to think that ginger hair

[Vallhala]

is the most beautiful colour and those with it shouldn't be bullied or taken the micky out of but praised instead?

My twelve year old daughter has been bullied at school for the colour of her hair, so much so that she wants to dye it. This is breaking my heart as her hair colour is absolutely gorgeous, a golden red, and she should be proud of it. She's so upset by the bullying and she feels alone and "different".

So, come on all you redheads and Mums of redheaded children - don't you think that red hair is simply stunning? I want to show her that you might get unkind comments as a child by the ignorant people (she's been called a "ginger C" amongst other things) but when you grow up you realise how much good attention ginger hair gets you and how pretty it is.

Feeling quite moved by so many positive comments ? the use of the dreaded word "ginger" reminds me of the bit in the Vagina Monologues where they reclaim the "c" word!

Both DP and his sister are ginger and very good looking (IMHO ) but were dreading whether their children would be, just because of the constant teasing that I'm sorry to say still goes on.
DP who is aged 42(!!) gets abused in the street (ginger "c" is the usual hilarious witticism) about once a month (by various people). If one person did it repeatedly I would be tempted to report it as a hate crime. Comedians don't help ? redheads are the only group it's OK to universally criticise in the most brutal terms.

Mathanxiety I think you have it spot on, it's based on anti-Celtic prejudice.
Can't remember who said they will train their child to say "Keep your racist views to yourself" but I totally agree. Rudeness about skin colour/hair colour/hair type = racism so why is it OK to abuse redheads?

Love all the positive stuff about famous redheads. Although I would exclude Nicole Kidman, she's only just gone back to her natural colour after that awful draining blonde (perhaps her "ginger denial" period?). However, it may be encouraging to your DD that other people, even A-list famous ones, sometimes struggle with standing out all the time as redheads do.

I would treat the bullying for what it is, take it seriously and go to the school. As many others have said, if she changes her hair they will scent weakness and start on her for something else. It's the bullying that needs fixing, not her hair.

Some weird things for ginger men reported by DP:
If there is a tramp on a train platform or in the street, they will always, always, come over and talking to him. He can't do what everyone else does and pretend to be invisible!
He used to go in London years ago where some relatively famous redheads (at the time) hung out and they would always come and talk to him given the "ginger bond".

i read this post yesterday and was temted to write as both dd and dp have red hair, but then decided against it. however today, for the second time, a bus driver called my beautiful dd a carrot top. when i told him how horrid it is to say that he then told me it needs to be cut and dyed. (she has beautiful red ringlets) i hate that people think it is ok to say these things, she's 2 1/2 FFS. im so cross and have been stewing on it all day, tomorrow the bus company will be getting a letter of a complaint.
my dp also has had so many jibes about his hair since moving back to my home town with me he now refuses to go on a night out. i think it's disgusting behaviour myself!

Lydia - what an absolute t**t that bus driver was. You MUST report this. Hope he gets sacked. This sort of comment enrages me.

My sis-in-law was picked on terribly for her 'ginger' hair all through school and now at 26 she is the most beautiful auburn haired beauty.

What inspires me most about her is the fact she rose above the taunts and is beautiful inside and out because she understands.

Plus, I would pay for her hair.....

Mine is fading and I mourn it daily.
Have yet to find a dye that is properly ginger rather than reddish.
DD is blonde but getting redder and hopefully she won't get the frizz that I was "blessed" with.

I am still disgusted that people think it's ok to abuse people because their hair is red, and/or they have freckles and pale skin.

I am quite upset that Oblomov hates her DS's hair colour as well - that seems so sad.

Lydia - that bus driver should be ashamed of his prejudices - but I'm sure he's not.

Oblomov - That is so sad. Is it the colour you hate or that he is "ginger" and therefore will probably come up against some teasing? The colour probably won't change too dramatically so hopefully you'll learn to love it.

When I was pg with dd1 quite a number of people said along the lines of "I bet you hope baby doesn't have your colouring". I always replied "Well actually I hope baby does. I love my hair colour thanks", (thinking you rude fuckwit!).

According to research, we are only a few generations from losing red hair altogether. We should wear it with pride as a dying breed!

i am soo jelous of red headed people
i have a tint of auburn to my hair which i adore and is from my great granny who had the most amazing bright red hair that never went grey right up to the day she died
be proud of being ginger. its the best colour imo

"By Oblomov Fri 20-Nov-09 15:37:51
Ds2 is ginger. I hate it. With a passion.
I love red on girls. Especially a deep glossy red. Most incredibly beautiful.
But my sons hair colour I dispise. I can only hope it changes."

