Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh – Book Review

Gypsy Boy by Mikey Walsh, reviewed by Lee Chantry

Gypsy Boy isn’t simply a memoir, but a visceral journey into the core of the Romany Gypsy Community in the UK during the 1980’s and 1990’s.  Mikey Walsh illustrates the weight of tradition with the way he balances a deep and nostalgic love for the vibrant culture of his “kin” – the caravans, tight-knit loyalty and the very distinct language – with the very brutal reality of the expectations forced onto him as a boy.  As the son of a respected member of the community, Mikey was expected to follow in the family tradition of coming a “bare-knuckle” fighter, a symbol of hyper-masculinity.

Mikey’s silent struggle is at the core – the book’s emotional weight lies in his isolation.  Growing up in the world where him being gay was not just misunderstood but virtually non-existent within his community and his internal battle is portrayed with both heart break and honesty.  It is impossible to ignore both the physical toll and the emotional rift inside him – Walsh doesn’t shy away from the violence that he endured both in trying to prove himself as “a Gypsy man” but also at the hands of those who should have protected him.  The most poignant moments are not just the physical blows, but the crippling realisation that for him to be his true self, he would have to lose the only world that he had ever known.

Walsh’s writing style is punchy and raw.  He encapsulates the Romani dialect and the claustrophobic nature of the closed community with such skill that you almost feel the dust of the site on your skin.

“I didn’t want to be a fighter.  I didn’t want to be a Gypsy.  I just wanted to be me”

The book is a vital piece of LGBTQ+ literature because it highlights a perspective rarely seen in the mainstream; the specific challenged faced by queer people within ethnic minorities and GRT cultures and communities.  It is a reminder that “coming out” isn’t a singular event, but a revolutionary act of survival.

Gypsy Boy is a haunting yet hopeful masterpiece.  It is a story of extreme bravery – not the kind found in the fighting world, but the kind required to walk away from everything you know and love in order to save yourself.  This book really is essential reading for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider in their own home.