Red-headed Student Severely Targeted

Several days ago, an article was published concerning 12-year-old Tyler Walsh’s tribulations at Yate International Academy in Bristol. Tyler is no stranger to gingerism. His mum Emma is unduly aware of it as well. The article http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4082436/Boy-is-taught-on-his-own-for-being-GINGER.html states that the school told Ms. Walsh it would be best for him to be taught in another setting away from the other students. She received this advice after her son had been cornered and harassed in the restroom by 10 other students.

Tyler has been bullied on more than one occasion since the start of his attendance at Yate International. His mum says the police were summoned following an altercation on the street. Tyler was kicked and punched in the abdomen. He has also been taunted in the hallways and has had his bagged lunch thrown out of reach during mealtime.

The school mentioned placing Tyler in an inclusion classroom to help him avoid run-ins with bullies. Ms. Walsh suggested having his schoolwork sent until he could begin at a new school. The academy denied her request because to do so (in their opinion) would mean abetting Tyler's absence.

Ms. Walsh is appalled at the treatment she and her son have received.

"Tyler is effectively being bullied out of school for being red-headed.”

"Yate International Academy has punished one boy, when a whole group were involved. I think it is absolutely disgusting."

Should you dye your hair if you're being bullied for being a red head?

Here's my take on the poll 'Should you dye your hair if you're being bullied for being a red head?', the results are 637 voters: 111(17%) said yes, and 526 (82%) said no.

What does this poll really tell us? It may tells us that if your a redheaded person being bullied for your red hair there is likely a lot of potential support for you as a redhead facing what can and has been described as a form of legitimised prejudice and discrimination, called 'Gingerism'. I'd like to think that what many of these voters believe and are simply saying is don't dye your hair, because it's unlikely to be a worthwhile strategy in stopping the gingerism.

For those who are victims of gingerism you are certainly not alone. The salongeek.com has a lengthy thread on 'redhead bullying', and there's a good supportive series of comments concerning this very topic on a facebook thread aswell... check them out.

If your being bullied for your red hair what steps have you taken so far to stop the bullying?

IF YOUR A JP, PRIMARY, MIDDLE OR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT:

Seek help! Gingerism is an issue faced by many redhead adults as well as younger people. There is never shame in asking for help!

Have you spoken with friends, teachers, parents/guardians, school counsellor's about the gingerism? Each of these people can give you advice on how best to deal with or handle the bully or bullies.

If your not comfortable with speaking with any of the above people for any reason, such us fear that those people may make things worse or may not or are not listening, then seek the use of a counsellor from any reputable help-line or counselling chat-line. Make sure the advice your being given on these lines is professionally driven, not just some online blogger who has no idea or experience. These help-lines and chat-lines can often be anonymous and/or confidential.

One strategy to tackle one bully or group of bullies may not work with the next bully or group of bullies. Don't stop trying out different strategies. Don't stop gaining advice. Whether you take the advice given to you or not, often advice can help you spark your own strategies to tackle the bullying. Always consider and find ways to become aware of the possible risks involved in each action you take to tackle the bullying.

IF YOUR EXPERIENCING GINGERISM IN THE WORKPLACE:

Seek help! Gingerism is an issue faced by many redhead adults as well as younger people. There is never shame in asking for help!

Become aware of your workplace harassment policies and follow them to the letter, ensure you make accurate and clear records. Never retaliate to the harassment and ensure that the person harassing you is aware that their harassment is unwelcome.

Explore all your options from simply asking the discrimination or prejudice of gingerism to be rectified or stop through to any possible legal action. Knowing your rights and options does give you a sense of being empowered and can sometimes be enough for you to stop any official complaint or process. Always consider and find ways to become aware of the possible risks involved in each action you take to tackle the discrimination or prejudice of gingerism.

One strategy to tackle one form of discrimination or prejudice may not work with the next form of discrimination or prejudice. Don't stop trying out different strategies. Don't stop gaining advice. Whether you take the advice given to you or not, often advice can help you spark your own strategies to tackle the discrimination or prejudice. Always consider and find ways to become aware of the possible risks involved in each action you take to tackle the discrimination or prejudice.

