I heard that redheads are disliked in Britain, and that people call them "gingers". Is this true, and why?

Answer 1

Here is a documentary on ginger kids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCN2yRB0-8Q

Answer 2

I am a redhead from the north of England, and I have never really come across anyone who has been negative about me hair. I did get teased a little at school when they realised the carpet matched the drapes, but what did they expect? I have never been teased in a nasty way, only a friendly one.

If there was any prejudice I think you would find it would be in England, and it is actually prejudice agisnt the Scots and Irish (who have the highest proportion of redheads in the world at 13 and 10%). People with red hair are often assumed to be irish or scottish or of irhs or scottish descent. But the only abuse of me as 'irsh' for my colouring actually came from Americans, not British.

I work with the public and I have spent my life being stopped by people who want to tell me how beautiful my hair is. It happens all the time. It certainly gets me plenty of attention. I have never been called ginger, but my hair is not bright bright red or sandy, it is a deep coppery red and I don't get freckles.

On holiday in the Mediterranean a couple of people spat behind them as they walked past me (to ward off the devil!) and a few people earnestly told me that my pale skin looked 'wrong' and I should go on the beach and get a tan or buy some fake tan. But the negative comments were more about my pale skin than my hair.

When I was a kid some US soldiers in an airport started making abusive comments about me, for being a ****** irsh **** etc which really upset my Mum, (I'm not irish I just have red hair) but that is the only time I have ever been treated badly for my colouring and it wasn't off people from the UK.

I love being a redhead and I really hope I have redhaired children.

Answer 3

It is true that some people in England and sometimes the media make fun of people with brighter ginger hair but I don't think that you can say that they are disliked. I think it must go back many hundreds of years because of the history between the English and the Scots and Vikings. Blondes get made fun of too for no real reason but I dont think that is just an English phenomenon.

Answer 4

I see you're from the east coast... you may desire to flow to Texas - Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston... we include variety - do not call names. i've got not at all even heard of somebody calling a redhead, something different than a... redhead - comparable as brunette, blonde... Calling any call to make somebody ashamed of their actual visual appeal is bigotry. yet hi, it extremely is not undemanding in each and every of usa. There are some factors interior the midwest, that have cities packed with redheads - you would be basically yet another face... Sorry that those creeps are bothering you. that's the form of shame!! Get outta your hood. pass detect the U.S. - you will like it.

Answer 5

In Britain most people find dark red haired people with no freckles attractive but the gingers with bright carrot top hair and very pale skin are considered unattractive

Answer 6

I don't know about like and dislike, but in Britain a person with red hair has "ginger colored hair".

Answer 7

My mother in her younger days was very sensitive about her red hair that she took offence if anyone made any remark about it. This was sad bbecaause often the remarks were afectionate rather than insulting in the meaning to hurst and offend sense> So I do not think peole hate red hair it is just that it is unusual and if you have any physical unusuality ie red hair, Blue eyes, large clear expressive brown eyes. bucked teeth you will get teased about it in any society

Answer 8

Some deadheads call them gingers but the rest of us love ginger hair.

Answer 9

i'm from britain,
it's not so much disliking redheads,
but people like to poke fun at them.

i have no idea why either!
maybe it's because there's not so many redheads as there are blondes or brunettes.

Answer 10

I don't thinks so, 'ginger' is a description and can be friendly or otherwise. How could you discriminate against people because of the colour of their hair?

Answer 11

Not true,we have nicknames for them IE-carrot top,ginger etc,but these names are in no way derogatory.one person is liked or disliked,just the same as another.