ELECTRAHEARTPOP 93 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 How is it in any way a racial slur if she's using it in a positive light? She explicitly declares her love for the lifestyle of the Gypsy people, and relates it to her own - extremely successful and happy - life. It's in no way a slur and I don't think it would affect the sales or radio play if it was made a single. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
germagaga 22 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 hahahahaha very true. I'm not asking for validation(because I don't think it is bad), just if they think it could hurt the song's chances if it was going to be a single. Well, I'm sure that asking some people on a lady gaga fansite would give you the best data to predict how the world would react to it. Also, it's great that you're more concerned about the song's commercial success than the social ramifications of a slur being used as the title of a pop song Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
germagaga 22 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Nope, all travelers I know would be delighted with anything 'representing' them, even if it comes from outside. Would you be worried a song using gay references being discriminatory if neither the context nor content were in any way discriminatory just because the singer was straight? anyone peeved at Macklemore's Same Love? And don't throw me the race card, it's EXTREMELY discriminatory to separate discrimination by race from discrimination by s-xual preference, gender (-identity), handicap or anything else a person didn't voluntarily choose to be. re: usage of the word itself: To some people, it's the same as using the n-word, or the f-word. It's an inherently offensive term to people. re: Macklemore: There were some people talking about how Gaga was using the gay community for popularity, but I think Macklemore is an actual example of that. His popularity also raises issues of representation, like: why do straight white people get to speak for the entirety of the lgbt community? what does that say about how our society has apparently integrated lgbt people in the mainstream (especially lgbt people of color)? How many songs except for Gaga's Born This Way have even mentioned trans* people in a positive way? etc. etc. etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rainbowgynous 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 sooo many songs named gypsy.. by fleetwood mac, cher, shakira for example Suzanne Vega Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emvee 8,400 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 "Gypsy" is not a race. Stop calling it a "racial" slur. And I've never heard it be used as a slur. I'm sure Gaga has never heard he used as a slur. That's not "a thing" in most places on the planet. And I'm willing to bet that wherever it is a problem, the English word "gypsy" is not the word used as the slur. You have to think about the context. There are plenty of words that could be problematic because they're more relevant to the situation. Chola and orient were definitely. It was a direct to reference to race. (Although, being Mexican myself, I did not find the word "chola" to be offensive. I actually found it more inclusive because I personally know people who would fall under that stereotype, so the backlash against the use of that word was ridiculous to me. I'm sure most of the people who cried wolf didn't even know a real life chola/cholo who proudly identified as such... which, by the way, does not necessarily mean you're in a criminal gang. It's a lifestyle.) The whole "Gypsy is problematic" argument exists only because people are inappropriately mixing contexts. Lady Gaga is irrelevant to the Romani people and the Romani people is irrelevant to Lady Gaga and saying "I'm a gypsy" (and using the English word) is in fact just a metaphor for constantly being on the road. I don't think she actually thinks she's a gypsy. Had she used the term "gypped" then yes I'd consider it problematic. It's a common term in American English that has a negative connotation. But nowhere in the English dictionary is "gypsy" said to be a slur - not in a denotative or even connotative way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunt 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 LoL no Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyodisko 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 Well, I'm sure that asking some people on a lady gaga fansite would give you the best data to predict how the world would react to it. Also, it's great that you're more concerned about the song's commercial success than the social ramifications of a slur being used as the title of a pop song I don't think it's inherently bad. It's a grey area, because the definition is totally different in America than it it in Europe. And some Romani people do not mind the term, while others distance from it. I wouldn't tell people not to use fag in parts of Europe, because I'm offended by it here. I was asking here, because I was wondering if anyone knew that it is also a slur in some places and if any of the users would like to discuss it. So lose the attitude. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyodisko 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 That could be. I think he was offended by the term in any meaning. He was equating it to the n word. But yes, I think that the culture not being very big in society could also be part of it, no one really knows that the word goes beyond a romanticized wanderer. I'm glad you're not entirely offended. It's good to have someone who is actually part of the culture to comment on it. lol Not in quite a while have there been and with ever growing social justice platforms, the song could be under fire for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Battle 4 Ur Life 6,713 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 no. nobody tbh “Fantastic, chic, freak, slay.” Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miel 15,009 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I grew up mainly in America, and here (as far as I know), it is not used as a racial slur. I mainly associate either with the actual ethnic group (Romani?), or something synonymous with the term nomad. 