Is being born ginger a gift or a curse?

[Stimpy]

People with ginger hair generally either grow up [trying] to be comedians, or are violent. Fact (or so it would seem). 'Picking' on ginger people is treated with much flipancy, but is this not a form of racism? Does the colour of your hair not influence how people react to you as much as the colour of your skin?

Wayne, you have ginger sideburns, what do you think?
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I can't see the cud for the cheese

[JavaMaven1]

Born a redhead, I have grown up to be neither a comedian or violent, in fact, many redheads I know (including my family) do not have either of these tendencies.

What bothers me about the OP, is you complain of prejudice due to hair color when you yourself are willing to set two distinct categories for redheads. The media would like you to believe that redheads are either comedians (like Carrot Top) or bullies (how many movies/TV shows have had redhaired bullies or troublemakers?). It goes along with the belief that all blondes are dumb and brunettes are shy librarian types.

I've actually found that being born a redhead was a gift; it has always been a mark of distinction--and in living in Los Angeles--uniqueness.

[Carina42]

*Also* born a redhead...I never thought about it one way or t'other, except that it does make one a little more noticeable in a crowd. "The redhead with the big boobs..." I never found terms like "redheaded stepchild" offensive, and take good-natured jibes about my temper in stride.

BTW a good friend of mine, a very tall skinny ginger dude married a Chinese woman several years ago. Their daughter Melanie (now 2) has "asian" features and BRIGHT red hair. She is gorgeous, a showstopper! She also has genes to die for. Dad is a chemical engineer, accomplished musician & all round nice guy. Mom is a physicist, marathon runner, and all-round nice woman.

[wring]

But of course, this begs the question that has plagued us for many years:

Ginger or MaryAnn ?

[Stimpy]

I'm confused.....

[hazza]

you're confused. who the hell is maryann????

Anyhow my sidies areless ginger and more a kind of gorgeous, vibrant Auburn colour.

[wring]

Apparently I have to spell it out?????

Gilligan's Island (a old sit com) about the castaways, had the "movie star" Ginger and the "girl next door" Mary Ann. Sheesh.

[Stimpy]

So what you're saying is that your sideburns ARE ginger, you're just ashamed of the fact. i think this is probably understandable. I'm not ginger myself, but growing up in dublin I had many ginger 'friends'(both funny and violent). In fact I remember getting the living s*** kicked out of me by one such acquantance on my 10th birthday..... and he was one of the funny ones. But who could blame him, I remember taunting him with 'duracell' 24-7.

[hazza]

'Gilligans Island'? Is that concerned with Ginger hair or with large Breasts?

As for me being Ginger, this is a slanderous accusation. I am strawberry blonde! And if i was ginger i would explode all your stereotypes as i am neither violent nor funny, but as i'm strawberry blonde, i clearly adhere to a different set of rules.

[Stimpy]

sorry wring, i've never seen the show... sounds good though. hazza, on the other hand, why are you typing about breasts? i feel that you're tangenting on me.
on a slight tangent of my own, you use the word 'explode' which is rather a violent word in anyone's book. i believe you are a secret ginger. humour me?

[hazza]

Is this is a serious debate or are you trying to reduce this to the level of PM's question time in the commons?
I am not ginger but have many good and valued friends of this persuasion. i'd say you are perhaps bitter because you may perhaps be losing your hair, or you yourself are ginger and are trying to deflect atention.

[manhattan]

Why don't you guys carry this on in MPSIMS?

[Chef Troy]

Maybe this post can carry the thread back to General Questions.

How in the world did orange hair come to be referred to as "ginger" in the first place? Actual ginger is greenish yellow, not orange or red — I cook with it regularly. What's the connection?

[ThisYearsGirl]

I always thought the red-headed stereotype was either Victorian prude, or wild-child.

[Stimpy]

okay i'll come clean. i am ginger (or GINGA! as my friends like to say). i'm very funny (no, really! no, really?), not the slightest bit violent, i was raised by wolves and i'm partial to a bit of dickens.
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I can't see the cud for the cheese

[a young Morgan Fairchild]

I have the dreaded "ginger" roots, although people always called mine "shrimp colored hair" growing up.

Then someone said "If only you had blond hair you'd be a young Morgan Fairchild." Since she was hot on TV that year, I took the advice, and haven't been called shrimp-colored since. :)

[Stimpy]

personally i look forward to the summer months when the golden rays dye me yellow. in my troubled youth i occassionally used lemon, but these days it comes more easily.
maybe she's born with it? maybe her doctor knows but s/he's not telling.

