I read the most interesting article in our local newspaper today. It gives a detailed story of how the British routinely discriminate against redheads, called "gingers" in England. Included in the discrimination is Prince Harry who has complained of bullying due to his hair color.

According to the article, when a baby is born, the first questions often asked, boy or girl? weight? is the baby a ginger?
Are you seeerious?

Here is a link to the original article.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=646522

Hi there PG,

My daughter is a Red Head and she got heaps of teasing at school.
Hence when she was old enough, she dyed her hair blond I think if memory serves me right she was around 16 when she did this.
She is now 34 and is still a blond. Also one if her sons is a real ginga much more red than his mum he is 6 and gets teased at school also.

Its just so silly and cruel personally I think that redheads are very attractive especialy red headed women.

My spin from New Zealand so its a world wide thing.
Cheers Chris

If you have red hair here in Aussie, you are called "Bluey"....... :silly

There will always be something for idiots to poke fun at....I always say , "have a good look in the mirror".......one of the most unlikeable human traits being bullyied..

I remember the first time my ex told his mother that I was overweight........it was to be the first time we met so I guess he was preparing her for no beauty queen....she replied to him......"have you looked in the mirror lately?, as you are no oil painting"..........the one and only time she ever stood up for me.......lol

I've never heard such nonsense in all me life! Maybe South Africans are just a very accepting nation, but I can honestly say that I've never heard anyone make fun of a redhead - even thinking back to my years spend in prison (a.k.a. school). We might call someone with read hair a "wortelkop" (carrot head), but it's not meant or used as a derogative term at all. In fact, it's actually quite fashionable in SA to dye your hair red - if you fancy that kind of thing.

I couldn't believe it when I read the article yesterday. People were actually forced to MOVE? This "gingifolliphobia" is ridiculous! What's next? Eye color ? Left or right handed? There are far too many prejudices in this world. I just can't fathom hair color being on the list.

Ok, so this must be gingi=red, folli=hair phobia

Who says your the song_stress your more like the word_smith. But I think that name was already taken when you joined the board. :lol1

Unfortuantly we already have some disgraceful people who already think that certain eye colours are wrong, or challenge the better of the two writing hands! It's pretty pathetic if you ask me, as I don't see what the difference is. If they have that big an issue with it, then do the honestly think driving people away will help the situation? What do they want? An island full of gingers? The funny thing is, I wouldnt doubt if that had crossed their little prejudice minds.

Sorry, but at the same time as reading this I'd just had a little rant/debate with someone who was being horrible to a redheaded friend of mine. I think they shut up as soon as I told them to 'Go sort out human biology then, because what you're taking the p*ss out of is totally natural'.

:rolleyes:

*Gets off my soap box and offers around cupcakes* :D

Came to mind...


Echoing and I hear it every day,
the pathetic prejudice.
echoing, it's nothing new,
it's what the world has gotten used to.
i do not ask a person why he's making choices
i do not choose to recognize ignorant voices
echoing and i hear it everyday,
the pathetic prejudice
echoing its nothing new
it's what the world has gotten used to.
alright everybody let's start at the beginning
by the end i hope you're putting yourself down.
screaming words from the Book of God
to a woman who's making choices.
I sing from the book of me and I say
"lower your voices"!
echoing and I hear it every day:
the pathetic prejudice.
echoing, it's nothing new,
it's what the world has gotten used to.
tell the man in the color of skin of your rights
do you see a color?
color's blind's what the bigot should be
when he thinks his race is stronger
there's nothing disgusting about being gay.
yet too many people have bad things to say
maybe they should try it some day...
they might like it!
echoing, and I hear it every day,
the pathetic prejudice.
echoing, it's nothing new,
it's what the world has gotten used to.

Echoing by The Murmurs.

Here's a real example of discrimination.

Hotel mistakes Nobel laureate for bag lady

Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent
Friday August 17, 2007

Guardian
She was wearing a Mayan dress, the traditional attire of indigenous people in central America, and the hotel's response was also traditional: throw her out.

Staff at Cancun's five-star Hotel Coral Beach appear to have assumed this was another street vendor or beggar, so without asking questions they ordered her to leave. Except the woman was Rigoberta Menchú, the Nobel peace prizewinner, Unesco goodwill ambassador, Guatemalan presidential candidate and figurehead for indigenous rights.

The attempted eviction, an example of discrimination against indigenous people common in central and south America, backfired when other guests recognised Ms Menchú and interceded on her behalf.

The human rights activist was in the Mexican coastal resort at the request of President Felipe Calderón to participate in a conference on drinking water and sanitation and was due to give interviews at the hotel.

David Romero, a journalist and newsreader who was due to interview her for state radio Quintana Roo, told local media that hotel security tried to eject Ms Menchú from the lobby. They relented when told who she was. It was said not to be the first time a hotel has tried to throw her out.

Ms Menchú, 48, was awarded the 1992 Nobel peace prize for protesting against human rights abuses during Guatemala's brutal civil war.

Commentators noted the irony of upmarket resorts discriminating against real Maya while trying to attract tourists with fake Mayan architecture and spectacles.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007