What are 'chavs', and why do people seem to dislike them?

Question

I'm from America, so if any English folks could answer this question it would help, as chav seems to be an English cultural thing. If you have any explanations, thoughts, or anecdotes/stories, I'd be glad to hear them - the only thing I don't want is a message: 'idk. 2 points'. (You know who you are.) So, what are they?

Answer 1

"Chavs" are like trailer trash. The disdain for them is a classist thing....not uncommon in any culture, and certainly a prominent feature of British culture...

Answer 2

Chav (pronunciation: [tʃæv]) (also Chavette (female chav), Charv or Charva) is a slang term in wide use throughout the United Kingdom since 2004. It refers to a subcultural stereotype of a person with fashions such as flashy "bling" jewellery, Burberry clothing items and counterfeit designer clothing; an uneducated and uncultured background; a tendency to congregate around places such as fast-food outlets, bus stops, or other shopping areas; and a culture of antisocial behaviour and violence. Chavs often listen to dance (particularly trance and happy hardcore), RnB, rap/hip hop and drum and bass music . Response to the term has ranged from amusement to criticism that it is a new manifestation of classism. See Wikipedia.

Answer 3

Oh... OK... so are "chavs" the same thing as Wallies or is that term reserved for Americans? From the description, it sure SOUNDS like what we used to call "Wallies" when I lived in England.

Answer 4

the one above me answered really well as to WHAT they are.
Why people don't like them - because they tend to gang up on weaker people, be violent, beat up different ones (like punkers, metalheads, minorities), steal, blackmail and so on.
This is of course the worst cases, and not all of them are like this, but the worst give bad name to the rest.

Answer 5

DON'T ASK ME