‘Caravan wives’ and ‘decent girls’: Gypsy-Traveller women's perceptions of gender, culture and morality in the North of England

Abstract

This paper examines the beliefs and practices that constitute gender among Gypsy-Traveller women and then attempts to discern the consequences that flow from these. It analyses gender ideology and expectations among women and the shared investment in the moral identity attached to being a good Gypsy-Traveller wife. The paper argues that ‘Gypsy-Traveller woman’ cannot be understood as an identity that stands apart from gender and racial oppression. It is within this context that the tension between change and permanence in gender relations is played out. It argues that the maintenance of cultural taboos embodied and symbolised in the surveillance of womens' bodies is an important issue that problematises the construction of Gypsy-Traveller women. It posits that the appeal to morality may represent as much an avoidance of anxiety as a defence of marked gendered divisions within Gypsy-Traveller society. The paper suggests that the demands of cultural survival play a significant role in framing the degree to which women are willing or able to challenge the status quo.

Dans cet article, nous examinons les croyances et les pratiques qui déterminent le genre chez les femmes gitanes du voyage, puis tentons de distinguer leurs conséquences. Nous analysons l'idéologie du genre et les attentes définies par le genre parmi ces femmes, et leur investissement commun dans l'identité morale relevant de la bonne épouse gitane du voyage. Nous soutenons que l'expression « femme gitane du voyage » ne peut être comprise comme une identité qui se distingue de l'oppression du genre et de l'oppression raciale. C'est dans ce contexte que la tension entre le changement et la pérennité des relations de genre se joue. L'article avance que la conservation des tabous culturels, incarnée et symbolisée par la surveillance du corps féminin, est une question importante qui problématise la construction des femmes gitanes du voyage. Il postule que l'attraction pour la moralité peut représenter aussi bien un évitement de l'anxiété qu'une défense des profondes divisions fondées sur le genre qui existent au sein de la société gitane du voyage. L'article suggère que les exigences de la survie culturelle jouent un rôle crucial dans la définition des limites de la volonté ou de la capacité des femmes à remettre en cause le statu quo.ResumenEn este artículo analizamos las creencias y prácticas que forman las normas de género entre mujeres nómadas de raza gitana e intentamos discernir sus consecuencias. Analizamos la ideología de sexos y las expectativas de las mujeres así como la inversión compartida en la identidad moral que implica ser una buena esposa romaní y nómada. Aquí argumentamos que no se puede entender el concepto de mujeres nómadas de raza gitana como una identidad separada de la opresión sexual y racial. Es en este contexto donde ocurre la tensión entre el cambio y la permanencia en las relaciones entre sexos. Sostenemos que mantener los tabúes culturales que se personifican y simbolizan en el control de los cuerpos de las mujeres es una cuestión importante que complica la construcción de la identidad de mujeres nómadas de raza gitana. Se plantea que recurrir a la moralidad se podría representar no solo como una defensa de las marcadas diferencias entre los sexos en la sociedad nómada romaní, sino también como una forma de evitar la ansiedad. En este artículo sugerimos que las exigencias de la supervivencia cultural desempeñan un papel importante a la hora de delimitar el nivel en que las mujeres desean o pueden cuestionar las normas.

Keywords::

• femininities
• gender
• Gypsy-Traveller women
• morality
• decency
• England

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Judy Nixon, Camila Bassi, Angela Maye-Banbury and John Flint for their helpful observations on an earlier version of the paper. Thanks also go to the three anonymous reviewers who made constructive comments about how the paper might be improved.

Notes

^1. The research on which this paper is based was carried out with Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers, referred to collectively as ‘Gypsy-Travellers’. While acknowledging that Gypsies and Travellers are distinct ethnic groups, the paper draws attention to the relative ethnic homogeneity between them. They have aspects of a shared culture, often live side-by-side and are stigmatised as one group. In addition, gender relations across both groups are characterised by power differentials and patriarchy (Powell 2013). If the term Gypsies is used, this refers solely to Romany Gypsies. Likewise, when the term Irish Traveller is used, this refers solely to Irish Travellers. Another term used in the paper is that of settled/sedentary community. Whilst it is recognised that settled community is somewhat generalised, it is used to denote non-Gypsy-Travellers.

^2. Despite economic resilience through flexible self-employment, many Gypsy-Travellers live in poverty and have difficulties claiming welfare benefits (Cemlyn and Briskman 2002).

^3. All names have been changed to protect participants' anonymity.

^4. ‘Unauthorised encampments’ refers to instances where Gypsy-Travellers set up camp temporarily, often on the roadside and often contravening planning regulations. These encampments often generate a great deal of hostility from local communities, businesses and local authorities.

^5.Gauje is the term commonly used by Gypsies to refer to non-Gypsies. There is no widely accepted spelling of the word and it sometimes appears as ‘gorger’ (which closest reflects its pronunciation), ‘gorgio’, ‘gaje’ or ‘gaujo’ (Powell 2008, 107)