Is so-called ‘gingerism’ an acceptable prejudice,or is the very word an example of PC gone crazy?

In recent years, a (funnily enough autistic) man looked at me and said ‘you have the look of a ginger’ (I was white-blonde as a kid, dirty blonde as adult, eyelashes and brows bleach in sun, beard is (incredibly) black, blond, red and white). Must admit to feeling a little piqued for what reason I’m not quite sure. He obviously had social issues so spoke as he thought (another topic!) without a filter. I had no impression that he was making any personal judgment on this. But then I thought two things:

1. Why did I feel slightly affronted?
2. Why is it more acceptable for people in general (at least in the Uk) to stereotype red-haired people as somehow less desirable human-beings?

I’m probably over-thinking things, but it got me thinking what must it be like? I suppose it depends whether one sees being singled out as ‘banter’ or ‘bullying’, as ‘building character’ or ‘knocking down’? Curious…

1. because of 2
2. Because historically, ginger people were stereotypical of celts who were a somewhat persecuted group in the UK and as such seen as undesirable.

It is very much a UK thing though for the reason above – most other countries simply don’t have gingerism as a concept.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jan/15/gingerism-prejudice-bullying

you learn to ignore it.

It is very much a UK thing though for the reason above – most other countries simply don’t have gingerism as a concep

It’s not, many other countries do too. America certainly does and often the joke is used on TV.

Interesting in that I’ve had the conversation a few times in the US and it seemed like a very alien concept to them…

Maybe it’s something we’ve exported to the US recently? Makes you proud to be British 😉

http://www.bbcamerica.com/mind-the-gap/2013/02/07/red-headed-rudeness-why-brits-need-to-get-over-their-anti-ginger-bias/

Don’t know how well researched this is but it matches my experience more than the South Park pic

Americans are, correctly, shocked and appalled by this British prejudice. U.S. folk will hate on you for many illogical reasons but never for being red headed. Here, sable-locked parents seem genuinely delighted when they pop out a ginger.

Dunno.

Minority group, look different to other people, ‘easy’ to pick on at school etc. and it’s ‘funny’……isn’t it?
My brother is ginger (as is one of his sons). Apart from his mates taking the pee when he was younger, I can’t remember anyone ever saying anything to his face about it.

Seems to be an ‘OK’ joke on here – laugh at the gingers….

you learn to ignore it.

Yep you have to have somebody to bully.

Science cannot explain why beards go a bit ginger

its the last one where we can be biased/gently bigotted and defend it as humour and mock you for a lack of sense of humour as well.
its not something I do nor do I admire folk who do it.

I suspect most folk who do it dont actually hate ginger folk its just that they are a bit base/coarse with their humour.

In our modern free-spoken society
There is a word that we still hold taboo
A word with a terrible history
Of being used to abuse, oppress and subdue
Just six seemingly harmless letters
Arranged in a way that will form a word
With more power than the pieces of metal
That are forged to make swords

A couple of Gs, an R and an E, an I and an N
Just six little letters all jumbled together
Have caused damage that we may never mend

And it’s important that we all respect
That if these people should happen to choose
To reclaim the word as their own
It doesn’t mean the rest of you have a right to its use

So never under estimate
The power that language imparts
Sticks and stones may break your bones
But words can break hearts

A couple of Gs – jeez, unless you’ve had to live it
An R and an E – even I am careful with it
An I and an N – and in the end it will only offend
Don’t want to have to spell it out again…

Yeah

Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
So listen to me if you care for your health
You won’t call me Ginger ‘less you’re ginger yourself
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger

When you are a ginger life is pretty hard
Years of ritual bullying in the school yard
Kids calling you Orangina and Fanta Pants
No invitation to the high school dance
But you get up and learn to hold your head up
You try to keep your cool and not get het up
But until the feeling of ill is truly let up
Then the word is ours and ours alone

Don’t you know that…
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
So if you call us Ginge
we just might come unhinged
If you don’t have a fringe
with at least a tinge
of the ginge in it
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger

Now listen to me
We’re not looking for sympathy
Just because we’re sensitive to UV
Just ’cause we’re pathetically pale
We do alright with the females

Yeah I like to ask the ladies round for ginger beer
And soon they’re running their fingers through my ginger beard
And dunking my ginger nuts into their ginger tea
And asking if they can call me Ginger
And I say:
“I don’t think that’s appropriate!”

