traveller pride
London
A brief description of who we are, who we aim to be and some guiding principles.
In short, we want to be the service we could've done with as teens. We are a
collective, this means if you want to get involved with us but feel something
below needs to change, we can discuss that. Contact us We are a UK-Based
collective made up of LGBT+ Travellers working to provide support,
representation and a platform for LGBT+ Travellers. Our focus is both on local
action/solidarity and gaining wider recognition for issues faced by those of us
in this particular intersection. “Travellers” is used as inclusively as
possible. There is enough commonality of experience and discrimination to make
this inter-group solidarity important. We still recognise the differences
between the groups but believe there is enough shared experience, including
discriminations, to make us effective allies for one another and to mean we’re
often fighting the exact same battle. We operate on a self-identification policy
rather than relying on ethically dubious ideas of racial purity. There is no
hierarchy of settled vs nomadic, but we do acknowledge the different issues that
can occur as a nomadic/peripatetic Traveller vs a settled one (and again, the
difference between settled on sites vs settled in housing). Traveller in this
context can mean Romany Gypsies, Welsh Kale, Irish Travellers, Scottish
Travellers, New Travellers, Van Dwellers, Boaters, Bargee, Showmen, Circus
People. Anyone who positively (but not necessarily publically) identifies as
LGBT+ and a Traveller is welcome. We are a loose collective rather than a
codified charity because we feel this makes it easier to respond quickly,
without as much red tape. Despite this, we want to operate as transparently as
possible. To this end: We have meetings at least quarterly, minutes are
available to whoever requests them unless we have good reason to believe the
request is vexatious or malicious. We do have a bank account & paypal, our
finances can be looked at and explained upon request unless we have good reason
to believe the request is vexatious or malicious. We welcome scrutiny and will
attempt to be transparent when questions are asked of us unless we have good
reason to believe the request is vexatious or malicious or if it would infringe
on an individual's privacy. We reject the stereotyped oversimplifications of
“Travellers are Homophobic/Transphobic”. It can be difficult to come from some
more traditional backgrounds among Travellers but there is enough variation
within the groups to make this meaningless. We don’t exist because Travellers
are bad people, we exist because there’s currently not a space for us at all.
This is more because until recently Traveller activism has been focussed on the
essentials of survival (a place to stay, access to sanitation) or very base
human demands (education etc.) and it is only now that we have wanted to shine
light on the diversity within our communities. Equally, we reject the
stereotyped oversimplifications of “LGBT+ people are anti-Traveller”. This can
be the case, but is not the rule. We aim to provide regular space for our
community to meet, network and build links of solidarity. We want to represent
LGBT+ Issues in Traveller spaces and Traveller issues in LGBT+ Spaces. Given our
particularly inclusive definition of Traveller, we also aim to shine a light on
the communities that have been often overlooked by mainstream Traveller activism
or Traveller charities. Decisions are made either at our meetings or by
consulting with the general steering group “Pridesters”- You may request to join
this. We value inter-group solidarity. This looks like actively welcoming
collaborations with others and actively challenging prejudice when we find it,
regardless of it impacting us. In terms of direct help: we offer outreach phone
calls to offer advice and combat isolation, a solidarity fund and logistic help
with leaving difficult situations. We have access to a network of
Traveller-friendly safehouses (which we’re looking to build upon) to get you
safe if needs be.
