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.

[Sallystyle]

I had loads of people telling me that they hoped my first three children won't get their dads read hair. He had very bright orange hair.

They didn't get it but I think my grandchildren will.

I also got a lot of stick for dating a 'ginger' as well. People often asked what colour his pubes were he had red hair; he wasn't a different species!

[weegiemum]

I aspire to Catherine Tate's hair! My dd-1 dyes her hair with bright red henna. Her BFF is a redhead.

Dd1 says it's done ironically here - redhead boys making comments about redhead girls!

We're in Scotland, and red hair is very common in my dc school.

[TheCatsBollocks]

I never understand the dislike of red hair.
It's my absolute favourite.

[steff13]

I aspire to Catherine Tate's hair!

I like my natural hair color, but I would love to have Karen Gillan's hair.

[Flipflops7]

I think it's racist, predominantly anti Irish and Scots.

Red hair may not be a race but neither is brown or black skin, IYSWIM.

[VirkeligRodet]

there are lots of red head people in Scandinavia too. People don't realise that but I'd guess it's almost the 6% that it is in Ireland and Scotland.

[Flipflops7]

(YANBU, OP).

[Flipflops7]

Yes, a lot of Scandinavians, especially in Denmark.

[OleOleOle]

What is your definition of race then flipflop?

[shockinglybadteacher]

Neither Irish nor Scots is a race. Also, if one Scottish child or one Irish child teases another Scottish child or Irish child for their hair colour, are they still racist, or does it only apply if the teasing Scottish or Irish child is BME?

[orangeone]

I am ginger. Obviously!

I spent my childhood being bullied for my hair colour.

As an adult I still get the odd comment. For example when my DD1 was born - at the actual moment her head crowned - the otherwise lovely midwife commented "it's ok - they're not ginger!"

It's actually very hurtful. Although these days I'm more robust so ignore it.

[RawCoconutMacaroon]

I live in the north of Scotland. In Dundee, where I go on a regular basis, there is an astonishing amount of red hair of all shades... I'd say way more than 10% and many blonds are reddish blond.

I think I read somewhere that red hair genes are associated with genes that reduce your chance of catching and dying of TB?

50% of my DC are red/blond with ginger bits. Most of the men in my family have ginger beards and sideburns but Fair/blond hair.

[RawCoconutMacaroon]

Shocking... I'd say scots, Irish are all part of the Celtic race...

[LadyLemongrab]

This is interesting

[LadyLemongrab]

And USA. Interesting that there's a marked increase to the west of Tennessee and Kentucky.

[SilentBob]

I experienced the worst anti-red bullying during my mid to late teens, which took me by complete surprise as I had no hint of it during school years. It was horrible and so many people jumped on the bandwagon once one started with the 'ginger minger' jibes it really was like mob mentality.

I spent years despising my hair colour but never dyed it- no point, they'd know why I did it and take the proverbial even more no doubt and now, at the grand old age of 37, I finally like my hair.

My daughter has her dad's colouring- very dark- and she has often said she'd love to have hair like mine.

And my boyfriend adores my hair.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

My dd has red hair and has fortunately not been teased about it as far as I'm aware. It is truly beautiful though IMHO so why would she be?
YANBU though, abusing or disrespecting someone because of difference is very sad

[pixielis]

I've just registered to comment on this thread (after lurking for a year or two) I have the most beautiful red headed 5 year old son who is known by pretty much most of the town and the first thing everyone notices is his hair followed by his smile. Since giving birth to him I have worried about him being possibly bullied so rightly or wrongly I have told my son to tell anyone who doesn't like it and say horrible things that they shouldn't be sad they don't have hair like him and he is just really lucky. It has worked the few times older kids have said something as they don't know how to respond.

[florascotia]

tears Any chance, please, of posting a link to the name/publication details of the ghastly local journo stuff you mentioned? Needs to be followed up, I think.

Apart from the dreadful prejudice it reveals, the article is also factually wrong. For example, bones showing traces of cancer have been found in Ancient Egypt, long before Viking times. The Vikings did not invent the disease or introduce it anywhere. The Romans (also long before the Vikings) commented that the inhabitants of the British Isles had red hair; Boudicca herself, from a Celtic tribe, had famous long red tresses. Rape and theft have - alas - been part of human society since time immemorial, and appear in documents from all early literate societies, again, long before Viking times.

Seriously, this writer and his editor need to correct their story and make a BIG apology.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

orangeone My MW told us dd was ginger at that point in the birth (ie. the head crowning) DH remembers it (and is ginger himself) I don't remember her comment but didn't mind it at the time. I had my mind on other things anyway But possibly a bit un-professional of her. At least it was said positively in a nice way

[nocheeseinhouse]

I have been spat at, and called a 'ging-er-minger'. I have had lewd comments about the colour of my pubic hair. Abuse shouted while out running about my sexual habits, as everyone knows those ging-ers are gagging for it, etc etc.

I've also had 'jokes' about the fact I must have a temper, being both redheaded and Irish.

Yet, people tell me it's not racisim, and I don't know what 'real' racism is. People have gone as far as to say calling it racism is offensive to 'real' ethnic minorities. I have felt in danger due to abuse for my hair colour. If it's not racism, it's certainly something I wish didn't happen.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

I think it's pretty clear it can be racism, certainly when it's seriously abusive and taken to extremes.

The interesting distribution maps shown by LadyLemongrab show that red hair is more common in some areas than others - it's not a random event, but related to other racial features eg. fair skin and freckles for example

[nippey]

YANBU - I am a red head and I was bullied throughout primary and secondary school, and even now I get abuse hurled at me sometimes when walking down the street. It is pretty hard to deal with, even now I am older and more confident in myself. I don't understand why people are so mean!

[BocaDeTrucha]

It's definitely an English, not British thing. I have lived in Spain for over 10 years and never once heard a negative comment. No "what will you do if it's ginger" comments when pregnant and only ever get positive comments. One lady even asked "what colour did you ask for when you went to the hairdressers cause I want the same", thinking it was dyed!!

I do admit though that I don't really like my eyebrow / eyelash colouring though. I have to wear mascara always and dye or pencil my eyebrows otherwise my eyes look like piss holes in snow as they are so blonde. The other day I went to work and forgot to put my makeup on and so many people said "you look weird/tired.... What's different about your face" etc.