Ginger people - hope no-one has asked this before

[starone]

I cannot understand this 'down' on ginger hair. If it is so bad why do so many women dye their hair red. Rita Hayworth, a very beautiful woman, had red hair and the chap in CSI Miami is ginger. And yet there are many jokes, especially Scottish ones which imply ginger hair is not desirable. Personally, I think it is lovely so can anyone explain to me why it is not liked. The chap across the road, who is ginger shaves his head as he would rather be bald than ginger. Anyone got an explanation of this?

[HowardKennitby]

I think it comes from the 'National' thing. In the UK most ginger people are either Scottish or have Scottish ancestors.

[sandyRoe]

Or are thought to be Irish.

[NOX]

I'm Irish and out of all my children I've only got one proper ginger and he's a pale ginger at that. Mind you he bleaches it because he'd rather die than be called ginger.

[starone]

Exactly, NOX, but why is it so undesirable? I think it is a lovely colour.

[nungate]

Best beloved is your typical ginger Scotsman and he's never had any problems with it - though I was certain our daughter would be another ginger but she's taken after me and is a brunette. I think it might appear in any grandchildren though

[annadomino]

Strawberry blonde, gorgeous. :)

[HowardKennitby]

Maureen O'Hara - hold me back.

[starone]

Oh good, some people like it then.

[EvianBaby]

Im ginger and have no scottish blood in me.

I do have lots of irish family though, many of whom are also ginger nuts but im led to believe irish is actually very dark hair and eyes, not ginger at all.

I do think a lot of people look awful with ginger hair.

[Buenchico]

I came close to marrying someone with ginger hair (and if her former boyfriend hadn't reappeared in a way which would fit into a Mills & Boon novel, I might have done so!). So I've certainly got nothing against it ;-)

However when I was teaching I did notice that the kids with ginger hair (particularly the boys) tended to be the ones with the greatest sense of mischief. (I've no idea why; perhaps they were just 'living up to people's expectations' of them?). That simply meant that I liked them all the more (whereas most other teachers probably couldn't stand them!)

[paddywak]

Ginger hair runs in Trish's family but her hair is a nice shade of auburn and she looks great, her youngest sisters little boy is really Ginger and all the family think it's great. He's five and has been known by every body as Ginger his his hair grew through . Stewart his dad wants their next kid, a girl to have hair, not ginger, but the same shade as as Trish, reddish but not ginger.

[daffy654]

Howard, it can't be the English against the Scots as other nations take the pi$$ out of ginger haired people too. The Americans and Australians are quite bad for it too.

[HowardKennitby]

When I were a lad the company I worked for gave everyone a security badge, with photo.
Someone had the wonderful idea of colour-coding the background to indicate which site you were based at.
You would not believe the number of fair-haired, pale-skinned women who disappeared against a yellow background.

[tamborine]

Chaucer, Canterbury tales: "like any sow or fox" of the uncouth miller. Judas is drawn with red hair. Or muslims who tint their hair after hajj in respect of mohammed, drawn with ginger hair & beard.

http://www.historyofjihad.com/

[Caran]

I love the natural red hair of any shade but cannot abide the dyed brilliant scarlet colour some women have coloured their hair. Saw someone of about 70 with bright red lank greasy hair, looked awful.

[paddywak]

I know I'm prejudiced but I think Trish's hair looks great, when the light catches it it's like polished copper. They say gentlemen prefer blondes but give me a red head every time.

[craft1948]

I used to work with a girl who had gorgeous ginger hair, but she hated her pale skin and freckles............

[Andyvon]

I remember when Neil Kinnock was leader of the Labour Party and he fought the election (1987) against Mrs. Thatcher. Quite a few people said he would make a good Prime Minister - but he wouldn't be elected as people wouldn't vote for him because he had red hair! Mrs. T. certainly won that election!

[craft1948]

Yes Andy but that was because he was a pratt............

[Buenchico]

I take your point, Andy, but many people also said that MT couldn't be elected because she was a woman (or, indeed, that Barack Obama couldn't possibly get elected because he was black). Perhaps most people are actually above such prejudices?