‘Cause only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
And all the ladies they agree it’s a fact
Once you’ve gone ginge, you can’t go back
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger

Yeah go ginge, go you funky mother **** ginge

Yeah, you can call us Bozo or Fire Truck
You can even call us Carrot Top of Blood Nut
Yeah, you can call us Match Stick or Tampon
But **** with the G-word is just not on

If you’re a ginger-phobe and you don’t like us
We will stand up to the fight if you want to fight us
But if you cut yourself you might catch gingivitis
So maybe you should shut your funky mouth

Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger

So if you call us Ginge
You can’t whinge If your injured
If you don’t have a tinge
of the ginge
in your minge

Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
And you know my kids will always be clothed and fed
‘Cause Papa’s gonna be bringing home the gingerbread
And they’ll be pretty smart because they’ll be well-read
And by “read” I mean “red” and the other kind of “red”
It’s a homophone

Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger
Only a ginga can call another ginga Ginga
Just like only a ninja can sneak up on another ninja

Yeah, only a ginger
Only a ginger
Only a ginger, yeah
Are you listening-er?
I’m not pointing the finger
I’m just having a sing-er
I’m just remindin’ yer

That only a ginger can call another ginger…Ginger

Only a ginga can call another ginga Ginga
Just like only a ninja can sneak up on another ninja

🙂

Love it…!

I dislike the softer pronunciation, too. Sounds a bit too close to those awful mass produced pies…

That only a ginger can call another ginger…Ginger

good effort, and it’s true.

Me and the ginger massive know that.

My brother’s pretty ginger (It’s not ginger, it’s AUBURN!), we went and saw Tim Minchin together and I almost wet myself when he played that.

(When he went to Cuba, little kids followed him around, I think they thought he was a ghost. “MUCHO BLANCO!”)

(When he went to Cuba, little kids followed him around, I think they thought he was a ghost. “MUCHO BLANCO!”)

The local kids in Sierra Leone found the fact that one of us was British and black to be hilarious “BRITISH BLACKMAN! BRITISH BLACKMAN!”
They followed the poor bloke everywhere!

Irn Bru top here, except now I am a mudguard, nae hair and a beard – and the ginger is fading, getting a bit salty.
Used get called Ginge at school never thought anything of it it wasn’t really bullying or discrimination as such just fact. but then growing up in Glasgow, Gingers’ were common enough that you didn’t feel alone as such. Wasn’t until it started appearing on TV and in so called comedy that I started to get annoyed by it.

Oh and Karen Gillan – Nuff said

[video]http://youtu.be/KVN_0qvuhhw[/video]

Paging “thegingerone”
“thegingerone” to the forum please.

The funniest insult I’ve had thrown at me was

“Oi, mate. Your hair’s on fire!”

Even if you’re a sensitive ginger you have to admit that’s pretty good.

Only a ginger can call another ginger Ginger

Crap song. But then I’m not keen on the singer either (ooh look, singer is one letter away from ginger).

1. Why did I feel slightly affronted?

Its unusual for anyone to point out something obvious about you or remark directly on your appearance, other than as a compliment (unless you’re tall, in which case people remind you that you are tall as often as they possibly can – but it helps with the thin-air induced amnesia so its much appreciated)

When people do describe you to you its quite unsteadying. I lost some front teeth young enough for everything to move about and close the gaps – so I don’t obviously have teeth missing but my canine teeth are more front and centre than other peoples would be. A bit vampire-y. No one ever mentions it although it must be one of the first things they notice about me, after I’ve banged my head walking into the room.

