ianstone
10-09-2010, 03:06 AM
Don't call them gipsies: As judges are told not to use the G-word, gipsy leader condemns ban as confusing
By Jack Doyle (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Jack+Doyle)
Last updated at 1:10 AM on 9th October 2010
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Judges have been told not to use the word ‘gipsy’ for fear of causing offence.
But the ban has been condemned as ‘confusing’ – by a leading gipsy group.
The edict is among a string of terms banned in a new set of guidelines for judges to make sure they comply with equality rules.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/09/article-0-061791B3000005DC-978_468x286.jpg Travellers' site: Home for gipsies, but judges cannot use the word for fear of causing offence
They are told the word ‘gipsy’ is disparaging and should be replaced by ‘member of a travelling community’.
Last night, however, Joseph Jones, secretary of the Gipsy Council, said: ‘People in the UK are proud to be called gipsies. They don’t mind being called gipsies.
‘It’s not a name that came from the Romany community and some people don’t like it for that reason. But Romany Gipsy is not a term that’s seen as a negative thing. A lot of British people from the Romany Gipsy community are proud to be gipsies – like anyone from any ethnic community would be proud to be.’
Mr Jones said describing gipsies as ‘members of the travelling community’ was ‘too simplistic’.The problem with that is it confuses the issue by mixing people who are in an ethnic group with people who are not,’ he said.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/09/article-0-0B89BE54000005DC-318_233x320.jpg
The edict comes in a summary of the Equal Treatment Bench Book, published by the judges’ training body, the Judicial Studies Board.
In the guide, judges and magistrates are warned they must ‘recognise and eliminate’ their personal prejudices. The book provides a list of people who may be ‘socially and economically disadvantaged’ and need special help to ensure they are treated fairly.
These are listed as ethnic minorities, minority faith groups, people with disabilities, women, children, older people, gays and lesbians, transgender people and ‘those who through poverty or for any other reason are socially or economically marginalised’.
In the section marked ‘Roma/gipsy/traveller’ the guidance states: ‘These groups are recognised as ethnic groups although no official statistics exist in relation to the size of the population.
'The term “gipsy” is generally regarded as pejorative; “member of a travelling community” is likely to be acceptable, but care should be taken and assumptions avoided.’
The manual also warns about using the word ‘British’. It states: ‘Use of the term as a synonym for White, English or Christian is incorrect and unacceptable.’
Other words banned are ‘invalid’, ‘mental handicap’ and ‘wheelchair-bound’. Instead judges should use ‘disabled person’, ‘learning difficulties’ and ‘a wheelchair-user’.
The manual has been updated to include the new rights contained within the Equality Act, which came into force last week. The Act was criticised for spelling the end of the office joke – as it allows staff to sue for almost any perceived offence in the workplace.
Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319056/Dont-gipsies-As-judges-told-use-G-word-gipsy-leader-condemns-ban-confusing.html#ixzz11qJCUq1B (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319056/Dont-gipsies-As-judges-told-use-G-word-gipsy-leader-condemns-ban-confusing.html)
By Jack Doyle (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Jack+Doyle)
Last updated at 1:10 AM on 9th October 2010
[/URL]
Judges have been told not to use the word ‘gipsy’ for fear of causing offence.
But the ban has been condemned as ‘confusing’ – by a leading gipsy group.
The edict is among a string of terms banned in a new set of guidelines for judges to make sure they comply with equality rules.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/09/article-0-061791B3000005DC-978_468x286.jpg Travellers' site: Home for gipsies, but judges cannot use the word for fear of causing offence
They are told the word ‘gipsy’ is disparaging and should be replaced by ‘member of a travelling community’.
Last night, however, Joseph Jones, secretary of the Gipsy Council, said: ‘People in the UK are proud to be called gipsies. They don’t mind being called gipsies.
‘It’s not a name that came from the Romany community and some people don’t like it for that reason. But Romany Gipsy is not a term that’s seen as a negative thing. A lot of British people from the Romany Gipsy community are proud to be gipsies – like anyone from any ethnic community would be proud to be.’
Mr Jones said describing gipsies as ‘members of the travelling community’ was ‘too simplistic’.The problem with that is it confuses the issue by mixing people who are in an ethnic group with people who are not,’ he said.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/10/09/article-0-0B89BE54000005DC-318_233x320.jpg
The edict comes in a summary of the Equal Treatment Bench Book, published by the judges’ training body, the Judicial Studies Board.
In the guide, judges and magistrates are warned they must ‘recognise and eliminate’ their personal prejudices. The book provides a list of people who may be ‘socially and economically disadvantaged’ and need special help to ensure they are treated fairly.
These are listed as ethnic minorities, minority faith groups, people with disabilities, women, children, older people, gays and lesbians, transgender people and ‘those who through poverty or for any other reason are socially or economically marginalised’.
In the section marked ‘Roma/gipsy/traveller’ the guidance states: ‘These groups are recognised as ethnic groups although no official statistics exist in relation to the size of the population.
'The term “gipsy” is generally regarded as pejorative; “member of a travelling community” is likely to be acceptable, but care should be taken and assumptions avoided.’
The manual also warns about using the word ‘British’. It states: ‘Use of the term as a synonym for White, English or Christian is incorrect and unacceptable.’
Other words banned are ‘invalid’, ‘mental handicap’ and ‘wheelchair-bound’. Instead judges should use ‘disabled person’, ‘learning difficulties’ and ‘a wheelchair-user’.
The manual has been updated to include the new rights contained within the Equality Act, which came into force last week. The Act was criticised for spelling the end of the office joke – as it allows staff to sue for almost any perceived offence in the workplace.
Read more: [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319056/Dont-gipsies-As-judges-told-use-G-word-gipsy-leader-condemns-ban-confusing.html#ixzz11qJCUq1B (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1319056/Dont-gipsies-As-judges-told-use-G-word-gipsy-leader-condemns-ban-confusing.html)