ISSUES WITH FINDING HELP:

Because gingerism is a form of legitimised discrimination and prejudice it can often be difficult for many redheads to seek help, due to the person or authority they are seeking help from seeing that there is nothing harmful or that it is less-harmful to harass a redhead for being a redhead. Some people may even laugh at gingerism even being used in a sentence. Keep looking for strategies to have the bullying stop... DO NOT retaliate, it will often make things worse.

What do I mean by 'legitimised prejudice and discrimination'? Its a form or harassment and social exclusion that the majority of people within your peer group, school, workplace or community feel is un-harmful or less-harmful prejudice or discrimination, and hence ok.

IF YOUR CONSIDERING DYING YOUR HAIR BECAUSE OF GINGERISM:

'IF' you have tried everything you can to stop the discrimination against you and I mean everything within your power to stop the gingerism your experiencing... you know your situation better than anyone, and if you are 100% sure that dying your hair will help at all, then do it. Dying your hair is (as hard as it is for me to contemplate) a potential short-term strategy to stop gingerism. Dye fades so even if you do regret it, the change is not permanent. At the very least the dying of your hair will demand the attention of many around you as to the extent of the gingerism you are experiencing.

By no means would I say that redheads should not dye their hair at all, like a similar poll running on pollsb.com entitled 'Should famous redheads who color their hair be considered as traitors?' suggests. Interestingly though, on the general question, should redheads dye their hair? The thread responses in general is still exceedingly NO!

Yet, according to Harper's Bazzar going darker is a recent celebrity trend. There is certainly no shortage of redheads who have dyed their hair. Some redheads enjoy highlights, others dye it outright and many regretted it...

“Cheryle wroteon February 20, 2009 at 5:30pm
Hey It took me twenty 3 yrs to appreciate my natural beauty, Sadly being a red head comes with lots of teasing and standing out. as a kid you start to think you hate being different because of all the teasing.I couldn't wait till i could dye my hair blond and look like all the pretty girls who didn't get teased or comments about their hair.
Also as you get older the colour darkens and is far less red or orange, Guess this makes it better, and adults accept you as you are, they don't make nasty comments that children do,
Since I stoped dying my hair I love it, I laugh at the stupid pictures of me trying to be the same they don't look right..... ha ha.
Now I am with Jennifer I only add extra red highlights or foils just to add some extra depth to my colour, every now and then some blond ,only foils though would never take away from my red.... It's who I am.”

...Some redheads have dyed their hair and not looked back . Some redheads just want a change, but cant manage it...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081006233737AAomT3W

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070910170714AAt0QXI

...Some redheads believe they simple cant colour their hair, fearing some unpredictable pinks and greens. Some people want the crazy unpredictable colours with a red look. One things for sure that “red hair is one of the most sought-after shades...”... and the bottle redhead threads just go on and on.

Some people object to people attempting to dye their hair red entirely, believing: ginger its a state of mind...

“Sorry, but it is not possible to 'dye your hair ginger' because ginger is not a colour. You can dye your hair a nice copper tone or some kind of auburn hue, but you'll never have the hot coals burning at the pit of your stomach from being born with the look of the fox about you.”

OR...

“1. You will VERY RARELY meet a natural redhead that is cocky, petty or mean.
2. You will VERY RARELY meet a natural redhead that does not have a confidence problem, no matter how deep down we learn to bury it.
3. You will VERY RARELY meet a natural redhead that is openly sexually promiscuous or that dresses or acts as if their sexuality is what defines them.
4. Natural redheads MOST OFTEN have more of a shy tendency about them.”

The older redheads among us are desperate to hold on to their red hair as it fades. If your an older redhead vogue.com.au has some tips for you.

Apparently some people feel that they need to ask why 'ugly' girls dye one section of their hair red.

“Jaymz Hetfield dun....DUN DUN DUN
Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: San Francisco, California Posts: 565
I think this has a lot to do with redheads just being naturally ugly creatures. These ugly non-redheads associate their ugliness with the ugliness present in all the redheads they have seen....so they choose to complete the ugly costume by dying part of their hair red. Why they choose to only dye one section of the hair red, is anyone's guess.”