Once in a shoe shop in New York the guy serving me couldn’t help but mention it – he was almost beside himself with curiosity. Perhaps in a culture of teeth-fixing he thought it must have been a bit of deliberate body modification (rather than the result of being kicked in the face during a game of monopoly). Affronted maybe isn’t the word, but it was really difficult being on the other half of the conversation – people don’t really have the conversational tools to deal with that kind of direct observation when it happens so rarely.

(I’m also latently ginger)

I think, as is so often the case, that it’s a prejudice based on fear.

Which isn’t surprising when everyone knows that they get a new freckle each time they steal someone’s soul.

I heard it is to do with old witchcraft idea and anti Irish / Scottish thoughts. Burning people with ginger hair for witchcraft e.t.c.

I think everyone has to have some give and take on everything, a little ribbing amongst friends is very different to having a random person approach you and insult you in the street.

I’ve had people yell at me from cars / van as I’ve walked along, as child had someone come and touch my hair, had people tell me completely seriously they would be ashamed to have a ginger child or would want to abort. I’ve had people in a restaurant on the next door table talking loudly, but not at me about how they don’t like ginger people and that they are dirty. A female friend of mine has had another woman come up to her in a club and start patting her hair, and continue after being asked not to. See how long you last doing that to black woman!

None of these events listed above do I consider to be light ribbing in any way, exceptional rude. Now many other people suffer abuse like this for many other reasons, but most of those people will have society on their side rather than be told that they should not be offended.

Which isn’t surprising when everyone knows that they get a new freckle each time they steal someone’s soul.

That one is good. I’m going to use that one to freak people out!

(When he went to Cuba, little kids followed him around, I think they thought he was a ghost. “MUCHO BLANCO!”)

Funnily enough, when I was in Cuba we had a gingery taxi driver. His family had moved there to start a dairy farm about 6 months before Castro took power. They came from Asturias in Spain where gingerity is rife.

at least he didn’t say you smelt like a Ginger. 😆

I’m ginger, have been since I was born 😀

I was definitely bullied while growing up, not just at school, but from strangers in the street too.
Maybe I’m weak, but it certainly affected my confidence and impression of myself.

I now don’t care what others say and am quite happy taking the ‘p’ out of myself and actually happy to be ginger, but it took a long time coming.

^^

Means you get to wear that cool t-shirt as well. 😉

I always thought it was because we are psychologically ingrained to “Fear the Red”, due to the vikings invading.

A Ginger haired lad gave me a flapjack and some hobnobs on the trail once, when I was keeling over with me lungs over the bars.

So Gingers are alright with me. 🙂

Fox Pi55

mick hucknall has a lot to say on this

The gingers at work rip me about being bald(ish), so they are fair game.

kicked in the face during a game of monopoly

Lol, funniest thing on the thread! 🙂

Re gingerism – I’d honestly never heard anything negative about ginger people until I went to uni. I thought it was a recent thing.

The photo up there ^^ of the biker; those shades are horrible!

yep I know, but $10 when in a very sunny Brisbane 🙂 Just no taking the piss out of hair colour

Didn’t really think about it until…well ‘getting to know one’ y’know? 😳 …Everthing is ginger!!

kinda cute.

kicked in the face during a game of monopoly

[quote]
Lol, funniest thing on the thread![/quote]

Glad you thinks so – I think its given me a deep-seated fear of property transactions which is why I’m still living in rented accommodation nearly 40 years later.

I always thought it was because we are psychologically ingrained to “Fear the Red”, due to the vikings invading.

Its a fear of the Feaguing

FEAGUE. To feague a horse; to put ginger up a horse’s fundament, and formerly, as it is said, a live eel, to make him lively and carry his tail well; it is said, a forfeit is incurred by any horse-dealer’s servant, who shall show a horse without first feaguing him. Feague is used, figuratively, for encouraging or spiriting one up.

emsz » Everthing is ginger!!

🙂

I’m curious as to what you were expecting…

😳

Uuuummmmm dunno really, it was just a bit of a “Oh” moment, I mean why wouldn’t gingers be ginger, it’s obvious….I’m stopping now, I can feel myself blushing….

🙂

Emsz, were you expecting them to be like aeroplane blondes?