God, poor kid. I hope you manage to hide your hatred of your son's appearance from him, Oblomov

Just checked profile, he prob doesn't given that he is 12mo old. You might want to re-adjust that attitude if your DS2 doesn't grow out of his red haired phase...

My daughter has gorgeous auburn hair. My husband is a propper red head and I have booring brown hair. I've always wanted red hair, it's gorgous.
I think the bullies are probubly jelous.

My DD was very blonde till she got to 8 then it went a strawberry blonde. She now gets very fine blonde highlights through it and it is back to her orignal colour. It looks quite natural and she no longer gets the ginger comments. I suspect her friends were teasing her as a joke.

I have three children, 2 very very red and one redish brown!, My fear was the bullying so have bigged up their beautiful hair their whole lives, def easier for a girl my son however is quite proud of his ginger barnet and keeps asking when he will have ginger ninja armpits.

Fingers crossed at seniors!
wink

So many beautiful redheads:

Gillian Anderson
Judi Trott
Kim Thomson
Nicola Roberts...

Oblomov, I have a grown up son with red hair. It was a bit of a surprise as neither DH or I are red heads. He didn't get teased that much, and I always thought it was a beautiful colour. Its a sign of his celtic roots. He has grown up into a handsome young man with striking and unusual colouring, which actually helps him in his profession - he's an actor.

I love red hair - in fact I put red highlights in my own to show off my existing red more.

TBH red hair is different but that is actually what makes it interesting and gorgeous.

Thanks alot Sausage.And others.
Wish I hadn't posted now.
Its not a crime you know. to dislike ginger hair. whilst say for example loving red hair on girls, not boys. It's not a crime to dislike warts on faces, or very pointed noses.
those are some of my other dislikes it you really want to know. And I am allowed to have an opinion, dislikes, thanks all the same.
I am totally in love with my son. He is such a poppet. so smiley. melts the hearts of everyone who meets him. just becasue I don't like ginger hair and wish he didn't have it, i have already accepted that there is nothing I can do about it. doesn't mean I am going to instill in him a lack of confidence, thank you very much.

My little boy has ginger curly hair (like his Dad) and we think he is gorgeous (well, he is). However, I have noticed that others tell me he is 'strawberry blond', they think they are being kind. Mmm, no, he is ginger and we like him that way.

redheaded is wrong
like squirrels you should be bred out

dh and I are mousey. Ds and dd are bright golden ginger. They are beautiful.

ronaldinhio - given that the op was going to let her 12 year old read this thread to boost her confidence after bullying your comment seems a little insensitive.

Vallhala- i am italian, and i personally think red hair is absolutely gorgeous in all its shades and manifestations. i would die to be a red-head.

i am baffled and mistified by this peculiarly british obsession with gingerism.

take your dd on a holiday to southern europe, i bet that'll boost her self esteem no end are people are bound to constantly comment how beautiful her hair is.

Well I can honestly say that ever since being a child I loved looking at people with red hair and i think it is the most gorgeous colour. It looks amazing in winter, not washed out like brown and blonde. Great wearing red, warm browns, greens and dark blues. I think it beats blonde hands down.

Am always attracted to men with red hair too, first boy I liked in primary school was a red-head!

There was a family in the queque at H&M a couple of weeks ago 3 boys and 2 girls all had very ginger hair. I kept staring. They must have thought I was being incredibly moronish. But I was just admiring.

Oblomov - what did you expect ? Seriously ? Posting words like 'hate' and 'despise'. Words YOU posted about your own baby. Did you think people wouldn't be shocked or wouldn't think that perhaps there may be a chance you could be projecting your negativity re certain aspects of his appearance (subconsciously, of course. I don't doubt that you love him and so would hope and assume that you would not be doing it consciously)?

I don't think that everybody should fall over themselves to compliment red/ginger, or indeed any colour or type of hair. Of course it is not a crime to have an opinion that is not 100% positive. Your post read (to me) as incredibly negative and tbh, I was shocked that you were posting about your son. You mention finding red hair beautiful on certain people (girls mainly - only?), it just seems a real shame that you can't see that same beauty in your son.

BTW - having red/ginger hair is not akin to a 'wart' on the face .

Your post was provocative, you cannot get uppity when your provocative post provokes a reaction.

Kids will always pick on whatever makes some one different. I was called names for being very tall & wearing specs. I won't say bullied, because I never let it get to me, so they soon stopped and found another victim. My Mum always used to tell me that stuff like this always said more about the nasty person doing it rather than the person being called names & she was right

Perhaps your DD should reply along Churchill-esk lines "Yes but I could always dye my hair if I choose to, but unfortunately you will always be ignorant" :0

Ginger/auburn hair is stunning BTW

my 2 ds have ginger hair ds1 ginger/ brown and ds2 strawberry blonde