AIBU to be so offended by this?

[Pumpernickel10]

This article as been in several newspapers today
Ross Wajtknecht, 11 who was described as a 'Ginger Kid' on a receipt given to him at Domino's Pizza
A RED-haired boy burst into tears when hurtful Domino?s Pizza workers called him Ginger Kid on his receipt.

Ross Wajgtknecht, 11, has endured bullying because of his hair and is horrified that staff at the fast food chain also poked fun at him.

He was at the takeaway with two pals and they all gave their full names when they ordered.

When they collected their pizzas, his friends had their first names on their receipts ? but Ross couldn?t believe his eyes when he saw what was on his.

He said: ?I was really sad. I get bullied at school about my hair but you don?t expect it from an adult. I couldn?t stop thinking about it and brought the packet home because I wanted to show my mum.?

Furious mum Evette, 43, said: ?He is usually quite a strong and confident lad who doesn?t let comments upset him but reading that has really knocked him.? Ross? dad, Andrew, 45, called the Domino?s blunder ?totally disgusting?.

The builder added: ?You would not describe someone by the colour of their skin or by calling them fat so why is it OK to call Ross ginger? I think they picked on him because he is just a lad and they knew he wouldn?t defend himself. It is prejudice.

?They offered him a free pizza but the damage has been done and he doesn?t want to go back in case it happens again.?

Ross, of Peasedown, Somerset, bought the pizza from the Domino?s branch in nearby Midsomer Norton.

Manager Pat Bennet said: ?It was for the benefit of the person who took the order. It wasn?t meant to cause offence.

?I have apologised to the family over the phone and the member of staff concerned has written an apology to the boy. We will ensure nothing like this happens again.?

But Ross? family are demanding a full apology from Domino?s head office.

*
I was very offended by this so was DH who as ginger hair and so does our DH
Whats your views?

YANBU - I am offended for him.

A pet hate of mine is when someone is pregnant and goes on about how they hope it doesn't have red hair as so and so in the family does. Very offensive.

I was so happy DD had red hair it all long and curly now very beautiful hair

JIR I was born with bright red hair.

My Dad actually said "oh no,not red hair" when he saw me.

I have no idea why my Mum told me this ,however?

Whenever people say 'oh it's just a bit of fun' I always ask them what colour pubes they have. Then when they look astounded I tell them it's just a bit of fun isn't it? That's what happens to gingers everyday!

You should all see this because it really IS fun

Maybe they couldn't spell his surname?

YANBU and thanks for the Tim Minchin link, shared that on FB!

my sis has red hair actually red not orange/ginger and she got bullied for yrs for it but she's a right loud mouth cow so they got a balls load of cheek in return for it lol DH has red in his hair thru the summer from his dad who was ginger but is now pure blonde in his 50s my dad has red thru his hair as does my aunt her hair is arse long and has natural red streaks thru it its lush :) and when DD was born her hair was red for a day or 2 like my sis's then went pure blonde but it still goes red in summer... we have a lot of redheads and they are all great we're in scotland too funnily enough... think they see you jimmy hats have a point now lol

I can't see what the fuss is? If it had said the ugly kid/ugly ginger kid then I could see why it would be upsetting.

I'm ginger & if someone referred to me as the ginger lady (or kid when I was younger) I wouldn't get offended/upset. Personally I would prefer if my offspring were not ginger, having to wear factor 50+ sunscreen for half the year gets a bit irritating. Although we go grey later so it's swings & roundabouts!

If he's endured bullying because of his hair, why haven't his parent attempted to install confidence in him/teach him to make a joke of it so the bullies won't 'win'?

My name is foreign too in case you never noticed Hushed. I'm quite frequently known as "that wee Italian woman" and no, it doesn't bother me.

It isn't particularly nice but not something to get in a tizzy about IMO.

But horse it made the young boy cry, for him to cry it must have been upsetting to the lad.
My DH endured years of it being called ginger minger, carrot top etc DD as endured a few names but shes feisty

Awww poor boy

My ds has sort of golden/ginger hair - not strawberry but not ginger........ anyway dh has ALWAYS called him 'ginger' as a term of endearment. It's held him in good stead as on the odd occasions he has encountered teasing, he has just shrugged it off as he has heard it so often from his dad it doesn't mean anything iyswim. Ds's email is 'gingernija' and his ring tone is 'ginger alert, ginger alert'

There is a new poster ad which is fucking appalling imo - I think it's for LYNX - there is a red headed man and the caption is ' Ginger, always the best man and never the groom'. Luckily when ds saw it he took it the other way as in 'all the best people are ginger' bless him! :)

HushedTones suggested the Asian or Chinese references, thank you very much. I simply applied my own experiences. I did not invalidate the child's feelings, I simply pointed out that it is not the easiest surname for someone to spell or maybe even hear properly when they are in the middle of a busy shop and so they just picked the colour of his hair to identify him.

I always wanted long red/ginger hair like the Disney little mermaid.

Strange that something as unusual and, often beautiful as ginger hair is such a source of bullying.

Same here zero I started dying mine auburn from the age of 16 and have been every shade of red. Been blond now for 10 years but itching for a change so watch this space

valiumredhead - both my ds have red/ginger hair and we also used "ginger" as a term of endearment from when they were very little. They have also coped very well with any name calling as being called ginger is a positive in their eyes.

There is nothing wrong with the word ginger. What is wrong is bullying.

DS2 was in a drama production - only a small part so his name wasn't in the programme. He was spotted by a newspaper reviewer who referred to him as the ginger lad in a very positive article. DS2 was beaming as it could have only been him the reviewer could have been talking about. There are advantages sometimes

I agree craplola red/ginger hair is so beautiful the sunlight through DD is amazing her hair is her crowning glory

I love the fact that dh and I have brown hair but ds is a red head - so different from us. Ds loves the fact his big cousin is ginger as he hero worships him and thy look very similar :)

YANBU. I have ginger hair and have mainly only ever had good comments about it but I think it was unprofessional of the staff to comment on the boys appearance in this case rather than use his name - especially in these terms - as some people find ginger offensive (doesn't bother me). If it was a grown man/woman it would be a non-story but it does seem a rather mean thing to do to a child. If they forgot his name - boy in yellow t-shirt or some other identifying information would have been better.
Hope they get a good few free pizzas out of it.

valium - my mum and dad also have brown hair. Have you or your dh had anyone suggest you have been having it off with the milkman yet cos my mum gets that all the time!

yes I think it must have been horrible for the kid but I don't get why you are personally offended by it sorry. they didn't have a go at you personally...