# Why do Brits find Gingers so horrifying? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 15, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815 "2019-01-15T19:18:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/21 "2019-01-16T17:24:02Z")
On the flip side, is there somewhere - perhaps Scotland - where redheads are considered “the best”, like blondes are considered in the U.S. ? For that matter, is there somewhere where the (natural) blondes are the butt of the joke? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/22 "2019-01-16T17:43:13Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > For that matter, is there somewhere where the (natural) blondes are the butt of the joke? The “dumb blonde” stereotype has been around in the U.S. for a long time, and “blonde jokes” were absolutely a thing here in the late '80s and early '90s. (Note that there is also a corellary of blondes as loose.) A sampling: - How can you tell if a blonde has been using your computer? There’s white-out on the screen. - Why did the blonde get fired from her job at the M&M factory? She was throwing out all the Ws. - Why can’t a blonde call 911? She can’t find the “11” button on the phone. - How does a blonde turn on the light after having sex? She opens the car door. - Why did the blonde have a sore belly button? Her boyfriend was blonde, too. ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/23 "2019-01-16T17:51:47Z")
In the US, we’ve got the (seldom used) phrase “beat like a redheaded stepchild,” used to indicate an overwhelming defeat. Similar to “beat like a rented mule.” I assumed that the beatings were especially bad not only because A. stepchild, and not my genes B. redhead, and thus possibly not the child of the supposed father anyway. But maybe I’m overthinking and it’s just a more generalized prejudice against redheads. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/24 "2019-01-16T18:26:01Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The “dumb blonde” stereotype has been around in the U.S. for a long time, and “blonde jokes” were absolutely a thing here in the late '80s and early '90s. (Note that there is also a corellary of blondes as loose.) > > A sampling: > > - How can you tell if a blonde has been using your computer? There’s white-out on the screen. > > - Why did the blonde get fired from her job at the M&M factory? She was throwing out all the Ws. > > - Why can’t a blonde call 911? She can’t find the “11” button on the phone. > > - How does a blonde turn on the light after having sex? She opens the car door. > > - Why did the blonde have a sore belly button? Her boyfriend was blonde, too. Can’t really use those anymore. For instance, I definitely can’t say “What’s the mating call of the blonde? ‘I’m _so_ drunk!’ What’s the mating call of the ugly blonde? ‘I _said_ I’m _sooo drunk_!’” ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/25 "2019-01-16T19:02:09Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The “dumb blonde” stereotype has been around in the U.S. for a long time, and “blonde jokes” were absolutely a thing here in the late '80s and early '90s. (Note that there is also a corellary of blondes as loose.) > > A sampling: > > - How can you tell if a blonde has been using your computer? There’s white-out on the screen. > > - Why did the blonde get fired from her job at the M&M factory? She was throwing out all the Ws. > > - Why can’t a blonde call 911? She can’t find the “11” button on the phone. > > - How does a blonde turn on the light after having sex? She opens the car door. > > - Why did the blonde have a sore belly button? Her boyfriend was blonde, too. True, but I meant more along the lines of blondes are the de facto unattractive ones. Even the insulting dumb blonde jokes imply that they have beauty instead of brains. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/26 "2019-01-16T19:15:00Z")
[https://youtu.be/F\_DVHUEjnuU](https://youtu.be/F_DVHUEjnuU) ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2019, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/27 "2019-01-16T19:28:38Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > True, but I meant more along the lines of blondes are the de facto unattractive ones. At the rather restricted location of 1313 Mockingbird Lane. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/28 "2019-01-17T02:57:30Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > At the rather restricted location of 1313 Mockingbird Lane. (shudder) Herman and Lily were saints to let Marilyn live with them. I had a customer who lived at 1100 Mockingbird Lane. Just down the street. ---
