Whoopi has issued a video apology after using what some are calling an offensive slur towards Romanians during Wednesday's episode of The View.
via Yahoo:
While discussing former president Donald Trump, the talk show host mentioned how his supporters feel he got "gypped" in the 2020 presidential election.
The View's official Twitter account posted an apology video from Goldberg shortly after the episode aired.
"You know, when you're a certain age, you use words that you know from when you're a kid or you remember saying, and that's what I did today and I shouldn't have," the 67-year-old actress explained. "I should have thought about it a little longer before I said it, but I didn't, and I should have said 'cheated' and I used another word. And I'm really, really sorry."
Multiple Twitter users commented how they were unaware that "gypped" was an offensive word. But here's why the term should be retired.
"Gypsy" is a word that's been used to describe the Romani people. Merriam-Webster defines being "gypped" as being cheated, defrauded or swindled, and notes, regarding its etymology, that it is "probably short for gypsy." For years, some have casually used the word to describe when they've received less than they paid for, or if they've gotten something stolen. Obviously, "gypped" doesn't have the best connotation.
"I encounter a lot of people who tell me that they never knew the word 'gypped' had anything to do with gypsies, or that it's offensive — especially when the word is heard not read," University of Texas at Austin professor Ian Hancock, who was born in Britain to Romani parents, explained to NPR in 2013. "My response to them is, 'That's okay. You didn't know but now you do. So stop using it. It may mean nothing to you, but when we hear it, it still hurts.'"
I grew up using the word gypped, and never knew it was a slur used towards Romani gypsies. Growing up in New York, it was used as a term to describe not getting enough of something. Like for example I go get something to eat and I say "they gypped me on some extra soy sauce."
What people need to realize is that words have double meanings, and I'm sure the people complaining are well aware that when Whoopi was using the word she meant no malice towards a certain group of people.
I love how everyone stays nitpicking everything that comes out of Whoopi's mouth, but y'all continue to produce crickets whenever those clowns over at Faux News spew lies, propaganda, and racial dog whistles.
Now that we know gypped is an offensive slur, we can stop using it.
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