[Alessan]

Originally posted by ThisYearsGirl
I always thought the red-headed stereotype was either Victorian prude, or wild-child.

It's probably more of an English disdain for the "Celtic Fringe".

[BornDodgy]

You forgot category #3:

They grow up to be junks and dealers.

So.. now every redhead I know fits into your categories..

Including mom who is always tryin to be funny, my first love who sells drugs, my childhood friend who beat me up regularly... the list is too long.. and I havent even moved to redhead land England yet..

Besides.. I use henna for my hair.. brown hair masquerading as red.

b dodgy

[Persephone]

People do have a tendency to think that redheads behave a certain way, and more often than not, it's just a stereotype.

Redheads are a minority. That makes us different, which of course leads people to believe that if we look different, we most certainly must act different as well. It's a load of hooey.

Well, mostly hooey. Most of my friends think I'm really funny. :D

[BornDodgy]

Originally posted by Persephone
People do have a tendency to think that redheads behave a certain way, and more often than not, it's just a stereotype.

Does that mean you deny that all Americans are cheesy, all English like tea, blondes are stupid and that I am a goddess?
well maybe you are right..
no.. wait.. I AM A GODDESS
;)

b dodgy

[Sassy]

"The reason gentlemen prefer blondes is that there are not enough redheads to go around."

Irish-setter red, and as wonderful as you can imagine :)

[bwk]

Originally posted by Sassy
"The reason gentlemen prefer blondes is that there are not enough redheads to go around."


A guy I met once used that line on me... and it worked. It was the first time I had heard it. Of course the fact that he was insanely good-looking probably also had something to do with it... Anyway...

To answer the question of the OP, I am not exactly sure what color 'ginger' is, specifically. More of an orange, I take it? My hair is darker than that, but still very red. In short, I believe it is mostly a curse as a child, because you stand out and are different, and thus, teased to death. But once you grow up -- well, I supposed it is a mixed blessing. But if you find a devout redhead-worshipper, you will be revered as a goddess. And most people assume you have a bad temper, so they usually try to tread lightly around you, and who couldn't use a little of that?

Here are some comments taken from a Redheads Survey I found online:
From dudes:
"All women should be born red. If not, then they're not real women."
"The attraction to redheads is a lot like being addicted to drugs."
"Redheads just rule. You just can't get any better."
"The sun on a brunette's hair looks red. The sun on a redhead's hair looks like Heaven on Earth."
"Redheads are a spiritual thing. They are just simply superior."
"They make me extra stupid. And what we're all really looking for is women who make us stupid, etc....."
"Please God, make a pill to cure this redhead obsession!!"

From women:

"Being a redhead can sometimes be hard, especially when you're a kid. Revenge is sweetest, however, when you get older and all the girls who teased you about being able to tan look like they're fifty when they're thirty, and you look only twenty-five. It's always hard to be different; thank God redheads have the courage to use it to their best advantage."

"As a child, being a redhead means senior citizens love you, other kids love to make fun of you. As a teenager, it
means you're a slut even if you've never kissed anyone before. As an adult, other women hope you're a bitch so
they can justify the resentment they have little ability hiding, and men hope you're just as hot as you appear."

"I do believe my redheadedness plays a huge part in who I am. If I were a blonde or brunette, I would be an entirely different person."

I really believe that last quote is especially true. For me, anyway.

[Stimpy]

All very interesting, and I have to say that I think redheads are gorgeous! But I could never marry a redhead, because what chance do you give the kids who have two ginger parents?? None, is the answer. And although I think that being born a redhead has somehow caused me to be the wonderful person that I am today (and oh so self-effacing!), I could never wish the same on my worst enemy.... well maybe my WORST enemy.
Because [and maybe] it's different for boys. You are taunted to death if you're different - hence the loose connection to racism. The taunts in turn [in general] cause you to either retaliate (hence the hot-headed Irish bruiser) or try to make people like you (hence the class clown). But there is a dank third category.... the quiet retiring sit on a train platform with a note-book and pen in hand type. (Or sat in front of a computer screen typing inane comments). And you hardly ever see this sub-species. Why? Because they're holed up somewhere, being looked after by their [domineering because they're red-headed] mothers. Or they've already committed suicide. Woah, sorry, getting a little serious there for one who believes he's firmly in the funny camp!
I hated being ginger when I was young and vulnerable.... and now I have more important things to think about. I'm going bald! Go figure.
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It kills me to dye my hair - but dye it will

[SSgtBaloo]

Originally posted by Stimpy
All very interesting, and I have to say that I think redheads are gorgeous! But I could never marry a redhead, because what chance do you give the kids who have two ginger parents?? [Snip!]

