Why “gypsies” is being discussed
The most recent Hacker News stories and comments contributing to this topic's mentions.
The one people hating the gypsies the most are the Roma. They're not the same thing.
by OroPla · Oct 1, 2026
Gypsies are not Roma. Gypsy is the word for a lifestyle. Like vagabond or Amish.
by OroPla · Sep 29, 2026
> Gypsies aren't a race, what they do is a lifestyle I said the exact same thing for like 20 years. Until I realized that this thought is utterly racist. Luckily, I was disguste…
by ruszki · Sep 29, 2026
Gypsies aren't a race, what they do is a lifestyle. Kinda like classical pirates and brigand bands. But while the latter examples have disappeared for the most part in Europe, g…
by OroPla · Sep 29, 2026
Maybe I don't understand exactly what you are saying, but if I do: there is a fundamental difference between Gypsies and homeless people, you are born a gypsy by no fault of you…
by carlob · Sep 29, 2026
> speaking about gypsies in a racist way is followed by a ban I'm suspecting that is only because of behaviors learned from US on the internet. If not for that they wouldn't hav…
by IsTom · Sep 29, 2026
Interest
Proportion of Hacker News items mentioning "gypsies" over time.
Mentions
Total number of Hacker News items mentioning "gypsies" over time.
The Romani, also spelled Romany or Rromani, colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group who traditionally led a nomadic, itinerant lifestyle. Linguistic and genetic evidence suggests that the Romani originated in northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. Their subsequent westward migration, possibly in waves, is now believed by historians to have occurred around 1000 CE. Their original name, derived from the Sanskrit डोम, may refer to the Doma, a Dalit caste traditionally associated with musicians and dancers. The Romani population moved west into the Ghaznavid Empire and later into the Byzantine Empire. The Romani arrived in Europe around the 13th to 14th century, via the Balkans. Although they are dispersed, their most concentrated populations are in Europe, especially central, eastern, and southern Europe, as well as western Asia. Read more on Wikipedia