Friday 20 May 2011

Please, don't call me ginger

St. Cloud Times writer Adam Hammer elaborates on his most hated nickname: ginger.
Growing up with red hair, I’ve heard many associated nicknames — “flame brain,” “little red,” “carrot top,” “big red” and simply, “red” to name a few. All make me uneasy, but the one that comes the closest to a fighting word is “ginger.”

As soon as it rolls off the tongue, you know it isn’t meant as anything close to a compliment.
Source

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I get this all the time. People don't seem to be able to get over the fact Ive got red hair. My hair is actually a dark browny red but people seem to be adamant its ginger when obviously it is nit. But instead of taking this as a compliment it is said in a malicious hateful way so I take it as an offence. We don't say to people with blonde hair "aww your hair is colour of piss! Hu hu ha ha ha!" so why feel the need to call me fire head and the sun. People even immitate heating their hands over my head even though my hair is not the colour of fire! It makes no sense!!

Anonymous said...

agreed! you can call me red or tell me im firey thats okay.... i even heard fantapants the other day and laughed for like five minutes straight... however Ginger and Ginge are the two least creative words you could use.... theyre equivalent to the n word for african americans or the s word for latin americans. cant we just be irish americans?! or something ...

Anonymous said...

I hate being called Ginger. People think it is just something funny to say but don't realize that when you call me a ginger, you are asking for trouble. Red is fine. I've even been called fire crotch. None of witch make me as upset as being called Ginger. It's time for redheads to unite and put an end to this racial slur!

Anonymous said...

My friends call me "Red", and I don't mind in the least, I actually enjoy it.

But yes "Ginger" and even worse "Ginga"... ugh!