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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be fucking sick of ginger hair comments?

403 replies

BlurryFace · 15/05/2017 14:02

My 2 DSs are both under school age and ever since their hair came in I get to hear comments on it from strangers. Sometimes its complimentary, other times it's tuff like "ooh he's going to hate his hair when he's older bless him" or "he's going to get picked on with that hair".

It doesn't ruin my day or anything, I just think "get some social skills you twat" while going 'mmm, really'. I am ginger for Christ's sake, so even if it goes over the boys' heads I can fucking understand it. When I was pregnant with DS1 SIL (who I like) said "oh DH, wouldn't it be funny if you two had a ginger kid? Oh no offense, BlurryFace."

I just feel sick of shrugging off ginger this, ginger that comments. I've been doing it for 20+ years, my own mother has said she thought it a shame I was ginger when I was born. I got all the ginger pubes (what other colour would my pubes be, dumb fuck?) comments at school, but everyone hated me anyway, it was just bonus ammo.

Next time I think I'm going to ask if the person who thinks my kids will hate their hair hate their own nose/jaw/body shape.

OP posts:
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BillSykesDog · 15/05/2017 14:35

I don't think they do realise it is anti-Celtic. It's just become embedded in English culture and people don't realise why. But it is rooted in an association with Celts, particularly the Irish and Scots who the English were often in conflict with. The negative stereotype demonstrates the dislike and mistrust felt for Celts.

steff13 · 15/05/2017 14:35

Here in the US, people love red hair. #2 son has the orangest red hair you've ever seen, and people have always complimented it.

QuietNameChange · 15/05/2017 14:36

I used to be so envious of ginger haired girls ;)

So much that my parents allowed me to use henna... Once when I was about 5 (I have no idea how I managed to talk my conservative parents around to that) and once in my early teens.

The first time (I was still very blonde back then) ended up with me looking like a carrot. I loved it :D

I unfortunately simply don't look good as a ginger, it's horrible with my skintone. (very light olive tone with light brown hair)

But yes, these people are rude. YANBU!

QuietNameChange · 15/05/2017 14:36

Maybe not envious.

But I just really, really admired their hair colour and wanted mine to be like theirs ;D

Blaaaaaaaah · 15/05/2017 14:37

it's not like gingers have ever been put in camps/colonised/enslaved.

If you're looking at it from the Celtic angle there are several million Irish people who would deeply disagree with you on that one....

PyongyangKipperbang · 15/05/2017 14:38

Gingers are on the rise!

When I was at school there was only maybe one or 2 per year (yes I have a ginger minge, how fucking funny.....not) , now there are loads and my kids have never experienced bullying as a result of hair colour. Because of the wrong bag, face didnt fit, wrong shoes, teachers pet....yes but never due to being ginger. Adults who make stupid comments can be safely laughed at, I find "Oh what a silly thing to say, as if anyone would pick on a child because of its hair colour" with a look that says that you know that they did it as a kid themselves and you are judging them for it.

Gingers need to breed and one day we will take over the world!

Astro55 · 15/05/2017 14:38

There is an annual 'kick a ginger day' which is atrocious!!!

Local schools have sent home warning letters and exclusions happen -

SuperPug · 15/05/2017 14:38

I think it is a weird British thing.
Went to Turkey years ago and they couldn't get enough of my friend's (gorgeous) red hair.
If they're going to be so rude, I would be equally rude back.
I'm not sure why it became acceptable to make comments like this on hair colour etc?

PrivatePike · 15/05/2017 14:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BlurryFace · 15/05/2017 14:39

NoniBaloni, I think you're OK, I don't mind compliments I just wish negative comments could be kept in people's heads.

OP posts:
Maudlinmaud · 15/05/2017 14:39

Growing up in Ireland I never saw any negative comments about red hair but lately a student did tell me they where subjected to dogs abuse for a long time. They can handle themselves though and when someone made the comment about gingers having no souls they agreed and gave the death stare. I love that response.

Wando1986 · 15/05/2017 14:40

My best mate is ginger but her pubes are brown. So are her eyebrows and eyelashes. Sucks to be you, I guess OP.

I LOVE ginger hair and I'm secretly hoping my baby is a ginger :)

Astro55 · 15/05/2017 14:40

** it falls on 20th May this year - if you believe google

StillaChocoholic · 15/05/2017 14:40

When I was pregnant with my first son I got a lot of questions like "what will you do if he's ginger?"
Not sure what kind of answer they expected considering I'm ginger myself. He was slightly ginger when he was born but it all fell out and he's got brown hair now.
My second son is nearly six weeks old and so far is ginger. In fact today I've had "he's gonna have your hair colour" comments about him. Those comments I don't mind, in fact I like them. The stupid what if questions take the piss.

PrivatePike · 15/05/2017 14:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

phoenixtherabbit · 15/05/2017 14:41

My ds is ginger, I love it and am frankly jealous that my hair didn't stay that colour.

We do get a lot of comments though especially from mil. Angry

I don't get why people feel the need to mention it especially negatively it's just another hair colour!

CoralieConfused · 15/05/2017 14:42

Praying that your dc won't be ginger is odd

BlurryFace · 15/05/2017 14:42

Blaaaah, really? I left school at 15, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge. I take it that all celts were rounded up regardless but ginger was seen as a Celt thing/made ginger celts easy to identify? How interesting.

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Billsykesdog · 15/05/2017 14:43

In other countries it's also often associated with anti-Semitism as they see Ashkenazi Jews most frequently with red hair.

Judas who betrayed Christ is also often portrayed as a red haired Jew which is another reason for historically hostility towards the red haired.

Ahardmanisgoodtofind · 15/05/2017 14:44

My DD has very curly ginger hair and greenish eyes . DP and I are both dark, every single time I leave the house with DD I get "oohh when did the ginger come from" most people are very complimentary about her hair but I have had one person say "she'd be stunning if she wasn't ginger" and another point and say "such a shame"
Both got very rude replies.i love her hair, wish mine wasn't so boringly brown

ohtheholidays · 15/05/2017 14:45

I've never understood this reaction to ginger hair I've always thought it looks really stunning.

I always notice ginger hair but in a good way!

QuimReaper · 15/05/2017 14:45

I'd sell my soul to be a natural redhead!

BillSykesDog · 15/05/2017 14:45

Celts were driven out of England by the Anglo Saxons and have been historically oppressed/starved/killed ever since. It might not follow the exact pattern of black slavery or the holocaust, but there is certainly a very bitter history of pretty horrible things, especially with the Irish.

Mummyoflittledragon · 15/05/2017 14:46

When I think of red head, I think of Darby Stanchfield and her amazing locks. justmade your dd has beautiful hair. I'm blonde - well just about blonde these days btw. Why all the comparison of better than, not as good as?

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