Whoopi Goldberg recently got into some trouble after calling the Romani people an insensitive name during an episode of The View.
“Wokeness” is complicated
The actor-turned-talk show host claimed during a discussion about the late President Donald Trump that his fans believed he was ‘gypped’ in the 2020 election.
Unbeknownst to Goldberg, the phrase “gypped,” which meaning “to rip someone off,” is probably originated from the word “gypsy,” an insult used to designate the nomadic Romani people, according to Merriam-Webster.
Social media users reacted angrily to Goldberg’s usage of the phrase as a result.
Whoopi Goldberg’s apology is well-deserved, according to one user. “Gypsies are a real class of people with their own unique hardships, and they are most often stereotyped by ignorant pretentious entitled elitists individuals like Whoopi Goldberg, and it shows,” the user added.
“I don’t know how many more’slip ups’ by Whoopi need to be done before the ABC Network takes a position,” a second stated. “I’m not even sure why The View is still there given the nonsense they’ve said and done. I guess they condone it to let it to continue.”
Shortly after the show aired, The View’s official Twitter account published an apologetic video in response to people criticizing the presenter.
You know, when you get to a certain age, you start using words you remember saying or knowing from when you were a kid. That’s what I did today, and I shouldn’t have.
“I should have thought about it a little longer before I said it, but I didn’t, and I should have said ‘cheated,’ but I used another word. And I’m really, very sorry,” the 67-year-old actor continued.
She apologized, trying not to smile as she said.
She received harsh criticism for her apology as a result.
“Don’t trust her. She’s lying yet again. She meant precisely what she stated,” one user commented.
A second person said, “Oops, I did it again.”
Some social media users also noted that they were unaware that the term “gypped,” or the incorrect spelling “jipped,” was insulting.
In 2013, University of Texas at Austin professor Ian Hancock, whose Romani parents were born in Britain, described how the phrase affects people of Romani heritage to NPR.
Many frequently claim to him that they were unaware that the word “gypped” had anything to do with gypsies or that it is insulting, especially when the word is spoken rather than read, he added.
“That’s okay. You didn’t know but now you do. So stop using it. That may mean nothing to you, but when we hear it, it still hurts,” is my reply to them.
So there you have it.
Baby boomers who are ranting on social media about how the ‘awake’ world has gone insane, take note: it is no longer appropriate to compare Romani people to liars, cheaters, and thieves.
When you’re more than willing to hurt their feelings, don’t whine about how “wokeness” has wounded your feelings.