Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get upset when people are nasty about ginger hair?

101 replies

littlemisssunny · 21/08/2012 12:32

So obviously I have ginger hair, and I have always had people take the mick out of me for it.

Don't get me wrong I can take a joke, I went to see Jimmy Carr and he asked if there was anyone with ginger hair, and when we shouted yes, he said at least we have the problem contained, which I knew was a joke and thought was hilarious.

However what winds me up is when people say things like 'oh you must be really relieved your children don't have your hair colour' and 'you must hate your hair colour' etc. I don't mind what colour my children's hair is, I am just extremely grateful to have 2 children after going through a hard time to get them.

Even my own husband winds me up about it, and he knows I am sensitive about it, and says he is only joking, I thought a joke was meant to be funny!

Just feeling a bit wound up about it as a friend who used to cut my hair just got back from a hol and said her hair has started to turn ginger in the sun and she is going to have to colour it straight away! Charming!

OP posts:
TeacupTempest · 21/08/2012 12:35

Yanbu. I just don't understand the issue. DD has a hint of red in her hair and people keep trying to reassure me she will be blonde! I love red hair and tell them so!

Mumsyblouse · 21/08/2012 12:37

Littlemissunny tell your husband to shut up on this score.

I can't say anyone mentions my hair colour to me. I think one insensitive remark was made about 7 years ago by a granny whose grandson had ginger hair (her: 'do you think he'll be alright. you know, with the hair?' me: 'ummm (not sure what she meant) yes')

Otherwise, I get lots of compliments or people don't say anything. I can't imagine this continuing in my adult life. Do people say 'you must hate your hair colour?' You know strange people.

Kirk1 · 21/08/2012 12:38

'you must hate your hair colour' ? Why would you when it's the one most women want to have? (As in, red is the most popular hair dye colour)

inkyfingers · 21/08/2012 12:41

I think it's the last form of 'acceptable' abuse or bullying. As you say, somehow it's OK, and I hope schools etc begin to see it for what it is. We don't think we can make jokes about black people and expect them to 'take the joke' like 1950s.

I asked my son whether he got involved in any name-calling of red-haired pupils as I wanted to make sure he knew how I felt and that it isn't acceptable. As he has gorgeous strawberry blond (going redder in the sunshine!), he said, no, as instead he gets called 'ginge'. Seems OK about it, but I'm annoyed.

lunar1 · 21/08/2012 12:41

I never get this. At school every girl in our year was jealous of my friend with long ginger hair. It was stunning, she never ha any problems with teasing.

ScarletLadyOfTheNight01 · 21/08/2012 12:42

I love gingerness! My DH is and it's looking like DD will be to. I know what you mean though. I'm blonde (and from Essex) and I'm quite happy to have a bit of funny piss-taking but sometimes it wears a bit thin.

Original poster
littlemisssunny · 21/08/2012 12:42

Hard to believe I know, but people do say words to that effect!

I used to colour my hair but I don't anymore, my friend who is a hairdresser who used to colour my hair was always going on about me getting it colored before I actually did. Now I don't use her I get hairdressers saying people try to get their hair my colour! And you can't get my colour in a bottle.

OP posts:
0lympia · 21/08/2012 12:43

No. I get upset when people are unpleasant about short people, which i think is worse to be honest. I think some people don't want short friends. Tall people don't even see you.

Feminine · 21/08/2012 12:44

It would help if people called it by its proper name.

red hair.

Ginger sounds so uneducated , particularly as its always used in a negative context.

A bit like saying someones skin is "so white" surely its nicer to say fair skinned?

ScarletLadyOfTheNight01 · 21/08/2012 12:45

That's a fair point actually Feminine...Ginger (as a thing) isn't even that colour!

KeemaNaanAndCurryOn · 21/08/2012 12:46

I agree and its really stupid.

One of my best friends and all of her children have red hair and they're beautiful!

Kayano · 21/08/2012 12:48

My mum said 'oh I hope it isn't ginger!'

Angry to the amazing and beautiful ginger midwife!!! Grrrr

Feminine · 21/08/2012 12:51

I was born with red hair (lots of it) my Dad actually said to my Mum that he hoped I "wouldn't be ginger" :(

Mine gradually turned white blonde ...then brown.

Hope my Dad is happy Confused

HecateHarshPants · 21/08/2012 12:52

Bloody stupid, some people.

It isn't about the hair colour. It's about them. If nobody in the world had red hair, they would find something else to snigger and sneer about. Because they like to put people down and they've found a group they can do that to will few or no consequences.

I love red hair. I get mine out of a bottle of Live XXL Grin

Gin30 · 21/08/2012 12:52

I am a proud ginger! Most people are quite complimentary but I've been told that people with ginger hair are ugly on many occasion, by people who are supposed to care (ex boyfriend was a charmer)

Another guy who I started seeing didn't want to be seen with me in case his friends took the piss out of him for dating someone who has whispers ginger ! What a fucking moron!

The worst ones is when you are in a group of people and they say something nasty about gingers and then realise you are sat there, mutter sorry, look at each other and cackle.

I've had similar comments as OP when peoples hair dying goes wrong and they are horrified to be ginger

Its pathetic! Its a hair colour. And I think a great hair colour (its taken me a long time to ignore that nasty comments though)

NameChangeGalore · 21/08/2012 12:56

I like ginger hair, it looks lovely when the sunlight hits it especially during the Autumn months.

Some people are idiots.

SoleSource · 21/08/2012 12:57

I hate it when.short people constantly remind us tall people that we are tall. I have never commented on a petsons height.

RugBugs · 21/08/2012 13:00

YANBU

Red hair seems a lot more common and accepted up here in Merseyside, I knew one family with red hair when I was growing up in Sussex and they got teased all the time.

DD has a definate auburn tint to her hair thanks to DPs family and my family tease me about it a bit. I don't care, she got her gorgeous porcelain skin and above average height from DP too Grin

arthurfowlersallotment · 21/08/2012 13:01

YANBU

I have red hair. I love it. People who take the piss are jealous, simple as that. My daughter has red hair, she's stunning.

My p

arthurfowlersallotment · 21/08/2012 13:01

..sorry, bloody iPhone..

My policy is if anyone takes the piss out of my curly red hair, it's open season on their l

arthurfowlersallotment · 21/08/2012 13:02

Aaaaargh!

..lo

arthurfowlersallotment · 21/08/2012 13:02

Oh fuck it, I give up

dramafluff · 21/08/2012 13:02

Nah - you are not being unreasonable, but there is absolutely no point getting upset over it. Life's too short.

I am ginger, my husband's ginger, daughter is (obviously) ginger - and yep, get it in the neck all the time!

lisaro · 21/08/2012 13:03

I don't mind at all. but I've personally never perceived any bullying. I can understand if people are trying to be offensive, or kids really bullying that it would offend, but the usual comments I don't mind. Is it really worse than being called a 'dumb blonde'? And yes, I get so many comments about my hair, especially from women. who pay to get it my (now slightly greying) colour.

Beamur · 21/08/2012 13:03

YANBU.
It is one of those last bastions of ignorance and petty ridicule.
My DD has glorious bright red hair and is currently very proud of her hair, but I'm waiting for the day that someone is mean about it. I've caught many people staring at her hair (it is very eye catching) and to be fair, so far I've had nothing but compliments for her about it.