Traveller Pride Statement of Intent & Identity

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

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• 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.