No, I'm not a redhead, but my two eldest sisters were. I think redheads are the hottest thing going. Adversity helps develop character, and the razzing a redhead gets growing up will either make them a real S.O.B., or they'll develop the skills (quick wit, a sense of humor, etc.) to deal with it.

Red-headed women (my favorite kind -- even when it's only red highlights) are the sexiest creatures to ever walk the earth. They are [generalization] usually quite intelligent and alert, and have sympathy for others who have also suffered adversity. Please, please, PLEASE, all you redheads breed profusely! There can never be too many.

~~Baloo

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Is being born ginger a gift or a curse?

Only if the rest of the Spice Girls dump you. :wally

[lee]

Other kids teasing readheads because of their hair color can be very cruel. It should not be tolerated by adults any more than other types of discrimination. I know a very sweet, shy guy who was hurt deeply as a child by other kids because he was a "ginger nut". It is stupid and should be stopped.

Kids enjoy being cruel and excluding other kids, but i see no reason to encourage or allow this sort of behavior. It is possible to nip it in the bud, if parents and teaches step in early. All this "let them work it out for themseleves" shit is nonsense. Grade schools should not be like the island in Lord of the Flies children need to be taught proper behavior. A child that is constantly being excluded will have no chance to gain social skills and is in no position by themselves to change how the other children treat them, especially when the children exclude them because to thing they have no control over like hair color. Allowing children to use one of their classmates as a scapegoat and a target is odious.

For me whether redheaded guys are attractive can hinge on eyebrow and eyelash color. Pale eyelashes and eyebroew leave me cold. Decently dark eyebrows and eyelashes and auburn hair, oh my!

[Persephone]

But if you find a devout redhead-worshipper, you will be revered as a goddess.

UncleBeer...oh UncleBeeeeeeeeer....

;)

[Stimpy]

quick question whilst you're here, persephone. how long has straightdope been going that someone such as yourself could have so many entries?? if that's not a rude question? read it again, you might find that it is...
just that i'm a newcomer as you can probably tell, but i'd like to know. you all seem to know each other real well.

[Scotticher]

I'm a busty redhead myself (Hi, Cristi, how's things?) and the stereotype I have always encountered is that redheads are ditzy. I think because of Lucille Ball's brilliant depiction on "I Love Lucy."

Of course, since I am sometimes ditzy, maybe people are not stereotyping redheads, but making intelligent observations about ME!

The other one is the "fiery redhead temper" thing. Now, you all know me well, so I ask you. Do I have one of those?

Scotti

[RickQ]

I am a redhead. It does start out a bit of a curse cause at school you get picked on, taunts, name calling and physical violence, but as I have grown up, I have come to realise what an asset it can be.

People notice you, you are different. I think ginger hair is the best colour, but then I am biased.

bwk, your post really rings true for me. I'm glad someone else out there seems to understand.

TTFN
Rick

[bwk]

I'm glad to be relating with some other redheads. It is weird, you will go somewhere like a class or church, and maybe one other person in the entire place has hair even close to the same color as you do. It is really a different sort of feeling.

There used to be a cool site by a redhead-obsessed guy... he had all kinds of links, and a photo of the redhead of the month (Miss July, here, sorry, had to say it, I've never been 'miss' anything before that) but he met a redheaded woman finally, and stopped updating, or decided that redheads are more trouble than they are worth and took it down completely. It's no longer on line, anyway. Oh well.

If you are redheaded, or want to get a little more insight on how it feels to be that way, check out this link. It is so cool, all except for that annoying ad at the bottom of each page.

http://www.word.com/desire/highland/index.html

[Flutterby]

I'm not exactly a red-head (I carry the genes though.. my Grandfather was a carrot-top *grins*) but I love going red.. generally when I dye my hair it ends up redder then it was, even if I was dying it blonde. Thats what I need to do.. go out and get some red hair dye again. I always enjoy that.

[Kyla]

"I do believe my redheadedness plays a huge part in who I am. If I were a blonde or brunette, I would be an entirely different person."

I really believe that last quote is especially true. For me, anyway.

:: taken aback ::

Really? The color of your hair has had that important effect on your personality?

Okay, I'm not a redhead. So maybe I'm unusual, but I very rarely think about the color of my hair. People who are not on the same wavelength as me, in what ways do you think your hair color has greatly affected your life?

(BTW, my sister is a redhead, and she has bleached a wide swath of her hair, which she dyes various colors. It's presently black. So there's at least one redhead who's not attached to her hair color.)

