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.

only arses think this way..I think red hair is very beautiful like every colour..actually I'm quite them my DH admitted once he would have loved to see ginger pubes (natural)..never gonna happen with me >

I am amzed that so many of you have been called names and suchlike for being ginger. I'd floor anyone who was mean to my 2 gingers.

Do blondes feel the same way about blonde jokes?

My MIL totally denies the fact that DH has ginger hair. Its definitely strawberry blonde, even though it is the same colour as her grandsons'. She doesn't mind having ginger grandsons, but heaven forbid she should have bourne a ginge

I love a handsome ginger man. Boris becker type or Erik Stolz..

The blondes who complain at blonde jokes are dyed blondes, and I don't think they really apply to natural blondes, as that wasn't a 'bimbo' vain choice if you know what I mean. (not saying I think this btw)

The bloke who plays Sean Slater in Eastenders is quite fit as well. Boris Becker is just yum.

My DCs are mixed race (my OH v.dark). But they all have a huge amount of red in their hair. OH's GD was 7' with bright red hair so there is always a chance one of ours could be proper red headed (how great would that look with their brown skin and blue eyes?). My uncles are red heads as well so you never know....

IMO people dont really hate red hair, they are just generally nasty and its an excuse to express their spite. I dont think a nice person who happened not to like red hair would scream at a child across the street.

YANBU

People pick on what's different.

I have 2 ginger DSs. DS1 also has large ears. I'd far rather children made fun of his red hair (which they do) than his ears. becasue his hair is beautiful and I can tell him they're just jealous

I have natural blonde hair and was teased at school over that (was the era if Blondie)

I once had a perfect stranger call across the street, when I was out with DH and boys "where do they get their hair from then, the milkman?" as neither DH or I are ginger, although there is lots of it on both sides of the family.

I have two very red DS,s and a reddish one. They do get teased a bit but also get loads of compliments, Iemphasise hte viking origin stuff to make them feel proud to be ginger.

I defy anyone to say their hair is not lovely (see photos on profile).

Wiggly he is stunning!

My dp loves redheads he calls us toppers .He calls me ginge and I don't mind at all

Wiggly his hair is gorgeous!

Definitely think English people tease and are worried about teasing more than any other people on the face of the earth. Having said that, I lived in the US where redheads of Scandinavian, Scottish, German, Italian (titian red) and Irish descent all coexisted happily with everyone else without the seemingly constant negative comments and attitudes. People sometimes made remarks, but there was never the outrageousness and the kneejerk rottenness you get in the UK. Move to the US!

Thankyou,I think so but then I am a little bit biased

I am ginger, my DD has brunette hair like her dad.

I was approached by a random stranger once who said that I was lucky she had taken after her father and not me!

When I first started dating my DH and he told his mum who he was seeing she told him that red headed women are the spawn of satan!!!

YANBU. Personally I always think less of a comedian who uses 'ginger jokes' and make a point of saying something to my children to show my disapproval.

My first real boyfriend was a red haired (gorgeous) Scot!

Some of these comments from total strangers absolutely beggars belief. Just what is wrong with these people and what makes them think they have any right whatsoever to say such things? IMO this should be made an offence; its just as bad as comments being made to someone about disability, race or sexual orientation. Unacceptable.

not managed to read whole thread so apologies if repeating what others have said.

I am a proud redhead. Turns out red hair, unlike other colours, is the result of a mutant gene (yes, we're mutants, but don't tell the cruel kids) and that's why red hair is, comparably, rare. It also means that to have a redheaded child, both parents have to carry the gene - so shove that in the sarky family's pipe and let them smoke it!

I love it. I have the added curse/blessing of natural curls - which look great when tamed but are usually wild frizzy and a right pain in the backside. I do kind of hope any DS of mine (TTC at mo) doesn't get exactly my type of hair! my colour and DH's texture would be perfect.

Redheads rock. and they've got a great reputation as red-hot lovers!

wiggly pre raphaelite boy is gorgeous!

mathanxiety...my mum and I, both german, were just talking about this....weird thing is, the brits have scooluniforms to unifom...and tbh, kids just find other things to tease about...mostly things that can't be changed easily or are natural born...hm....I rather kids tease about clothing...that can be overcome and changed..
kids over here even tease kids over their lunchboxes and what it includes...I mean wtf...do they have nothing else to worry about

YANBU
I hate this nastiness about red hair.

When I was a child, I remember my mother telling me that in Victorian times, red hair was thought to be bad, and so people wanted their portraits painted with the hair darkened so that it didnt look red. I thought that this prejudice was as antiquated as sweeps apprentices being sent up chimneys.

Nobody at my primary school in the 1970s laughed at red haired people.
I was horrified when I realised a few years ago, that being nasty about red hair was on the rise again.

Red heads definitely hot in the sack according to my dp

and mine

THere's an ad on Living tv for their new dating in the dark series and it constantly repeats this tit of a woman saying 'They turned on the lights and I swear he was Ginger' - they'd never show it if she was referring to his skin colour, but gingers are fair game.