What's in a name....

   A some point early this year, when this whole trip really started becoming a reality, I started tossing name ideas around. I came up with some good ones. But, the one I really loved was The Book Gypsy. I felt like it embodied both my passion for books and literacy and also my style of playing fiddle. I named my blog. I opened a Facebook page. I even ordered stickers and made some business cards. Then, when trying to name my Facebook page, I got a message that The Book Gypsy did not follow Facebook's acceptable guidelines for page names. I did some minor sleuthing and found out that it was because of the word "gypsy" in my name. I had never heard that there was anything even remotely questionable about the word "gypsy." Apparently it was a pejorative. Who knew? I kind of huffed and puffed and then in a fit of frustration, I posted the following on Facebook:

So....I have a question...

Preamble: this summer I will be traveling all over playing music (mostly busking and farmers markets) and giving away free books (traveling Little Free Library). I will be living out of my car, camping, and staying with people along each route.

I wanted to come up with a name for myself and my blog that was catchy and also described what I was doing. I came up with The Book Gypsy. I have already bought the URL, been blogging under that name, printed stickers and business cards, etc. 

 

A Nomadic Romani Family
August Sander, 1931

 Last week I found out that  Facebook won't let me use the word "gypsy" in any page titles or descriptions. I did some research and I believe this is because the term "gypsy" is a pejorative in some cultures. I had never heard this before. 

So, my question is, do I completely scratch everything I've done so far and change my name? Have you ever known someone who was offended by the term gypsy? I don't any to offend anyone, but the thought of changing everything at this point is terrifying. I don't really care about the Facebook thing, I just want to change the name NOW if people think it'll be an issue down the road. 

PLEASE give me your thoughts!!!!

I was up in Santa Cruz and talked with my sisters and family about it. Everyone had widely differing views. However, my sister Annie and her husband were pretty encouraging about finding a new name. Ever the champions for those who experience racism in any form, they counciled me to do some research. I whined. Who has time for research!? Can't I just pretend I didn't know?! Oh, how my childishness embarrasses me later. 

I also got an AMAZING response on Facebook. Some pretty awesome names were suggested. Lucy Fire? Maybe in another life... Bibliothecary & Balladeer, Wander Woman, and Readabout. Oh, there were some choice ones in there. So many people also championed me to follow my heart and stick with what I had chosen originally. I was so appreciative of ALL the responses. So thankful. 

  

  After I had gotten my bellaching out, I sat down at the computer to do some research. I sat there for hours. I think it was like five. Some coffee might have been involved. I was so saddened and shocked by the history that unfolded before me. Here is how I responded on Facebook.

Appleby Horse Fair, Dave Thomas, 2003

  Oh I whined about this one. Yes I whined. I moaned and complained and even said, "Whatever! It's my decision!" a couple times. I bellyached about the money I'd spent on the website and the stickers, etc... I just basically complained a lot. My poor family. When I decided to rethink the name, I committed to coming at it from a neutral standpoint. And then I did some research. I did a lot of research. And, oh my. Oh. My. God. 

Horrible. Tragic. There aren't even words to describe the horrendous history of the Romani People. Though it is very different is so many ways, I kept coming back to the feeling that the Romani People are to Europe what the Native American Peoples are to America. They have been used, taken advantage of, treated as less than fellow human beings for so, so long. Too long.
We have this sort of Disneyesque, Rose-tinted way of looking at things here in America. I mean, I'm sure to a certain extent everywhere, but more so here, I believe. We romanticize things. We are a young enough country that we can afford to be romantic about our past, others past. And yet? And yet....
We cannot. I cannot. I cannot label myself with a term that has such a terribly sad past, even if it isn't something I grew up seeing. I didn't see first hand the purging of America's Native Peoples and yet I would NEVER call myself The Book Squaw. It is the same thing. I really is. We live in a rapidly merging global culture.
We have the opportunity every day to be kind, to heal rather than hurt. We can step closer to being a collective Human Race or we can step farther away. We make choices everyday one way or another.
Yes, I have the right to call myself the Book Gypsy. Yes, gypsy means a lot of things to a lot of people. Yes, I play "gypsy" music. There are so many reasons why it would be acceptable for me to label myself as The Book Gypsy.
But you know what? There are equally great names out there. And I want to choose to respect the Romani People. Even though this is such a little thing. Such a nothing thing even. But it is still something that I can do. Or not do, rather!
I've decided to call my blog and Facebook page A Novel Journey. Who can be a book nerd and tell me why? Facebook won't let me change the page name for another week so it will still say The Book Gypsy for a bit. My URL for the blog will stay the same for a few weeks as well.
What I've learned from all this? (Which I should have learned as a history major long ago) DO YOUR RESEARCH!We have this sort of Disneyesque, Rose-tinted way of looking at things here in America. I mean, I'm sure to a certain extent everywhere, but more so here, I believe. We romanticize things. We are a young enough country that we can afford to be romantic about our past, others past. And yet? And yet....We cannot. I cannot. I cannot label myself with a term that has such a terribly sad past, even if it isn't something I grew up seeing. I didn't see first hand the purging of America's Native Peoples and yet I would NEVER call myself The Book Squaw. It is the same thing. I really is. We live in a rapidly merging global culture.We have the opportunity every day to be kind, to heal rather than hurt. We can step closer to being a collective Human Race or we can step farther away. We make choices everyday one way or another.Yes, I have the right to call myself the Book Gypsy. Yes, gypsy means a lot of things to a lot of people. Yes, I play "gypsy" music. There are so many reasons why it would be acceptable for me to label myself as The Book Gypsy.

The Modern Gypsy, Unknown, 1986

    But you know what? There are equally great names out there. And I want to choose to respect the Romani People. Even though this is such a little thing. Such a nothing thing even. But it is still something that I can do. Or not do, rather!I've decided to call my blog and Facebook page A Novel Journey. Who can be a book nerd and tell me why? Facebook won't let me change the page name for another week so it will still say The Book Gypsy for a bit. My URL for the blog will stay the same for a few weeks as well.What I've learned from all this? (Which I should have learned as a history major long ago) DO YOUR RESEARCH!