Hi everyone - just wanted to share a rant!
I saw my in laws at the weekend and FIL said "MIL is terrified your baby is going to be ginger". She obviously hadn't wanted him to say that out loud and she tried to cover it up and make a joke of it by saying "It's ok I'll knit lots of hats." I was really offended by her attitude but tried to be polite and said, "Your attitude makes me feel very sad. Anyway, get used to the idea because it's a distinct possibility given my heritage." She then said, "They say redheads have a fiery temper". At that point I couldn't really believe it and said, "That is a load of old crock!", still trying to be polite and not fly into a rage. I was really upset by her shallowness and couldn't sleep that night going over what she said - what kind of grandparent would say such a thing?! The only thing that makes me feel better about it is to remind myself that she is not actually very well educated or worldly.
Discrimination of redhaired people in this country is awful, but no one takes the prejudice seriously. It's a disgrace! I just hope that if my baby is a redhead that I am able to give him/her the confidence not to bothered by teasing.
Have anyone else's family members said such insensitive things? :(
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Furious about MIL comment!
Festen · 31/07/2013 17:57
My MIL said the other week "I hate the names you've picked. I won't be calling him that. You'll just have to change it." I was like 
the names we've picked are lovely, we're probably going with Isaac or Zachary so I have no idea what her problem is. She also went on and on about how I've "put on weight everywhere! Like, all over!" and every time I eat anything she goes "eating for two, eh?" like I'm eating far too much which I'm not. She tries to make me feel ashamed for eating, and she's making it so hard to be civil towards her.
I hope you do have a beautiful healthy red head- we need more of them because they are rare and special like the Snow Leopard {smile]
All of the women on my 'beautiful list' are Redheads. Show her photographs of Jessica Chastain, Julianne Moore, Damian Lewis etc. Still think red hair is to be avoided MIL?
Julianne Moore has written a series of childrens books about a redheaded girl and i think there is a TV show/film on the cards too. Put them on your gift list 
.
Sorry to hear about your mil's horrible comments. I wish you could have my mum as a mil, as she keeps going on about how she would absolutely love for my little girl to be born with red hair. Then she gets all soppy about little auburn curls and how stunning red hair is. Unfortunately there really isn't much chance of it as there isn't any red hair in the family to pass down.
Whatever colour hair your baby has, he/she will be bloody gorgeous. 
I'm a red head and no offence to blondes and brunettes but I wouldn't swap it if I could (I might be open to swapping my blonde eyelashes though! )
What a fool your MIL is! Tell her you'll take the hats and if the baby's a red head then you'll donate them to a society for bitter, wizened pensioners! Let her make of that what she will... Rude mare!
Thanks for your comments you lovely people! It's good to rant sometimes, I've been bottling this up since last week and now I feel much better. 
DaleyBump your name choices are great. I haven't told anyone my favourite names (even DP is in the dark at the moment) for fear of the same response.
Ach, buckle in for another twenty odd years of it. 7 if you split up 
I was told that x's height would "correct" my height. 
what? average it out I think. I replied that my nose would average out his nose so we're on track for some really average children here, woo hoo!!! (sarcasm with a smile)
When i was giving birth to dd a doctor peered up at her wedged in my birth canal and said "don't worry, it's not ginger!"
Both dh and i have red headed brothers and my mother was in the room.
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
*Lady i didn't mean it literally, more as a reassurance to the OP that Red heads are valued and worshipped by so many of us.
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My DS was born with lovely auburn coloured hair and its only gotten thicker and more shiny and ginger by the day I had midwives commenting on it, and people stop me often to say they love his hair.
On showing my MIL the 12 week scan pics recently of DC2 her comment was oh, just one baby? When FIL said well what did you expect she said that it was because I am a lot bigger this time.
I really hope that DC2 will have the same coloured hair as its big brother - I actually dye my hair similar colour and we have no idea where the ginger gene comes from!
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