to be annoyed that "gingerism" remains a socially acceptable prejudice?

[greengecko]

Why is it that people who wouldn't dare to utter a racist or sexist remark don't hold back when it comes to insulting people on the basis of their genetically determined hair colour? My 2 month old DS was born with beautiful red hair. Comments from friends and family include:

MIL (at hospital on day of birth of her first grandchild): he can't possibly be a Miller (DP's family name) with hair that colour .
MIL (2 months later): Oh, look at all that ginger hair. He's going to get a lot of stick.
Sister (when asked, on meeting her nephew for first time, what she thought of him): well, he's very ginger.
BIL: Oh well, it will probably go darker as he gets older. If not he can always claim he's strawberry blonde.
Friend: Oh well, you can always dye it.

And the list goes on. AIBU to be pissed off at these comments from my otherwise tolerant and liberal family and friends? It's starting to get to me and I'm now worried that DS is going to be in for a horrible time of it when it comes to school etc. Just hope he's tough-skinned enough for it all to wash over him.

YANBU, it is vile.

Enjoy your lovely DS and ignore all the horrible comments.

YANBU to be annoyed or upset by it.

I think the reasons that it is still socially acceptable (although becoming less so) are that historically people have not been persecuted, or held back socially or economically because they are ginger, in the same way as they have been for race or sex.

It's always been seen as more of a 'joke' . But it is still pretty low and must be upsetting for redheads.

I just don't get it at all!! What on earth is wrong with red hair??

As a ginger, I can only say that it will make him stronger- have a look at this

Tell your family they should be proud... soon there will be none of us left

Well done and congratulations for creating another!

I just don't get the ginger thing.

I had this all the way through my pregnancy as my DP is a redhead and v firey with it but gorgeous x to see him you'd see why!!! (sorry ladies but still have to pinch myself that he's my DP and it's been 3yrs)

I just took it as a joke and replied with comments such as "Yep probably but I like Gingers"

And with the Hair dye one, the old "ok you can dye his Brown when you shave your head/go green" seemed to shut them up.

I love RedHeads so I'm sure your DC is a stunner!! and think that all chhildren should be ginger cause they all look that bit more cheeky

Theres nothing wrong with being redheaded, I wonder why and when the prejudice started? Having just read Anne of Green Gables, its not a recent phenomenon.

Is it rooted in anti-Celtism?

Wow, just read that article - I had no idea ginger people had been put to death in the past

i don't think there is anything wrong with red hair. It's just noticeable and quite unusual.

FWIW I know 2 red-headed children at the DCs school. The lad is fine - handsome little devil and very popular. What makes the little girl less than popular is a rather unpleasant personality . I don't think the rufusness has anything to do with anything TBH.

This makes me sick. As a fellow redhead I have had all sorts of disgusting comments but as Tethers says it makes you stronger. There is nothing wrong with red hair at all. People who make these type of remarks are just ignorant and rude.

I am a natural blonde who chose to dye her hair a score of shades of red - including absolute carroty carrot - for around 15 years because I love it! I got way more compliments from everyone as a red head. I'm getting a bit long in the tooth to dye my hair now, so I'm back to blonde. But I miss it

People can be very stupid and thoughtless.

I got teased at school for wearing glasses, others got teased for having wiry hair (brillo), being gap toothed, being too pale or being too skinny (oh, me again!)
Kids will pick up on anything, doesn't mean it will be your ds gets teased.

I hate it too.I have red hair and just don't get it either.My ds has a best friend called ginger jack!He is ultra cool skateboard dude and everyone loves him

Ahhhh God I have a WEAKNESS for Ginger men. I think it's the deceptively fine skin. Whenever I see a man with long ginger hair it makes my stomach go flip. (Current Interest has long red hair)

oh, the hearthrob of the sixth form (who I had a serious crush on, along with everyone else) had long red hair and green eyes. Gulp. And his own pad at 17....he was so handsome and cool

There is a lush looking ginger bloke working in starbucks near me.A sort of rocker type long hair very beautiful face and a lovely guy only 20ish though so feel a bit of a perv but hes fab

I think red hair absolutely beautiful! I paid a small fortune for years to have mine dyed an auburn colour. Oh for it to have been my natural colour!

No, YANBU. I bet your ds is gorgeous!

Oh I too had a crush on a couple of red headed men in my youth. Long red Robert Planty - type hair!

YANBU

I feel the same way about people who make jokes about short men (even on MN there are people who seem to think they are fair game)

And short people have been held back socially and economically for centuries, and still are...

No, YANBU.
Any kind of discrimination on the basis of what someone looks like is completely unacceptable.

I think of a lot of people just don't think about how hurtful their comments are before they open their mouths.

Shame on your family and friends for behaving in this way.

I'm a red head and it pisses me off no end. Why do grown people feel the need to shout ginger at me in the streeet?!? Freaks! DH calls out snap when ever we see another red head! I'm just glad I have an unusual hair colour - unlike him - Mr Average ;)

I think the link posted further up would def show that redheads have been held back and even slaughtered at various points in history.

OP, tbh I would be inclined to tell them to go away until they can think before opening their mouths, I appreciate they may not realise how nasty what they are saying is but they need to before your LO grows up having to face the crap from family aswell as from strangers/school.

I wonder if it's an english thing. When growing up in Sweden I had ginger friends and can't remember them getting teased much about it and there was certainly not this big ginger is dreadful attitude.

I myself have always loved ginger hair and was well pleased that my dh is ginger. Just wished my two girls would be too =)

My late DH was ginger and I am still waiting to see if DS is (still blonde at this stage). I hope DS IS ginger - although DH hoped he wasn't because of all the teasing at school. Luckily my DH played rugby at school, so the teasing stopped when he grew (outwards as well as upwards! ).

I also think it is an English thing - I grew up in Oz and it is more of a badge of honour there - and you will automatically be nicknamed 'Blue' becuase of it!

'Ahhhh God I have a WEAKNESS for Ginger men. I think it's the deceptively fine skin. Whenever I see a man with long ginger hair it makes my stomach go flip. (Current Interest has long red hair)'

well ds2 is a teeny bit young but at 14 he has long ginger hair down to his bottom
dd2 is also a ginger.
And the person who makes the ginger jokes and laughed at South Park and Catherine Tate is ds2 himslef. But then he has never encountered gingerism.

Eric stoltz

nuff said

ginners are gorg

ds2 found this