Repeat after me: People of other ethnic groups... are... not... ANIMALS. Why is this hard?

[cimorene]

I just read a story in which gypsies are magical creatures who MATE FOR LIFE and share many of the properties of fanon Veelas (a la Draco-is-a-Veela-and-Harry-is-his-mate fic). I just. What? They're creatures?

The most completely flabbergasting part is that the author seems to have not a hint, not the slightest clue that there could be anything offensive about that. wax_jism suggested that perhaps the author thought gypsies were magical creatures, ie she didn't realise the Rom really exist outside of fiction; but a throwaway line of dialogue about how they're "related to" "Muggle gypsies" made that unlikely and made everything worse. I'm flashing back to the Miscegenation Kerfluffle... which, perhaps not coincidentally, was also in Harry Potter fandom...

Comments

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Also, you don't exist because there are no female gypsies! Except for how some of them appear in the story - like Snape's mom - but she doesn't count, or something. They're like Veelas (all Veelas in fanon are female. Unless it's about Draco Malfoy, and then, obviously, they are of both genders). Or maybe only male ones are maaaaaaaaaaaagickally seductive, or something.

[copracat]

because there are no female gypsies

Well, that's definitely part of the magic.