I'm very blond, a bit like Becker. A tinge of red, especially off the beaten track. Is it an excuse for everyone hating me, no I think not, I probably have a personality disturbance. Congenitally related to my pigmentation I think not.
Years ago, people used to pick on blacks, and Asians, and the Irish. When political correctness (and alternative comedy) came along, they had to move on to another target. It's still about picking a minority you can easily identify, no matter how you try to dress it up. Same (to a lesser degree) with blondes. I'm blond, which is Ok for a guy, but female blondes are supposed to be stupid. So there's a nice little bit of sexism there.
You people who love to use the word ginger know it's a term of abuse. A few years ago, it would be the N word, the P word and various names for the Irish you'd be using - and wondering why the victims didn't like it.
"Ginger" isn't a colour. The term has always been red or redhead, up until the 1990s when the jokes had to move away from the traditional racial targets.
Think of the word "gay" and how morons like Chris Moyles have turned that back into a term of abuse - sure, it's only a word. But when you use it to hurt or cause damage, then it's different and you should reflect on that.
The OP sounds like the kind of bright spark who would "innocently" ask why black people don't like to be called Negros anymore, or why gay people don't like to be referred to as "queers".
The real question is why some people like the OP feel that some group have to be getting picked on at any given moment - blacks, redheads, Jews, Asians - and why that they should be happy to put up with it.
OP look up human hair colours on wikipedia - there is no such colour as GINGER it is RED always has been, always will be. Ginger is of course the preferred term used by bullies.
Well, I'm 41-year-old Canadian and I never heard the word "ginger" in connection with hair colour till David Tennant showed up in Doctor Who complaining about not being ginger. "Redhead" is the only term I have heard on my side of the Atlantic.
The word "ginger" is used mainly as an insult (especially in media) and I'm not surprised people would rather call themselves redheads or strawberry blondes.
"Gingerism" is one of the last acceptable forms of prejudice, along with sizeism.
That is ginger. That is a redhead. It's the difference of colour. Redheads have proper red or near-red hair, ginger people usually have bright orange carroty-colour hair.
I think red hair is gorgeous on a man. Not so sure about ginger hair - it's just not my cup of tea.
That is ginger. That is a redhead. It's the difference of colour. Redheads have proper red or near-red hair, ginger people usually have bright orange carroty-colour hair.
I think red hair is gorgeous on a man. Not so sure about ginger hair - it's just not my cup of tea.
That's a bit cowardly though.
If people started making jokes about blue eyed people I wouldn't up and go 'No!! My eyes aren't blue, they're....reddish green'. Seems a bit mad to abandon what you are just for a few silly jokes. Especially since it won't stop them.
I've friends who are ginger, a aunt who is ginger. Ginger is what colour they'd say their hair is. Its not offensive at all. Red head just sounds silly, its like blondes growing sick of blonde jokes and deciding they're now yellow heads.
That is ginger.
That is a redhead. It's the difference of colour. Redheads have proper red or near-red hair, ginger people usually have bright orange carroty-colour hair.
I think red hair is gorgeous on a man. Not so sure about ginger hair - it's just not my cup of tea.
Not really. Traditionally all people with a orange tinge are ginger- strawberry blonde and all that being subsets.
These days all people with a orange tinge are increasingly called red head.
OP look up human hair colours on wikipedia - there is no such colour as GINGER it is RED always has been, always will be. Ginger is of course the preferred term used by bullies.
Wikipedia is ran by mob rule and the Americans got to the hair colour article first. It proves nothing. Especially since you might care to notice it says also known as ginger in big bold letters at the top.
I know two striking redheads who say they were teased when little, but there is also redhead envy in the US. I'm just blonde compared to a true redhead, I guess.
My children say my hair is brown, but I am a red head in my eyes, the reddish tint is unmistakable.
I guess the correct terms would be titian ?
Two of my girls are definitely strawberry blonde, they have reddish hair with distinctive natural blonde streaks.
None of us are GINGER - but all of us, at some point, have been labelled it. Ridiculous. :yawn:
I've friends who are ginger, a aunt who is ginger. Ginger is what colour they'd say their hair is. Its not offensive at all.
It's not for you to decide what is offensive and what isn't when it's aimed at other people - it's for them to either be offended or not offended at the name you are calling them. It's become a term of abuse, and an acceptable reason for bullying at school, in the workplace and in the armed forces.
Not sure why you can't get that into your head.
Try going up to a black person and calling them the N word - but explain afterwards that you don't mean it offensively. You'll get a response that will add greatly to your education.
Wikipedia is ran by mob rule and the Americans got to the hair colour article first. It proves nothing. Especially since you might care to notice it says also known as ginger in big bold letters at the top.
