Ginger ninja, beaker, wookie, tampon head (yes really), strawbs, gingernut, rusty, pinger gubes, orange, ginger pud, fot (fucking orange thing), firebush, agent orange, brassvadge, orphan annie and fraggle: I’ve been called them all. You never tan, you have freckles, you are an easy target.
There is something about redheads that attracts attention – perhaps it’s our rarity; only 2% of the world population and the gene is expected to be extinct in the next 100 years. Red is the colour of passion, feistiness, strength, danger. Just try and tame that shrew, she’s complicated, sharp of tongue and quick of temper, confident, sexual, firey, unpredictable, smart and eccentric. Hey, it’s a stereotype for a reason :)
It could have started with Lillith – the original stroppy redhead: created by God as Adam’s equal in the Apocrypha (which pre-dates the bible), she refused to ‘lie below him’ thereby setting the standard that redhead’s like it on top ;) And then then was Mary Magdalene who may/may not have made it with JC (nb: she is not a fictional character created by Dan Brown). And Lady Godiva rode naked through the streets of Coventry in protest, covered only by her red hair. Not to mention all of those pre-Raphaelite beauties. Yes, there is just a little bit of an edge with a redhead.
I have found myself laughing out loud at the ads for Frank drinks – the latest for ginger beer are hilarious. Perhaps ginger is back?
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead ~ Lucille Ball
Comments
Hi,I am a graphic design student in my honours year, and am currently writing a research proposal on red heads in new zealand and what appears to be the development of a cultural icon in our country.i am a red head :)i would need some “research participants” at some stage, it could involve interviews, opinions etc, would you be interested? If you have any other posts of this nature, can you please link me to them. This one was great! my email is kendyl_stephanie@hotmail.com. I think this comment will be public and wasnt sure how else to contact you, so please delete it once you have read!many thanks.
This is the post I have been dreaming of writing. Seriously.
I love being a ginger, and wouldn’t change hair colour for anything. I’ve been called every single one of those fantastic and creative names too – and so has my youngest brother, whose hair is the exact colour of the Blogger logo. I shit you not.
I have a theory that gingerism is the only kind of “colour” discrimination that’s still socially acceptable. However, it can help you spot a fucktard quite quickly :)
Bookmarking this post for future reading on ginger-teasing days. Love you, ginger girl.