Why is it still socially acceptable in the UK to make fun of people with red hair?

Question

If you make fun, ridicule or deride someone because of the colour of their skin, you will generally be considered by society as racist and rightly so. It is no longer acceptable to pick on someone because of their 'race given' appearance or something else personally intrinsic. In that case, why does this not seem to apply to another genetic, birth given traits like hair colour?

As a kind of sub-question, why does this prejudice only seem to really exist in the UK? To the best of my knowledge, it doesn't seem to be an issue in other countries around the world...

Answer 1

You know, it may go back thousands of years...

Seriously, according to research at Oxford University red hair, fair skin and freckles stem from Neanderthal ancestors. "The gene is certainly older than 50,000 years, and could be as old as 1000,000 years. An explanation is that it comes from the Neanderthals.”

Scientists believe Neanderthals to have overlapped with Homo Sapiens and interbred, passing on the 'ginger gene'. Ten percent of indigenous Scots are red-haired, while another 40 percent are supposed to carry the gene. The first Neanderthal bones were discovered in Europe and the first whole skeleton in Germany, so the explanation is faily concievable.

If it exists here in the UK then it's because it's here where the two species "overlapped". You can imagine homo sapiens poking fun at the neanderthals - sort of prehistoric racism. [afterthought: maybe that's why Hadrian built his wall!]. :-)

Answer 2

The obese are rather given greater appreciate in our society than human beings who smoke. As a smoker, I handle comments daily including "it is undesirable for you" and "you are going to die," and besides the fact that maximum of those comments come from strangers, it has grow to be the norm. i do no longer see the way it is fairly distinctive from asserting an identical issues to an obese individual who's ingesting a great Mac or fried chicken... yet maximum folk might look to think of that the former is nice, and the latter isn't. what's the version? common, i think of it has grow to be *much less* socially appropriate to make relaxing of the obese, as obesity is ultimately being given greater interest as a severe well being undertaking.

Answer 3

Im redhead and are a Swede and never heard of this since the years in first/second grade were a redhead could be a tag for the ha ha.
But so could freckles and a strange schoolbag.

Bút i have seen GOOD Us stand-ups ridicule the old. "ha ha so slow he is ha ha" ..."look she must rest AGAIINNN HO HO HO"

This is strangely ugly.

the red hair is a gene here in northwest-north europe. Many danes are redheads, wonder how they fight the morons?

Answer 4

It is interesting how "Gingers" are made fun of quite extensively in the UK. I only thought it was a UK phenomenon, but I recently saw an episode of the US-based TV show South Park (which was hilarious), about the persecution of red-heads (disease called: "Gingervitis")

http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/southpark/season9/southpark-911.htm
Here is a link copy of the script of the show - hilarious.

Cartman:
"Ginger Kids: Children with red hair, light skin, and freckles. We've all seen them - on the playground, at the store, walking on the streets - they creep us out and make us feel sick to our stomachs. I'm talking of course about... ginger kids. Ginger kids are born with a disease which causes very light skin, red hair, and freckles. This disease is called Gingervitus, and it occurs because ginger kids have no souls. Kids who have gingervitus cannot be cured. Because their skin is so light, ginger kids must avoid the sun. Not unlike...vampires. Some people have red hair, but not light skin and freckles. These people are called "daywalkers." Like vampires, the ginger gene is a curse, and unless we work to rid the earth of that curse, the gingers could envelop our lives in blackness for all time. It is time that we all admit to ourselves that gingers are vile and disgusting. In conclusion, I will leave you with this: if you think that the ginger problem is not a serious one, [Cartman shows a picture of of Carrot Top] think again."

Answer 5

i have red hair and people use to make fun of me when i was at primary school. as Ive got older its not as much but i find women are the worse for being bitchy about it. i wouldn't say I'm a stunner but when i go out i get alot of attention from men and the women hate it !! im proud of bein different

Answer 6

i work with someone who has red hair and hates to be called ginger, so much so we can't say the word ginger at all and if we want a gingerbread man at lunch we have to say spicy-bread man! i personally love red hair or ginger whatever you call it and colour mine all the time, but natural red hair rules

Answer 7

Not sure if their are issues with the Irish. Lot of them have red hair. It also depends on your crowd. Maybe its truely absurd so people don't take it seriously. If someone formed a death squad to kill the red heads, Im sure it would get stopped rather quick

Answer 8

ya, that's strange.....it's not an issue in north america. we don't pay any special attention to people with red hair...it's not a big deal at all like it is for brits.

Answer 9

Very good question.

People in other countries are obviously not as shallow as us here in the UK.

I think you make a very valid point here. :-)

Answer 10

red hair is common to irish ppl.
brits have a long term hatred for the irish. the same with irish toward brits. and the irish and brits toward everybody else.