Gingerism. Am I unreasonable to think it should be outlawed by now (lighthearted)

[gingergenius]

So, obviously by my username you can guess my colouring, and I've recently read posts by pale-skins where people think it's acceptable to comment on your colouring, which often feel awkward, uncomfortable, rude or downright predatory. As an example, "do collar and cuffs match?" Is still (and I'm in my 40s) a favourite (my usual reply us: "what do you expect? Purple feathers?"

But I'd love to know, what's the cheesiest/cheekiest/worst comment you've ever had in relation to your looks? (If only to make me feel like I'm not alone!)

I'm of Irish descent but dark haired, dark eyed and have olive skin. No one believes me ,,especially recently, because I don't have red hair and freckles !! People just comment regardless of what you look like I find.

I'm boringly blonde haired and green eyed so only ever had to suffer through the occasional dumb blonde joke. However, I'm a head of year and I once had a beautiful little girl in floods of tears because people were teasing her about her ginger hair. I told the mean kids off and put them in detention, then spent a good deal of time talking to the little girl and trying to boost her self esteem. I told her that her hair was beautiful, and reminded me of a sunset on a summers day. I was walking down the corridor a few days later and heard a kid shout 'oh here comes the ginger minger'. I turned on my heels ready to read them the riot act when the girl responded 'oh screw you! I'm a freaking sunset!' and marched off. One of my proudest moments as a teacher. (I still put the mean kid in dentention)

Hahah whatsername. I am so using that - I'M A FREAKIN SUNSET YOU BASTARD

In fact that's my new mn name sorted!!

My ds1 has fiery red hair and its absolutely gorgeous ( very jealous i always wanted to have red hair) he hate it when he was younger and got bullied at school for it. My inner tiger (batshit scary mother) went nuclear and wiped he floor with everyone..school included..who had upset him. Hes 26 now and comfartable in his own skin but it took years of bolstering to get him like that. I always concluded they were jealous because they looked ull and boring.

God lots of typos in that! Typing in a hurry.

I don't consider gingerism " light hearted" - I consider it racism, and I deal with it as such

Green eyes are rare. And the most beautiful.

I seriously cant comprehend that it hasn't been made illegal under discrimination laws, by now.

It is illegal. It is racism.

See my username. I do bruise very easily and I burn very quickly, but my hair is fucking amazing.

My youngest daughter is a surprise readhead & we just love it. Never understood the mean comments aimed at ginger haired folk.

I've had lots of compliments on my two DS's hair (especially DS1's red ringlets) but also negative stuff along the lines of how they'll hate their hair when they're older, they'll get picked on at school etc.

I'm a ginger too and yeah, I got picked on a lot in secondary school for it but then my school was full of little cunts who've grown up into bigger cunts.

Maybe if actual adults didn't treat gingers getting bullied as an inevitability and instead as something to be solved and educated on it wouldn't happen as much.

Yes it should. I'm nearly 50 and it still pisses me off. Remember when pregnant more than one person saying I bet you're hoping it's not ginger 😡. Ignorant twats 😡😡

I've an unusual light ginger hair, I love it and I've never ever dyed it. It's my best feature and I always got compliments and women begging for my colourist details When I finally go grey I will enjoy dyeing myself all the mad colours out there.

But I was horrendously bullied in school for being ginger and freckled and it has affected me a lot. And I did encounter the 'collar & cuffs' fuckwits or gingerist statements along the way.

My DS is a stunning shade of red hair - different to mine but still utterly gorgeous. Everyone compliments his hair. I hope that I can teach him how to be proud of it in the face of what will be inevitable bullying he's likely to encounter over it.

I'm loving the comebacks - purple feathers & sunset!

I used to be bright ginger when I was a kid, and then it dulled a bit to more of an auburn. In my late teens I used to dye it bright orange. Lots of "get back in your biscuit tin" as well as the other classics... Didn't offend me because I'd dyed it brighter
One that did always make my skin crawl was boys at school asking what colour my pubes were - literally in those words, no talk of collars and cuffs, curtains and carpets. Just "Have you got ginger pubes too?"
Another one for ginger just being incorporated into any old insult too. I am a silly ginger bitch!

My youngest has gorgeous copper coloured hair. He never had anyone say a negative thing about it till we moved back home to Scotland. We've never put up with people calling him ginger, I find nothing funny about taking the piss out of people because of their hair colour.

My nan always used to drum into me that I shouldn't dye my hair. So of course, I've tried every colour I could get away with (note: I look like a corpse with black hair!) - and guess what? The only colour that suits me is red!

Problem is, gingers aren't considered a 'race' which is why it can't be classed as racism.

Loud and proud people: WE'RE A FUCKING SUNSET!!!! Awesome comment!!!

My DH was ginger when younger. Our dd1 has recently been bullied for being ginger. She's not really. More strawberry blonde with fair skin and a few freckles. Her school took it very seriously as bullying and it was dealt with quickly and effectively. It's nonsense. I'd far rather have her colouring - or real ginger - than my natural mousey brown!

Problem is, gingers aren't considered a 'race' which is why it can't be classed as racism

we can and do class it as racism,

there are no "races" at all, if you are going to be that pedantic!

Where I come from in America, there is no negative association with red hair. Quite the opposite, in fact, and I was SHOCKED to discover that red hair is seen as something unattractive in the UK. The redheadsgirls and boyswere treated as special and beautiful when I was a kid (because red hair IS special and beautiful).

I don't know what the solution is about "gingerism'" in the UK, but you could always take a vacation to Boston or New York for a confidence boost. People will compliment your hair wherever you go.

User I wasn't being pedantic.

Some unknown bloke came up to me at a party once and "don't worry they can treat cancer, there'll be a cure for ginger hair soon".

What a tosser. If he was going for a pickup line, he failed there. Probably walked away muttering about women with no sense of humour too.

Also cannot believe the PP who was pinned down with boys trying to pull down her pants. I feel so sad.. just horrific behaviour, and it's definitely tolerated more than other kinds of racism. Gingers are seen as the punchline to a joke more often than not. It's very weird and awful.