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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get stroppy with work colleagues being vile about ginger children.

99 replies

ledkr · 04/10/2012 12:18

I feel uncomfortable now but they were being really horrible about ginger babies and I have a lovely one who is gorgeous and im missing her loads today.
They tried to make light of it but I said that its attitudes like that that mean that red headed children are still bullied at school.
There is an atmosphere now in the office so I thought i'd tell you and you can all come and wait for them outside with banners and eggs Sad

OP posts:
Ephiny · 04/10/2012 14:54

YANBU and well done for saying something. Absolutely no excuse for adults behaving like this.

FreePeaceSweet · 04/10/2012 14:59

Yanbu. My sil is a MW and told me that during one delivery she told the mother that she could see the top of baby's head and its hair appeared to be ginger. The lady's birthing partner (her mum presumably) remarked with a cackle "Well, its too late for an abortion now!" Disgusting bitch.

ScrambledSmegs · 04/10/2012 15:03

I hate how 'ginger' has become an insult to some people who use it to abuse. In the past the ginger was highly prized as a seasoning (thank you GBBO) and I'm surprised that something that was so valued in the past can now be used as a rude term for red-haired people.

Red hair is stunning. I think part of the reason that red hair gets abuse is that it's so vibrant in comparison with other hair colours, and so it's more noticable. But how vile, that having lovely coloured hair can make you a target for nasty little twats Angry.

Can you tell that I've always wanted to have red hair?!

defuse · 04/10/2012 20:04

YANBU! I think it is bang out of order!! I find shocking how people think it is acceptable to mock people with ginger hair. I agree with the theory of the MNer ho said it is people who realise that being racist etc is no longer in vogue therefore turn to this vile behaviour to release their poison somehow.

I could never understand why people think it is ok and funny to pick on ginger hair - it is pathetic!

SoleSource · 04/10/2012 20:10

I agree with mommy. I agree with OP too.

Your colleagues are thick arseholes.

SoleSource · 04/10/2012 20:12

Have you got a DD ledkr?

lydiamama · 04/10/2012 20:15

To the hell with them, they have no taste and they are stupid. I love ginger hair, I am spanish and it is a color we do not have at least it comes out of a bottle. I think ginger hair, with blue or green eyes, and fair skin looks gorgeous!!!

Tailtwister · 04/10/2012 20:16

YANBU. I hate the way it's somehow seen as being acceptable to be so nasty about someone's hair colour. I just don't understand it.

TerraNotSoFirma · 04/10/2012 20:18

I love my sons ginger hair so much that I took him to the salon so they could colour match me :)

HansieMom · 04/10/2012 20:27

Ledkr, what a beautiful baby, and older sister is a beauty too.

Maat · 04/10/2012 20:31

I've had a colleague at work make comments about how she wouldn't want a child with ginger hair.

I am sat in the same room with my ginger hair !!

When I pulled her up on it, she said "Ooh, no, I didn't mean YOUR colour. Yours is a NICE colour" I then pointed out that we are an entire family of redheads of varying shades. Would she like me to get a colour chart out so she could point out the exact shade she found so offensive.

Let's just say her face was rather red - if not her hair Grin

SoleSource · 04/10/2012 20:35

Ooooh you jave an absoluteky beaitiful DD. Two infact!

I am envious.

LonelyCloud · 04/10/2012 20:35

YANBU. And well done for confronting them about their unacceptable behaviour. I just don't understand why grown adults think it's at all okay to mock people because of a hair colour they were born with.

You're right about the bullying at school thing, if kids see their parents making fun of ginger kids, then they're bound to think it's acceptable.

EdMcDunnough · 04/10/2012 20:38

Your baby is very beautiful Smile and your colleagues are dimwits.

yanbu dear x

Flisspaps · 04/10/2012 20:44

I was quite put out that DH didn't bestow me with a ginger child and kept the ginger loveliness all to himself :(

Original poster
ledkr · 04/10/2012 20:46

How lovely of you all yes she is gorgeous they both are baby has more hair now though ha

OP posts:
SoulTrain · 04/10/2012 20:55

I'm ginger and I'm STUNNING! Grin

What a bunch of arses. Angry

NowThenNowThen · 04/10/2012 20:57

I have a hot date next week with a ginger man!
If it all works out I plan to have ginger babies. Squeeee!

gindrinker · 04/10/2012 21:01

I have ginger hair, I've put up with various levels of teasing since I was quite young - from playground teasing to white van men shouting at me.

It's odd though, nicole kidman, gillian anderson, karen gillen (amy pond) and the model who's name escapes me are regarded as beautiful and interesting.

snozzlemaid · 04/10/2012 21:04

I had this at work too once. A few people were making comments about ginger hair at the other end of a large open plan office. I just said very loudly 'I can hear you, you know and in case you've forgotten my daughter is ginger and I find your comments extremely hurtful'.
It went very quiet for a while!

SoleSource · 04/10/2012 21:12

Ginger hair is the most beautiful IMO.

CouthyMowWearingOrange · 04/10/2012 21:16

Where are you? I will come and throw eggs. And I'm sure I can teach 20mo DS3 to join in with egg throwing at people who are derogatory about his hair colour FFS.

bubalou · 04/10/2012 21:17

gindrinker so u mean Lily Cole?

She is beautiful - I have seen her at a fashion show I went to - stunning!!!!

GeekLove · 04/10/2012 21:18

I am ginger and my hair is magnificent (see profile). I also got teased about it mercilessly (amongst other reasons) at school. In a way it made me more determined to keep my hair long and even some of my detractors had to admit that my hair was (is) great!
It really is another type of racism. I have called people out on this in the past and now would ask whether such a comment would be acceptable if you where to substitute black for ginger.

Plus it looks like DS2 is friase blond at least as his hair looks red when wet.

Mumsyblouse · 04/10/2012 21:30

The thing is, ginger people may get teased at school, and people may make remarks about ginger babies, but in the end, we gingers are the winners, plenty of men (of all nationalities) love red-haired women, and my hair is exactly the same colour as when I was a baby now I am in my early forties unlike my poor nonginger friends who have been hitting the hair dye bottle for years

Revenge is sweet.