http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/my-big-fat-gypsy-wedding
This past week I began watching a new show on TLC. It is a re-aired British show called My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, which focuses on the Gypsy culture in England. Gypsey’s in England are Irish travelers who live a live similar to what we in Canada would call Carnies. Part of Gypsy culture is to marry young, as in teenager. The average age of a Gypsy bride is 16. Can you imagine getting married at sixteen? The weddings these young newlyweds are having are very expensive, and very extravagant. It is a competition between the girls for who can have the most extravagant wedding, and of course the wedding dress plays a huge factor. After watching a few episodes I learned that these dresses are designed to be humongous and gaudy. The dresses are so heavy they injure the wearing, and will leave scars. Gypsy brides believe that the more you bleed, the better your dress is. They actually take pride in scarring their own hips from the weight of their dresses. When a Gypsy couple are planning a wedding they do not mail out invitations, as a wedding seems to be a communal affair, with any and all welcome. These young brides are expected to be completely submissive to their husbands. They are the homemakers. They are to take care of their husbands, keep their trailers clean, and have babies. Gypsy women do not work outside of the home, in fact gypsy wife’s do nothing without their husband’s permission. One bride’s parent’s said that they know their daughter was going to be unhappy at first, and would even come home to them at least once. They said they would send their daughter back to work it out. Married means married for live. Married means submitting to your husband, and married means the home live for you. Your only option as a young Gypsy woman is marriage, or outcast from the community. I am glad I am not a Gypsy.
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