Anti-Gypsyism Position Paper

07 Oct 2019

In 2004 Sir Trevor Phillips described discrimination against Gypsy and Traveller communities as “the last respectable form of racism”. Although Gypsies and Irish Travellers are recognised as distinct ethnic minorities under the Equality Act(s), they continue to experience some of the highest levels of racism and discrimination of any ethnic group. Anti-Traveller rhetoric, or Anti-Gypsyism, is not often viewed as a form of racism, however Gypsies, Roma and Travellers have become racialised through negative stereotyping and, like all forms of racist rhetoric Anti-Gypsyism is intrinsically harmful.