't find it because it was renamed?

Pllus, whenever has Gaia ever changed an item named? Besides Pietro?

[panoptes]

Marokia

panoptes

Marokia

panoptes

I still have no problem with a name change, as it does not affect the item itself.

Madame Fortuna sounds way classier anyway.

They could save that for a recolor. Of course, there's the fact that Fortuna is the name of a Goddess also, so Fortuna may be a name waiting for the just right item.

Whatever they choose, it doesn't matter. I just always thought that Madame Gypsy was a completely stupid sounding name because - aside from the matter brought up by the OP - Gypsy is not a name.

It's about as nonsensical as "Madame Breadbox."

Umm... what do you mean?

Gypsy isn't a name, it's the profession. You do realize that Gaia capitalizes every single word in an item name like in a book, correct? Like Snow Witch, Puss in Kamik, Alruna's Rose, Scarlett Rose?

Frankly, if Gaia had an item named Muffin, the M would be capiytalized.

Not all Madame's even have names. Sometimes they're just called Madame.

Anyways, wouldn't it be stupid to change a name when already enough people know what it is? What if someone went looking for the item but they couldn't find it because it was renamed?

Pllus, whenever has Gaia ever changed an item named? Besides Pietro?

Madame is a title like Miss or Sir. It is said in front of a name to infer that title on the person.

If you really think changing the name would cause such chaos (which I don't believe), they could make a small announcement explaining the name change and what the new name is. Easy.

[Sushi-The-Raw-Fish]

I understand what the OP is getting at here, but there's always going to be something offensive out there. =/ That's just how the world works.

And like many people have said before me, they weren't trying to be offensive. And they were intending to refer to the profession.

That said, I also don't see Gaia rushing to change the name of the item in question.