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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not understand why people are so negative about red hair

223 replies

memoo · 04/09/2010 19:32

As my DD's hair grows it looks like she is going to be a red head.

She is only 11 months old and already we have had quite a few negative comments the latest being "at least she will be able to dye it when she gets older"

I just don't get it! why is having red hair looked upon as a bad thing? its just a hair colour FFS. And why do so many people think its ok to make jokes about redheads?

If a person makes an derogatory comment about a persons skin colour there is uproar but red heads seem to just be fair game

OP posts:
lovemylittleone · 05/09/2010 23:53

I have deep red hair which although I get many compliments for I have found it hard having to put up with the constant derogatory comments about "gingers" throughout my life (adults by far crueller than children). Soo much so that when I was pregnant I secretly hoped my baby wouldn't have red hair as I just didn't want her to have to put up with such ignorance. I now have a beautiful blonde haired blue eyed little girl who has the colouring I always wanted. The irony is though that whenever I see a little red headed baby I think they are absolutely adoreable and feel an instant connection to them. I think its a shame in a way that my daughter will never know what its like to truly stand out in a crowd and have such unique colouring. Although I wouldn't change anything about my daughter for the world, if I had another I'd be proud if they had red hair!

GnocchiGnocchiWhosThere · 06/09/2010 00:34

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aurynne · 06/09/2010 02:04

I had never ever encountered "red-hair discrimination" until I moved to the UK. I was astonished anyone would bully a kid because he/she had red hair, and it still is unbelievable to me. Never found it in Spain, Italy or New Zealand. Agree it must be a British thing.

spinspinsugar · 06/09/2010 02:58

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ragged · 06/09/2010 05:10

It is an anti-Celtic prejudice because people believe that red hair = Celtic, whether or not there is any basis to it (I bet the prejudice did't exist in Henry VIII's day,though!)

The critical comments on that article Riven linked to are excoriating, I think I'd take with a pinch of salt everything the article author is claiming.

JosieRosie · 06/09/2010 07:38

Anyone get asked if their hair colour is real/natural? As a bottle redhead I do get asked this on a semi-regular basis and actually find it extremely RUDE! Angry I always fess up but find it quite awkward and quite a personal thing to ask. AIBU?

sarah293 · 06/09/2010 08:31

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sarah293 · 06/09/2010 08:34

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slipperandpjsmum · 06/09/2010 09:22

I was bullied at school as I had red hair and dare I say it freckles. My eldest has strawberry blonde hair and he has endured a degree of ridicule as a result my dd however has ginger hair and comments have been made. I think its the last 'acceptable' form of racism as our colouring is pre determined by our ethnic origins. Next time some thoughtless person makes a cruel comment use that one as a come back. I have and believe me it works a treat! I have also spoken to my son's friends about looking at it from this point of view and it has made all the difference to their attitude

domesticsluttery · 06/09/2010 09:31

DS1 has red hair and freckles. Here in Wales it is pretty common though, and AFAIK he has never been teased in school about it. I remember a few adults making stupid comments about it when he was born though!

If they were going to criticise him for being Celtic then the fact that he speaks Welsh as a first language would probably be more of a giveaway than his colouring... Grin

Oblomov · 06/09/2010 10:21

I love deep red hair on girls. That is my favourite colour of hair, of all coulours, my favourite. stunning.
But I am not very keen on ginger hair.
And I think boys have a harder time of it than girls.
Ds2 is ginger. There is nothing I can do about it, but it would not be my choice.
He is so incredibly sweet. But lots of people have commented about his hair already. " oh isn't he red". I am astonished that people are so openly negative. Just becasue ginger is not MY prefered hair colour on boys, I would NEVER EVER say anything to anyone.

teaandcakeplease · 06/09/2010 10:26

Anyone seen this? it's the Mail sorry Blush

jollyma · 06/09/2010 19:01

A friend who is a strawberry blond had a mousey son then found out her second was going to be a girl said " thank god, there's nothing worse than a ginger boy" caused quite a stir w another parent who had a ginger boy!

TrippleBerryFairy · 06/09/2010 20:17

I don't know why would anyone make stupid comments about red hair! I just don't get it - in my opinion red/auburn/ginger hair is absolutely beautiful!

When I was younger I wanted to have that ginger or auburn colour myself, instead of my grey-blonde!

Those making nasty comments about your DD's beautiful haircolour are twats.

jollyma · 07/09/2010 09:00

Well said Mozarela!

The comments about being able to dye it puzzle me, as a dark blond i spend a fortune on making mine lighter!

Domestic, what you said about wales is interesting. Do you think people would be more cautious to comment because they would fear being called racist or is it just that red hair is more common and therefore just no big deal?

MoreSpamThanGlam · 07/09/2010 09:09

My son is ginger. He was captain of the football team, head of house at school, popular with the girls and equally popular with teachers. A lot is his personality I grant you but frequently girls would tell him how lovely his hair is.

Google some images of Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone age....he is a thing of beauty...sigh...

lostinwales · 07/09/2010 14:18

Ooh I need a mr bingley, where can I order one of those from? DH's fringe was long like that when we first met

Saladbomb · 07/09/2010 23:26

Not to mention Owen Hunt (aka Kevin McKidd) from Greys Anatomy. Mmm ginger beard, hubba. (sorry don't mean to hijack thread into blatant droolfest but...)

funtimewincies · 08/09/2010 19:10

Blimey noddy, that is the EXACT shade of ds2's hair at the moment. Both boys have huge, bright-blue eyes as well, so someone always comments on the bus or in shops.

dustythedolphin · 11/09/2010 23:07

Its a very British and "anti-those inferior Irish and Scots" thing

dustythedolphin · 11/09/2010 23:13

I'm a redhead and have moved to Ireland and can honestly say that there are far, far more redheads here than in England.

Its grand to feel in a majority for a change Wink

Agree that there are a lot of dark stocky ones too though Wink

drfayray · 11/09/2010 23:34

The Prime Minister of my country has red hair and is a woman. I think that is pretty cool.

My very good friend and her DC have the most amazing red hair. The colour is beautiful. I have very boring black hair (asian) and am jealous!

My DH is blonde (with a smidge of red) and DD has brown hair with some strands of red and blonde. All natural and amazing!

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