[bwk]

I have wanted to do that to my hair as well. When it's already red, you don't monkey with it too much, but I'd love a blue or purple or pink streak.

As for the way it affects you, it is difficult to explain. It is sort of like walking around with a big stop sign on your head. When you were with a group of kids, older adults always singled you out. In a good way. Kids were horrifically mean. Seriously. It makes you stop and think, as young as you are, why someone would be so horrid to you about something over which you have no control.

I was always kind of quiet as a kid, so I was not trying to be class clown or get noticed, but you still get singled out to be picked on by other kids, and even by other redheaded kids, who were trying to take some of the heat off of themselves and transfer it to someone else.

You do look different. Most people with other colors of hair have darker eyelashes and eyebrows...even darker hair on their arms... sort of the normal look. But redheads often have the pale, almost nonexistent-looking eyelashes and brows.

Several adults told me that what they needed was a little redheaded girl, and they were just going to take me home with them. Yikes! Of course, this was teasing, but friendly teasing, but it gave me the creeps when I was little.

Other adults told me that they wanted red hair, and they were going to trade hair with me...they were just going to take it right off my head... which doesn't sound like a big deal... but it was weird. My sister has brown hair and didn't get any sort of comments like this.

Also, the pale skin that goes along with red hair, and the freckles you get if you stay out in the sun, kind of kept me indoors a lot. I don't sunbathe. Redheads get orange freckles rather than brown ones most of the time. When you change clothes, people often try to 'peek' to see if you are really red... you know what I mean?

This all sounds rather disjointed... but it is that whole 'sum of our experiences' thing. I guess it is that you feel different because you are treated differently. I would imagine some natural blondes might feel the same way.

Rambling much too long much too late at night,

[Flutterby]

The taunts in turn [in general] cause you to either retaliate (hence the hot-headed Irish bruiser) or try to make people like you (hence the class clown). But there is a dank third category.... the quiet retiring sit on a train platform with a note-book and pen in hand type. (Or sat in front of a computer screen typing inane comments). And you hardly ever see this sub-species.

I forgot to mention I am a bit of a mix of these three 'types'.. when I get angry I get very very angry and I do have quite a temper though I have a fair hold on it. When I lose it though its best to get out of my way. At times I can be a bit of a clown but in general I am the third type.. I usually carry a notebook and pen with me everywhere and I love sitting in front of the computer (I've been cut off for the most part though *sighs sadly*) I've even dubbed myself the 'Invisible One' because I'm rarely noticed.. and most of the time I like it that way.

[hesredbird]

Which catagory would Opie fall in? He wasn't angry when he killed the bird with his sling shot. He felt remorse and then went on to raise it's orphaned offspring. I don't remember anybody pickin' on him because of his hair color. His pa was the sheriff.

[Persephone]

Stimpy: I'm not offended by your question. I registered with this board in May of 1999. I was also on the old AOL board. So yeah, I've been here a while. But I do not have the highest post count here, not by a longshot. Somebody started a thread about that, and I think I was 75th or something like that. But the longer you hang here, the better you get to know folks. It's a hell of a lot of fun.

(Hi Scotticher! Things are fine here. And yourself? :))

[Persephone]

Excuse me, make that April of 1999. But I don't think I actually started posting until August, or something like that.

[mblackwell]

ginger=redhead?

I need to get out more!

[RickQ]

The reason why red hair is such a defining thing is precisely because it is different. It is almost like when people dye their hair an odd colour and stand out, sometimes they are labelled a freak, but that is their choice to do that, ginger hair is something you are born with and you cannot control so if you are picked on and labelled, it is not because of your choices, but who you are, and that hurts alot.

When you are a kid, standing out because of the way you look is a very bad thing, you are an obvious target. It is not the same as excelling, or being exceptionally bad. When I got older, it became a positive for the very same reasons.

And, bwk, I know all about the hatred of the sun thing. It has been scientifically proven that ginger haired people melt at 45C <g>

TTFN
Rick

[CanadianSue]

I hated being a redhead as a kid. All the silly jokes and everyone seemed to love the blondes. Now I love it and all the freckles that came with it. I've been complimented on my colour many times.

My dad had jet black hair but when he grew a beard it grew in red. I thought it made him look so handsome.

Be who you are, not who people think you should be.

[Persephone]

...that not only am I a redhead, I am a freckle-free redhead. So I didn't even blend in with the other redheads when I was a kid.

My hair was quite bright when I was little. It mellowed as I got older, and now it's auburn. I rather like it now. I do have the fair skin, though, that requires me to use SPF 4000 when I go outside in the summer. It's pretty pathetic.