I don't know about mob rule, but that is the point I was making, that Americans generally use the term redhead.
My hairdresser does her hair a fantastic shade of red that matches her personality, but I never heard her say the word ginger in 10 years.
It's not for you to decide what is offensive and what isn't when it's aimed at other people - it's for them to either be offended or not offended at the name you are calling them. It's become a term of abuse, and an acceptable reason for bullying at school, in the workplace and in the armed forces.
Not sure why you can't get that into your head.
Try going up to a black person and calling them the N word - but explain afterwards that you don't mean it offensively. You'll get a response that will add greatly to your education.
Except they're not offended, they call themselves that. Not sure why you can't get that into your head.
So if I were to decide being called white offends me then the world would have to start calling white people melaninly challenged?
Comments
Another one was "carrot top"
I always thought of Strawberry blond as a particular type redhead, one whose hair is practically blonde but with a tinge of red
Personally I have always loved my red hair
Me too
Years ago, people used to pick on blacks, and Asians, and the Irish. When political correctness (and alternative comedy) came along, they had to move on to another target. It's still about picking a minority you can easily identify, no matter how you try to dress it up. Same (to a lesser degree) with blondes. I'm blond, which is Ok for a guy, but female blondes are supposed to be stupid. So there's a nice little bit of sexism there.
You people who love to use the word ginger know it's a term of abuse. A few years ago, it would be the N word, the P word and various names for the Irish you'd be using - and wondering why the victims didn't like it.
"Ginger" isn't a colour. The term has always been red or redhead, up until the 1990s when the jokes had to move away from the traditional racial targets.
Think of the word "gay" and how morons like Chris Moyles have turned that back into a term of abuse - sure, it's only a word. But when you use it to hurt or cause damage, then it's different and you should reflect on that.
The OP sounds like the kind of bright spark who would "innocently" ask why black people don't like to be called Negros anymore, or why gay people don't like to be referred to as "queers".
The real question is why some people like the OP feel that some group have to be getting picked on at any given moment - blacks, redheads, Jews, Asians - and why that they should be happy to put up with it.
"Gingerism" is one of the last acceptable forms of prejudice, along with sizeism.
That is a redhead. It's the difference of colour. Redheads have proper red or near-red hair, ginger people usually have bright orange carroty-colour hair.
I think red hair is gorgeous on a man. Not so sure about ginger hair - it's just not my cup of tea.
Your first link doesn't seem to have made it. "http://*************.com" [sic]?
That's a bit cowardly though.
If people started making jokes about blue eyed people I wouldn't up and go 'No!! My eyes aren't blue, they're....reddish green'. Seems a bit mad to abandon what you are just for a few silly jokes. Especially since it won't stop them.
I've friends who are ginger, a aunt who is ginger. Ginger is what colour they'd say their hair is. Its not offensive at all. Red head just sounds silly, its like blondes growing sick of blonde jokes and deciding they're now yellow heads.
Not really. Traditionally all people with a orange tinge are ginger- strawberry blonde and all that being subsets.
These days all people with a orange tinge are increasingly called red head.
Wikipedia is ran by mob rule and the Americans got to the hair colour article first. It proves nothing. Especially since you might care to notice it says also known as ginger in big bold letters at the top.
I guess the correct terms would be titian ?
Two of my girls are definitely strawberry blonde, they have reddish hair with distinctive natural blonde streaks.
None of us are GINGER - but all of us, at some point, have been labelled it. Ridiculous. :yawn:
It's not for you to decide what is offensive and what isn't when it's aimed at other people - it's for them to either be offended or not offended at the name you are calling them. It's become a term of abuse, and an acceptable reason for bullying at school, in the workplace and in the armed forces.
Not sure why you can't get that into your head.
Try going up to a black person and calling them the N word - but explain afterwards that you don't mean it offensively. You'll get a response that will add greatly to your education.
I don't know about mob rule, but that is the point I was making, that Americans generally use the term redhead.
My hairdresser does her hair a fantastic shade of red that matches her personality, but I never heard her say the word ginger in 10 years.
Except they're not offended, they call themselves that. Not sure why you can't get that into your head.
So if I were to decide being called white offends me then the world would have to start calling white people melaninly challenged?
Like I said - Americans generally use the word 'the'. Doesn't make it an American word, does it? :rolleyes:
It would if Brits said something else instead.
Red head is like elevator, gasoline, etc....
No, its not - because Brits say redhead, too.
It would if the brits primarily used a different word in place of "the".
It would - but they don't. They say 'the', and they say 'redhead'. Neither is an americanism.
How about this then: "ginger" is a britishism... unused outside of the UK.