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.

Good for you, lass!

I think the particular manifestation of anti-Redhairedness you find in England is inflected with anti-Irish prejudice for sure, but there’s a long international history of ‘othering’ red haired people — medieval depictions of Judas Iscariot traditionally show him as red-haired, and red hair in Tudor England was referred to as ‘Judas-coloured’. Literature is full of depictions of redheads who hate their hair and/or are teased about it. I still see people online using the expression ‘beat him like a red headed stepchild’.

I'll just leave these here...

All I wanted was a little red haired boy to match his father and I lucked out and got three. They are all different shades of red but all vibrant, rich red hair and I've always had the most amazing compliments (living in Wales probably helps). DS3 has had some bullying from a boy in the year above calling him ginger and an orangutang but whenever DS3 saw the bully he would strike a pose with his arms long and low saying 'here I am the orangutang' which confused the hell out of Mr Bully which stopped it. All the boys are now 6 foot plus which I love because there's no way they are going to do anything naughty being that distinctive .

BoF your daughter is stop you in your tracks beautiful, apart from the stunning hair her bone structure is incredible, wow.

Gatelodge I've seen that particular expression, it's just so grim.

I’ve got redhead colouring (pale and lots of freckles), and my hairs kind of ‘wet fox coloured’. When I was pregnant someone told me that stirring your tea anti clockwise would give you ginger twins, so I always have, but one of my daughters has curly brown hair and the other, straight blonde. Not a freckle between them. Very disappointing.

I once snogged a man in a bar just because he had red hair and freckles. Ahh... memories

Given the number of black people still being murdered by police....the idea that anyone would use the phrase ‘the last acceptable ism’ is not just absurd it’s flat-out revolting.

Morons.

I'm a ginger but as I'm now 51, my hair is invisible even though it's the most vibrant thing about me right now! But yes. For years it was awful. But I love it so much my business brand is very much inclusive of my hair colour. Fuck the ginger haters I say! They're only jealous because they're grey long be fore we are 😁

@trixiebelden77 yes. You're right. Black people being murdered for the colour of their skin is utterly reprehensible and o, as a red headed person who was mercilessly bullied for the colour of my hair, will stand up against institutionalised racism with my last breath.

We can also agree that kick a ginger day is really shitty to be on the receiving end of. we can support the black lives matter movement and stand up against racism whilst simultaneously recognising that people who physically, verbally and emotionally abuse people simply for the colour of their hair, but who minimise and excuse it as 'just a laugh, cos it's not like racism is it?' Need to recognise that this is equally inexcusable. I can stand for both.

the point is that way>>>>>>>

I adore red dye and dye my hair ginger (naturally a dark blonde/very light brown). My eyes are very amber toned hazel so the ginger brings out the gold and green in my eyes and it really suits me.

More gingers!

Of course there are beautiful red heads out there but I do IMHO think the really orange hair is just not attractive. It's not just the hair colour though, people with that real orange colour are often not blessed with good skin tones and those 2 characteristics are just not appealing to the eye. I work with a girl with real. Orange thick hair and pasty and she always has a tinge redness to her skin, usually her nose is always red and as much as I don't like to say this but she just is not easy on the eye. It's shallow bit there go. Inahve to say I was glad when mine were born all blond. As much as I would obviously love my child, I would have been disappointed if any of them were born with that orange shade of hair.

Red is the most popular hair dye colour I believe.

I experienced a fair bit of name calling at school , carrot top, Duracell, ginger nut freckle face.. really didn't do my self esteem any good and no one saw it as bullyimg. No idea why it's so entrenched and it does seem to be one of the last socially acceptable prejudices. Boys do have it worse though I think. It did get better as i got older and now I'm sad my hair is not so obviously red! I did have my SIL say to me, married to my blonde haired brother, that she really hoped her baby doesn't have red hair and that she'd dye it if she did! She wasn't joking either. Still can't fathom why she thought that was something I would want to hear. And she said it on more than one occasion!

I think red hair looks great on both men and women. Even better if they have green eyes.

@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.

Maybe you shouldn't be honest! That's incredibly rude. Perhaps you should have kept that to yourself!

When I looked into adoption so far as to complete the course I was told that statistically red headed boys over 5 were the least likely to get adopted. Heart breaking.

@Sootikinstew

Depends really doesn't it, one picture I say YANBU the other I say YABU 😂

This thread is about people like you who obviously enjoy shaming people for the way they look!

My LO has red hair he’s only 14 months, and already I feel sad for him. Quite often people will remark first about his hair colour and I just feel he has a whole lifetime ahead of this. They say it in a way that is patronising, you know ‘oh he’s still ginger’ with a head tilt.

I am ginger (actually purple at the mo but going back to natural soon) and I havent had any issues, same with my ginger son.

Also, for those that are saying that red hair is the most dyed colour that people choose, that's irrelevant because in this thread we are talking about the natural orange ginger hair which is actually not what people are choosing to dye their hair to.
Also, I don't know why but people I know with orange hair are very difficult people, over opinionated and loud, and maybe it's their fighty personality that people find unattractive.

Even being rich, famous and beautiful doesn't stop the bullying.

Classic clip of Paris Hilton mocking Lindsay Lohan's "fire- crotch".

Remember when girls aloud first became a band how horrific the press and various comedians were about Nicola Roberts just because she was a redhead. She was only 17 at the the time and so many people (mainly men) were so vicious about here just because of her hair colour.

The last time there was a thread on this topic someone said it was anti semitic and that redhair was associated with jews. Id always assumed it was anticeltic because of the history between england and ireland. Ive never experienced anti gingerism outside the uk, and a couple of international students asked me about it.

I'm married to a ginge and hoped for children with tumbling auburn curls, but have one brunette and one blonde.

They're just jealous. Redheads are gorgeous.