3 points in and ready for more Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyodisko 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 How is it in any way a racial slur if she's using it in a positive light? She explicitly declares her love for the lifestyle of the Gypsy people, and relates it to her own - extremely successful and happy - life. It's in no way a slur and I don't think it would affect the sales or radio play if it was made a single. Uh, so by that logic the n word and fag are okay as long as they're used in a positive light? "Gypsy" is not a race. Stop calling it a "racial" slur. And I've never heard it be used as a slur. I'm sure Gaga has never heard he used as a slur. That's not "a thing" in most places on the planet. And I'm willing to bet that wherever it is a problem, the English word "gypsy" is not the word used as the slur. You have to think about the context. There are plenty of words that could be problematic because they're more relevant to the situation. Chola and orient were definitely. It was a direct to reference to race. (Although, being Mexican myself, I did not find the word "chola" to be offensive. I actually found it more inclusive because I personally know people who would fall under that stereotype, so the backlash against the use of that word was ridiculous to me. I'm sure most of the people who cried wolf didn't even know a real life chola/cholo who proudly identified as such... which, by the way, does not necessarily mean you're in a criminal gang. It's a lifestyle.) The whole "Gypsy is problematic" argument exists only because people are inappropriately mixing contexts. Lady Gaga is irrelevant to the Romani people and the Romani people is irrelevant to Lady Gaga and saying "I'm a gypsy" (and using the English word) is in fact just a metaphor for constantly being on the road. I don't think she actually thinks she's a gypsy. Had she used the term "gypped" then yes I'd consider it problematic. It's a common term in American English that has a negative connotation. But nowhere in the English dictionary is "gypsy" said to be a slur - not in a denotative or even connotative way. Did you read any of the comments? It is a term for a race of people... Just because in your limited time on the planet you haven't encountered it doesn't mean it isn't a slur. There's a big cultural difference. I'm talking about going beyond the definition you and most are familiar with. You realize the English dictionary isn't the only one, yeah? I think the song is written in the idea that she is a gypsy in the whimsical, romanticized way, like most people in the USA know the term to be. Like I knew the term to be. The question is whether it could hurt the song or Gaga in places that the term is used in a derogatory way. Because despite what your experiences say, yes, it is a derogatory word in some places. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokyodisko 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 I grew up mainly in America, and here (as far as I know), it is not used as a racial slur. I mainly associate either with the actual ethnic group (Romani?), or something synonymous with the term nomad. Agreed, I honestly only ever knew the term was associated with nomads and Esmeralda from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. lol That's why I am wondering if the people who come from places where the term is a different, negative definition from the one used in the USA think it could hurt her career. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emvee 8,400 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Uh, so by that logic the n word and fag are okay as long as they're used in a positive light? Did you read any of the comments? It is a term for a race of people... Just because in your limited time on the planet you haven't encountered it doesn't mean it isn't a slur. There's a big cultural difference. I'm talking about going beyond the definition you and most are familiar with. You realize the English dictionary isn't the only one, yeah? I think the song is written in the idea that she is a gypsy in the whimsical, romanticized way, like most people in the USA know the term to be. Like I knew the term to be. The question is whether it could hurt the song or Gaga in places that the term is used in a derogatory way. Because despite what your experiences say, yes, it is a derogatory word in some places. Obviously, I know English is not the only language, condescending little friend. :) Words take on different meanings for different people over time and distance. Just because it's derogatory to one group it doesn't mean it has to be off limits for everyone else. That is my opinion and I felt that it was appropriate to express it here. But, my original post also addressed your main point, thank you for noticing. "Gypsy" will only be a problem if people make it their problem. If it blows up as some really offensive song, it'll only be because people will make it their personal agenda against the figurehead behind the song. Why? Because Gypsy is not a slur in most of the world, which is Gaga's demographic. If her demographic were the Romani people, then she'd have a problem; but, most people don't think twice about the word Gypsy. The only people who do are the ones who take everything out of context and put a totally meaning from what is intended into ONE WORD. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendell 0 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I don't really think many people find it offensive. Of course, it's not our call to make, but one can only be so politically correct. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahkeenasitka 1,995 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 okay, theoretically i can understand where the "offensive" part is coming from... but honestly, i don't think that Gaga using the word gypsy in her song is going to be a problem at all. like other people have said, other prominent mainstream artists have used the word Gypsy in their songs.. additionally, we live in America, not Romania, and the commonly understood meaning of Gypsy has nothing to do with the Roma Gypsies of Europe. It's about living the lifestyle of being without a home, travelling the world, being a free wandering spirit. I think this is a commonly accepted understanding of the word. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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