**Author:** ![Santelia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Santelia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santelia)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/29 "2019-01-17T23:51:15Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > I was watching the BBC documentary [Magic Numbers, The Mysterious World of Maths](https://youtu.be/cyvDG8qjt-M) and noticed that the presenter had red hair. Not a dye job, because she is translucently pale like fine china, just a natural ginger. I wouldn’t cross the street to avoid her, but I’ve heard some Brits act like redheads are horrifying monsters who should be burnt like witches (perhaps slightly exaggerated). Why is that? For every pasty-faced Rupert Grint (who I want to punch in the face but only because he looks like my brother) I’ll give you Karen Gillan. Red=headed English person here just chiming in to say that’s Hannah Fry and she’s bloomin’ lovely:) She frequently presents videos for the Numberphile Youtube channel[https://www.youtube.com/user/numberphile/videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/numberphile/videos) ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2019, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/30 "2019-01-18T01:45:52Z")
Not just the Brits. My brother and I grew up in New England and, like every other redhead I grew up with, we mercilessly bullied up until middle school. It was definitely worse for the boys… my parents let him take karate because he kept getting beaten up and 1/4 of the kids in his class were other little boys with red hair. My mom, also a redhead, chalked it up to being a left over bit of the anti-Irish sentiment from 1800s to early 1900s. ---
**Author:** ![filmstar-en](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@filmstar-en](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmstar-en)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/31 "2019-01-19T11:47:24Z")
Ginger hair is common in Ireland, Scotland and Northern England. Those Vikings left their genes where ever you could pull up a long boat and there were valuables to pillage and maidens to ravish. Kids will always tease each other and they really don’t need much of a difference to go on. Later in life those differences can be turned into a serious advantage. Plenty hair dye is sold to ladies to get that hot red head look, 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2019, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/32 "2019-01-19T13:18:51Z")
If you’re going to pick on someone, it might as well be the kids that can’t hide. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/33 "2019-01-22T23:30:31Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > On the flip side, is there somewhere - perhaps Scotland - where redheads are considered “the best” I thought in Ireland ginger hair on a woman is considered attractive, but on a man something to mock. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/34 "2019-01-23T08:56:23Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > True, but I meant more along the lines of blondes are the de facto unattractive ones. Even the insulting dumb blonde jokes imply that they have beauty instead of brains. I’m not sure I’d agree that ginger hair is viewed as ‘unattractive’. A bit gorky, perhaps. At least in kids. Along with freckles. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/35 "2019-01-23T09:50:09Z")
> [@Santelia](#): > > Red=headed English person here just chiming in to say that’s Hannah Fry and she’s bloomin’ lovely:) She frequently presents videos for the Numberphile Youtube channel[https://www.youtube.com/user/numberphile/videos](https://www.youtube.com/user/numberphile/videos) I am a sexist swine in recovery, but who am I tell you you’re being inappropriate? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/36 "2019-01-23T19:09:50Z")
> [@filmstar-en](#): > > Ginger hair is common in Ireland, Scotland and Northern England. Those Vikings left their genes where ever you could pull up a long boat and there were valuables to pillage and maidens to ravish. Vikings likely reduced redheadedness in the British Isles. Redheads are commonly associated with the Celtic nations. [Studies](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/10264427/Edinburgh-is-surprise-capital-of-redheaded-Britain-and-Ireland.html) have shown the Edinburgh area to be the most redheaded region in the world, and according to one of the researchers: “…the lower percentages for the gene variants in the south of England and the far north of Scotland suggested that Anglo Saxons diluted the red headed gene in England, and Norse Vikings diluted it in the north and west of Scotland.” ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/37 "2019-01-23T20:55:35Z")
> [@filmstar-en](#): > > Ginger hair is common in Ireland, Scotland and Northern England Commoner than anywhere else in the world, but still not common. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815/38 "2019-01-23T21:04:26Z")
> [@TSBG](#): > > I have heard English (and Scottish!) friends joke that you can’t trust a ginger. The Scottish one, however, is the long-time partner of a ginger. So the Scot is an authority, is what you’re saying. Gotcha. Also, for every negative thing people say about them, there’s always the fact that [Heroes Want Redheads](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HeroesWantRedheads). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-brits-find-gingers-so-horrifying/827815.md?page=1)