"As long as they are not ginger"

[Tiredbadger]

I am currently expecting DC2.

I have just told my old boss the news and his first response was "I bet you want a boy" followed by "as long as they are not ginger." (Both DD and I have red hair).

AIBU to think this is so so rude and unprofessional, and even cruel to my DD?

Oh I see, never thought of that.

What a nobber. Dsd has the most beautiful long auburn hair, and I'd punch anyone in the face who said anything derogatory about her . *rolls up sleeves

Has anyone mentioned Outlander yet?

It's a moronic comment, and it makes him look like an idiot -- but I know what you mean.

Before DC I would've been in the 'oh come on, who cares, don't you have anything else to worry about' camp, but now I have a red-head DD and I'm realizing that I don't want her to grow up feeling wretched and self-conscious because grown men think it's hilarious to say shit like this. I know kids will tease each other about all and anything, but you shouldn't have to expect shit this from adults.

If you make your feelings clear (whether lightly, snarkily, or by bellowing like Miss Trunchbull), anyone who can only whinge it's a joke, come oooon in response is almost certainly an arse. So it is, at least, a helpful social indicator.

I have heard quite a few people make a remark like that and even one woman who commented that a mutual friends baby was 'ginger,..what a shame'
It says more about the person commenting than the person who has red hair,..so just ignore it.

Oooh he's a tool. YANBU!

Red hair is beautiful.

When people ask what I'm hoping for, I always say 'a human'.

"As long it's healthy" is just conversation, nothing is meant by it.

"As long as it isn't ginger" is rude.

All 3 of my dc's have red hair. They are all gorgeous and have lovely colouring but they all hate their hair. My 14 yr old gets so much shit about it. It's so sad and it's all because of twats like your boss.

Great response NKfell
It would be unfortunate to give birth to an aadrvark or a gnu.

Good luck OP I hope all goes well.

*aardvark

Ha... the old 'well, she's not really ginger, is she?' response, aka the sound of someone putting their foot in it even further. Slightly better than it's only a joooke... but only just.

Had a similar conversation last week. A friend made an off-the-cuff remark about how awful ginger was. Remembered my DD. Added, somewhat desperately:

'No, but your DD it really suits her, though.'

Long pause.

'And she's not GINGER ginger, you know?'

Longer pause.

'And she might grow out of it.'

I suppose good old 'oh do fuck off' just about says it all.

Dd is a beautiful auburn. We call her ginger ninja. Have never heard a derogatory comment yet and she's eight!

YANBU at all!!! I don't know why being rude to ginger people is so accepted. It seems to be a UK thing. You don't get the same negative remarks in the US - and having Prince Harry, Ron Weasley, that yummy bloke from Homeland - seems to be turning the tide.

My brother is ginger and was so mercilessly bullied at school because of it that it left lasting emotional scars and he is now over 40! So yes - your boss is a horrible knob and bully.

Congratulations BTW!

When I was pg with first one I used to say as long as it's not ginger. I got a ginger and I totally and utterly loved her hair from the first second I saw it. That taught me. I was disappointed when the second one wasn't ginger.

When she was born the midwife said "never mind" about her hair. I was

Ha ha I'm a ginge and both kids are !!! You get it all the time my dd a loverly red and thankfully ds more strawberry . I seriously can't go out ever without someone commenting how loverly they are . Grannies love it ????????

Op my teen dd has dyed her hair red and as she fair tans to a vivid shade of orange her older brothers call her 'the house fire'

Red hair is awesome. Your boss was joking.

I hate this.

Red hair has always attracted negativity and I have no idea why. It is just a hair colour.

Shitty "joke"

I used to hate my hair after years and years of being taunted by other kids.little shits

Now I like it. Red hair is lovely. we're interesting to apparently red heads have a tendency to bleed more. Bit of useless trivia. Oh and we go grey slower as red hair retains its pigment for longer.

Yes I have loads less grey than my friends !!

I worked with an editor of a provincial newspaper who once refused to use a front page pic of a man because he was ginger. What a twat.

Red hair is indeed awesome, and anyone who professes to not like gingers is a small-minded idiot who should be given a wide berth.

I think it was cruel to you too.

I'd pull his leg, jokingly, over what he thinks about your lovely red hair until he apologises.

PS -
I love red haired men (Damien Lewis) and kicking myself for not having gone for the lovely former fellow student because he happened to have a girlfriend although mates thought he fancied me, and having gone for twat exH.

Yes I have loads less grey than my friends !!

Excellent point.

My mother used to be ginger when young and she hardly has any greys in her 70s. I'm 40s and may have half a dozen scattered about. (I have red strands)

I was born with red hair .

My own father was less than amused.

I don't have red hair now.

But my father likes to tell people l Remind him Rita Hayworth

Fucking appalling comment, so rude!

But my father likes to tell people l Remind him Rita Hayworth

How is that bad?