Why the fuck are some English people so nasty about ginger hair?

[QuentininQuarantino]

My beautiful DH is ginger. When we first got together, he was attacked from
behind and had his jaw broken, had a McDonald’s throws at him out of a car window, had a bloke push him into
a pond at university. My own “friends” asked me when I was pregnant what I would do if my baby came out ginger. He tells me heartbreaking stuff about being bullied at school.

We emigrated 10 years ago and people say nothing, or nice things.

We’ve been back in the UK for Xmas for 3 weeks and we’ve already had people (older people) shouting “Oi Ed Sheeran” across the street about four times, one young woman in a pub asking to see his pubes FFS.

Why is it still okay, and common(!) to bully strange men in front of their small children purely based on a psychical characteristic!!??

Because some English people lack class and intelligence and it's getting worse!

Some people are absolute twats.

It’s not okay at all 😡

It's so sad. I think ginger, auburn, strawberry blond hair colours are all beautiful! Much nicer than the plain dark brown hair I have!

I follow a (very random) TikTok account of a red-headed male model with pale eyelashes who is apparently killing it in Japan and China.

It's definitely based on this

No idea OP. Ive known several ginger/red heads growing up and (as adults) have only had positive comments. My daughter also deliberately dyes her hair copperish and gets nothing but compliments on it. Perhaps its more about where /who you mix with rather than English people in general.

DS is a gorgeous ginger. He didn't get too much bullying, the odd daft comment and then usually from older people - obviously older people think every ginger looks like Ed Sheeran because they are (imo) bloody ignorant.

When I was at school and university it was the ultimate sin to be ginger or date a ginger. Same when I first started teaching. Nowadays I don't see it as much (teacher for 20+ years) - kids are more aware today of bullying and there are several 'influencers' who are ginger and seen as beautiful.

Personally I love ginger hair, the longer the better!

That’s absolutely appalling, OP. I think red hair is gorgeous! If I say anything it’s to praise it. Ed Sheeran is HOT! He wouldn’t be anywhere near as attractive with brown hair in my opinion.

I think we need as much attention brought to this as any other racial abuse.

So sorry your DH is experiencing this OP 😔

My DNs have the most beautiful ginger hair in a variety of shades, and thank fully have not experienced anything like this (yet?). There are quite a few other ginger haired children in their classes, too, so maybe this means ginger hair is more 'normalised' for them??

I did think the discrimination against ginger haired people had died out until I saw a poster on one of the Stacey Solomon threads make a disgusting comment about pubes...

And yes, @Remainiac DS had this too - he used to get stopped by Chinese people in London who would ask to touch his hair and take a photo! Very odd

I actually thought this had died out because dd15 has very red curly hair and doesn't seem to get nasty comments. We live in South London. It's bad that it goes on in other areas though. I guess something to consider when she goes to uni, although she shouldn't have to!

I don't know if you've seen this by Tim Minchin

It's about prejudice against people who are ginger

No idea, its disgusting behaviour. I love red hair - think it's stunning!

The bullying when I was a child was horrid and it's only as it's starting to fade and go white that I'm finally ok with it. I was relieved that my DC were not red heads because it's awful to be called hideous names, told you have a temper etc etc you always get remembered and stick out for being "different".

Have to say, as a ginge, none of this has happened to me.

So if you're reading this and have a red-headed daughter and feel anxious, it'll probably be alright.

That’s appalling!
I’m pleased you now live in a place where people sound more civil towards each other-let’s hope the UK manages to catch up.

I don’t think it’s an underlying hate of a culture or race. It’s just an easy, stupid insult. Certain types of men feel the need to establish male hierarchies at every possible moment.

The girl in the pub 🤮

Yes, this ties in with dd15's experience. I think kids generally are more tolerant than older generations. Obviously can't speak for all schools but seems to be the case in dd's (comp)

I remember having to stand up and walk to the stage for assembly in secondary school and a boy shouted "Ugh,she's got a ginger minge"
The teachers never once pulled any of the other kids up on the awful things said.
I'm ashamed to say I wet myself a few times because I became to scared to get up on class to go to the toilet. Because standing up would just warrant more bullying. I left before taking my exams, so have always been in low paying jobs.

I even see threads on here when the parent is tentatively questioning if the ginger will fade/lighten etc.

I'm English. I have no problems with people having ginger / red / auburn hair. On the other hand, I do have a problem with people commenting on my DC2's appearance as they have a genetic condition, so I understand where you are coming from.
Try to look on it that the arseholes saying rude things are poorly educated and should be pitied while wishing someone would batter them around the head with a frying pan admittedly.
The only positive course of action is to think in your head 'fuck off you moron', whilst seemingly outwardly ignoring them. These are the type of people who were probably bullies in a younger life and they thrive on people reacting to them. Don't give them that satisfaction.

It defo does happen, and it's truly awful. I'm sorry for anyone who is or has experienced it.
I'm a ginger, tho my hair got darker and more auburn as I got older. I have had far more positive comments and attention than negative over the years. It turns heads and there are loads who find it attractive. I just wanted to give an alternative experience.

I'm so sorry your DH experiences this. It's blatant bullied and as pp have said it's definitely derived from anti-Celt/anti-Catholic sectarianism.

I actually can't stand the term 'ginger' or 'ginge', I much prefer red-headed, auburn or strawberry blonde. Ginger to me has a derogatory ring to it. Do red-headed people feel like this too? I've brown hair btw

This made me really sad. Your poor husband!

I honestly don't understand the mentality of some people and how they can dislike someone purely because of the colour of their hair, skin, race or religion. It disgusts me

Does anyone know when this started? I don’t remember any anti ginger/ redhead thing as a child or when my dc were young. I can’t remember when I first heard of it.