To think that expressing anti-red hair views is still seen as okay

[GnomeDePlume]

but is very, very wrong

DD(14) came home absolutely fuming having witnessed a red-headed girl of around 8 being verbally abused by a boy of around 10 while the mum of the boy told the girl to 'take the joke' even though the girl was very distressed. Fortunately the girl's brother rescued her.

DH is red-headed and believes that anti-red hair sentiment has become more common in recent years. Possibly because abusing somebody about the colour of their skin can get them arrested. Abusing somebody about the colour of their hair is seen as a fair target.

I dont get it. I have witnessed someone absolutely rip into a colleague, abusing him and his children (all red-headed) and this man could not see that what he was doing was wrong.

I agree we have a close family member with ginger hair and I am shocked at how rude people are.

I'm Irish, and I don't remember anything like the unapologetic anti-red-haired prejudice you get at the moment in this country when I was growing up. I do find it shocking. In other places, red hair is viewed as beautiful, unusual and desirable.

yanbu it is the accepted face of racism. people just dont believe the things that get said to redheads. it also seems to be peculiarly british - ive never experienced it anywhere else.

However this thread will now turn to comptative redhead loving. Tis one of the readons i love mn

And i reckon someone will link to tim minchin within 20 minutes

I know someone who was telling me that there is a family all with red hair where he lives.

Whenever he's out driving and sees them he winds down the windows and shouts 'ginger' at them.

He told me this giggling and totally couldn't understand why I was

He didn't even get it when I asked if he thought it would be ok to shout the n word at a black family!

Knob

The mum should not have been encouraging it.

Teasing is only fun when both are laughing. Otherwise it's not ok no matter what the subject matter is.

I a a teacher, and for the past 15 years at least anti-red bullying has been the most persistent, virulent and spiteful bullying I have come across.

I consider it to be racism, and treat it as such.

(I think red hair is beautiful)

My daughter is two and in some lights her hair appears blonde and some red. I have already received negative comments yanbu.

yanbu it is the accepted face of racism. people just dont believe the things that get said to redheads. it also seems to be peculiarly british - ive never experienced it anywhere else.

Yeah, here in the US I don't think I've seen people tease outside of playful banter. My brother is a ginger and we tease him about having no soul.

But people here also like to dye their hair red, so it's a desirable trait on a woman anyway.

I am trying to understand why anyone would consider it acceptable.

I dont think it is about appearance exactly but difference. Some of the attitudes to red hair that I have seen have been almost rabid. It is as if people have a desire to express prejudice so look for a target.

YANBU
I appear to have a preference for ginger men.
and I find it quite outrageous that anti-ginger sentiments are widely sanctioned.
But I think it's part of an acceptance of generally being judgemental about appearance/ dress sense etc IYSWIM.
All unpleasant.

I live in Ireland and have a red headed son. The term 'ginger' has never been used to describe my boy, is it a British thing?
There are many, many shades of red hair. Ginger is a derogatory description imo and used to belittle the person who stands out from a crowd!

It is just so ingrained isn't it?
I don't get it at all.
I have reddish hair and gave managed to never take any teasing/bullying seriously. Many many females I know with naturally red hair have dyed it from when we were at school. I hope I'm able to pass on this bit of self confidence to my v ginger DS as he grows up.

YANBU

Yanbu and I worry about what my dd will face at high school.

I don't think its a british thing - it seems to be an English thing. when we visit DHs grandparents in London this comes up with my gingerness but in Scotland its not an issue. Probably because red heads have a rep for being as fiery tongued as the colour of their hair.

I am Irish but lived in London for years and it amazed and disgusted me how vicious people are to red haired people there. You just don't get the same issue here. Of course it meant more red haired men for me.......

I'm in my forties and I am red headed. I have two red headed children. We stay in Central Scotland and I have never encountered any teasing or bullying relating to my hair colour. To the best of my knowledge, neither have my children. Is this a regional issue perhaps? It seems completely alien to me that a person would be bullied for their hair colour.

It is a strange prejudice, and very British I believe.

My American redhead friend says that ginger taunts are unheard of over there. And I live in France now, never heard ginger mockery here either.

Growing up I got quite a few nasty jibes about my red hair. But there was a girl in my class who had hair even redder than mine, and she bore the brunt of it. I remember all the 'ginger' (to rhyme with minger) chants to this day, they were horrible.

seems to be the aygo from Toyota that's getting slated, electrical mishaps and alternator stuff going wrong and Toyota not taking proactive action. I would agree on the Nissan front though. had two nissans before and always been good runners - really reliable and last year our 14 year old Nissan was brought in for a replacement airbag (free of charge I might add) because of a recall on a part - 14 years later. Really good service from them but the ranger outstrips the navara for what I need it for.

However this thread will now turn to comptative redhead loving. Tis one of the readons i love mn

Oh god you so know it will

YANBU OP, it's not nice at all.

oh ffs. wrong thread.

I taught a boy once (secondary) who had appropriated the tag 'Jinja' which he wrote on all his stuff. He was new to the school and I think it was his way of defusing the crap before it even started.

I have lovely red haired family members - it is not such an issue in Scotland, where it is more common. Red hair is beautiful, I envy them their lovely hair. Prince Harry is considered pretty hot, after all.

Time for Tim Minchin, again. With a red haired sister and old gingerbeard sat beside me, here, I love this song.

I read your post Xcountry and assumed there was some allegory there that I was too dense to pick up!