Prejudice against red-heads? Why?

[AYoungSillyWomen]

This is sort of old news but it still baffles me. Across britain (I don't know about other countries) there's a prejudice called gingerism where people for whatever reason hate red-heads. Historically red headed women were thought to be witches but this is the 21 century and what gets me even more confused is the fact that red hair is the rarest hair color in the world, surely we should value and try to preserve the trait not demonize it.

Also, a few years ago, scientists were doing DNA tests on couples to see if they were carrying the ginger gene and many couples who found out they were actually wanted to break up with their partners. Having a red headed child can be that disgusting to people? What is wrong with people?

Me personally, I wish I was a redhead. Beautiful flaming locks and cute freckles. What's there not to like? There is a sunlight sensitivity but I'd live. So why is this prejudice continuing.

I'm a redhead and have been bullied and teased over the years, my ex husband being one of the people but I've also had comments saying how nice it is and asking if it's my natural colour (to which I think I wouldn't deliberately colour it this way after all the teasing!)

I see it as a negative thing for me as it's such an easy thing to pick on.

I was relieved when my kids didn't have it as I didn't want them to be bullied like I was.

I am married to a red head who has amazing brown eyes. I was really hopeful our child would have red hair. I remember saying to the surgeon during the c section 'does the baby have red hair?' as I'd have loved that. She said no and that most women don't seem to want their kids to have red hair in her experience. Both she and I found it baffling!

Ah confused - I can see where you're coming from...

I'm a natural red head. My hair is just like Jess Glynnes/ Nicole Kidman back in the day.
I wish I had a £1 for every compliment I got for it.
A few years back I went blonde. Missed my red so much so went back to natural.
Now my hair is untreated & very healthy.

I really don't get the bullying against us? I had it as a kid. Also why is it not a protected category? We're a real minority at only 2% of the population!

What I do find though is that men who love red heads really love red heads!!

My kids aren't red though they're blonde & brown so they'll carry the gene like my parents did. Hopefully I'll get a red head grandchild!

Is this, really, still a thing?

Sootikinstew: must be quite something to be so fantastically wonderful yourself that you’ve the authority to comment about the physical appearance of other people.

My eldest has red hair and it’s been amazing - has helped her win acting roles etc. It’s very desirable in modelling and acting at the moment.

Old attitudes to red hair are founded in racism to Celtic communities. We are slowly waking up to this.

DP had beautiful red hair until he turned around 20, it's now blond/white/grey and still beautiful. Our first baby is due imminently and I would love him to have red hair.

DH and our kids are ginger. I’ve always had a thing about redheaded men, I think they’re gorgeous.

DH says back in the day he was the only one in the whole school. Got the usual comments but he’s a big bloke so never got bullied for it.

Our kids have never had anything but positive comments. DS2 nicknamed himself the ginger ninja for his football skills 😆

I’ll never forget we were at a leisure centre waiting to pay for swimming. One of the staff members with gorgeous long red hair walked over to my boys who were quite young at the time. She gestured to her hair and theirs and said ‘We’re going to take over the world, you know’, winked at the, and walked away. They were like this 😯

@Phoebesgift

I don't know why it is but I'll admit I'm not attracted to red hair, either dyed or natural. I dislike the pale skin/freckles combo too. I'm glad neither of my daughters are ginger and just feel brunette or blonde hair of various shades is prettier/sexier.

Well as a mother of a red-head (and myself who spent years dying her hair red because it's hands down the most amazing colour), I am glad you don't find the reds pretty/sexier... more for us!

Seriously though, it's thoughts like this which damage. Imagine saying that about some other feature that cannot be helped...

Engage your brain before your mouth.

My sister has beautiful auburn hair and she got no end of name calling at school because of it, really affected her self-confidence. Her best friend was also a redhead and was much more resilient, they'd both always tell the name callers to F off - this was growing up in the early nineties.
Apparently she's had men in pubs randomly ask her if her hair is the same colour all over

Maybe people are intimidated by red heads? Lol

Two of my best friends at secondary had red hair and I was so jealous of them. My brown hair just seemed so boring by comparison. They had another red headed friend in their group, and they called me an "honorary ginger" 😂

I'm sure there must be some historical basis, like that red heads were witches or something. I can't fathom why anyone would dislike red hair in this day and age.

I was also obsessed with this actress from Holby. Her hair is gorgeous!!

I love redheads, very striking, very beautiful. My friendships with them have also revealed a quick wit. Also don't suffer fools gladly. What's not to like? 🤷🏽‍♀️

My DS has beautiful red hair, which shifts from flaming ginger to strawberry blond depending on the light. He loved it when he was very little, was teased for it quite a lot in primary school (used to beg me to dye it dark brown 'like the cool kids') and now loves it again in secondary. He's found it to be quite a reliable arsehole detector - he knows that anyone who makes negative comments about it isn't worth bothering with.

My son has beautiful soft gingery hair. Me and DH both brunettes. Wouldn't change it for the world. He's 2.5 and we've not cut it because I can't bear it, it's a crazy mop of gingery wonderfulness and it suits his big personality !

To the poster who said brunette/blonde is prettier - I beg to differ. This is my 13yo redheaded dd who gets compliments all the time about her beautiful hair! I absolutely adore her hair colour and she has never once been bullied about it. picture removed by MNHQ at OP's request

Shit, just realised I put the wrong pic on and it has all her details - I’ve reported my own post

My youngest is ginger and gets the odd comment. He's dead easy to find in a crowd though - I used to hate it when he wore a hat in the playground as I'd lose him. He goes to a Catholic school so is one of many redheads.

The only person that takes the piss now is my father and that's only because DS is very fond of pointing out how bald my father is. My father points out that DS is likely to end up bald and ginger

My DSis and I have ginger hair. She got teased frequently, but I didn't.

I have always had comments about being bad-tempered though. So whilst others can get annoyed about things at work, anything I say gets attributed to being hot headed

My children both have blonde hair and blue eyes, one white blonde, one dark blonde, though the 18 year old sports a rather ginger beard now

[quote Pancakeorcrepe]@QueenPaws what a horrid thing to think, let alone say!!

Red hair is beautiful in all its tones and textures, on men, women and children, and everywhere in nature. Nothing more beautiful than my ginger cat, he is mesmerising![/quote]
This! Even pets. I have kept.guinea pigs all my life and my favourite piggies with the most character have had ginger fur! I currently have a saffron abyssinian piggie with red eyes and she is feisty, lively and fun like my previous gingers

@Phoebesgift I don't know why it is but I'll admit I'm not attracted to red hair... feel brunette or blonde hair of various shades is prettier/sexier.
Really??

You're right about the animals too! This is one of my favourite photos.

[quote SleepingStandingUp]**@Phoebesgift* I don't know why it is but I'll admit I'm not attracted to red hair... feel brunette or blonde hair of various shades is prettier/sexier.*
Really??[/quote]
That 1st pic, I cant get beyond the ears, never mind the hair. The 2nd pic I see the body first, then the beard and hair, yum!

I think people commented more on my freckles than my hair when I was little. Then around puberty, boys started asking about the colour of my ‘minge’. If ever I lost my temper, people would say it was because of my hair colour too- it was just always seen as a negative.

Except by my parents and grandparents, who took every opportunity to tell me how beautiful it was. I’m glad I listened more to them than the others.