I guess some people don't deserve to be called people. Some people just simply wish that if you want to dye your hair... do it properly as they attempt to stop the 'proliferation of bad hair jobs' asking of us: have you asked the right questions?

So that's I'm sure more than my two cents on the poll.

ABOUT NATE:

I am a redhead who was bullied and/or has faced gingerism throughout my schooling from pre-school through to university and still in my everyday life. I am university trained with a degree in new media art and design with a post-graduate degree in education. I am yet to have a great deal of teaching experience having only recently graduated. I constantly read academic peer reviewed articles of bullying and cyber-bullying and have taken a great interest in possibly undertaking academic research on school and workplace bullying with a specific focus on redheads.

CONTACT NATE @ monkeyseemonkeydo80@gmail.com

To read ALL of Nate's articles click the label/tag 'Nate'

Poll: Is gingerism as bad as racism?

Our "Is gingerism as bad as racism?" poll has come to an end. 535 people voted as follows:

Yes - 65%
No - 34%

Our new poll is "Should you dye your hair if you're being bullied for being a red head?". Make sure your vote gets counted.

Gingerism.com interviewed by Kiss Magazine

Kiss, the largest teen magazine in Ireland has taken a look at what gingerism is, how it manifests itself and what to do if you're a victim of it. The article includes some quotes from our very own Keiron Waites (that's me!).

It's really hard to pin down exactly why someone is slagged because of the colour of their hair, just like it's tough to understand why a bully will decide to pick on a particular person.

"Belittling someone because of their appearance or because they're a minority is a cheap but very effective trick and probably gives those people that do it instant gratification and a sense of superiority", says Keiron.

Take a look at Kiss online

Being ginger's been the making of us

Ann McFerran discusses the gingerism her children have encountered throughout their lives and how they feel about being red heads today. Particularly interesting is the distinctive difference between Canadian and British reactions to red hair.

When we returned to the UK, there wasn't much let-up, only instead of admiration, those who stared and shouted names at my son because of his hair were mostly other children. Copper knob, ginger nut, carrot top, Duracell, ginger ninja; the names were not particularly inventive and, with the exception of the latter, didn't seem to have changed since I was a child. “I was probably oversensitive to the names,” admits Patrick, 30.

I now think that I wasn't sensitive enough to my son or aware enough of the kind of routine bullying that is regularly meted out to gingers, and particularly to young gingers whose hair colour is at its most extreme. I may even have exacerbated the problem: I thought my son's hair was such a spectacular colour that I let it grow quite long to show it off.

Source: Times Online

Love before ginger extinction?

It is now a commonly held belief that red heads will be extinct within 100 years. Aoife Finneran ponders the absence of ginger appreciation within our final years of existence.

THERE'S nothing like the threat of extinction for heightening our sense of appreciation. Isn't that why we welcomed Boyzone back with open arms and mounted a campaign to save Cadbury's Wispa from the grave?

Why then, am I still waiting for the redhead love-in, the mass hysterical display of affection that was supposed to follow the news that redheaded people are a dying breed? In less than 100 years, thanks to recessive genes, redheads could be reduced to a mere historical footnote. Considering we currently account for less than 2pc of the world's population, it wouldn't be that difficult to snuff us out.

Read more at Herald

The Equality and Human Rights Commission on gingerism

This article contains an excellent overview of the current state of affairs regarding red head prejudice.

Many recent examples of gingerism are reviewed and the article takes a good look at The Equality and Human Rights Commission's current stance on the matter.

From Sunday Herald:

NOT LONG ago I was sitting on a train trying to read an article by the journalist Brendan O'Neill. Across from me sat a group of teenagers. Their conversation was loud, though not especially obnoxious, until it veered onto the topic of someone called Lindsay's new boyfriend. "He's that ugly ginger guy, is he not?" guessed one of the boys, correctly as it turned out. All were agreed that the lad was "well ginger", a "minger" in fact.

O'Neill's article was about race. As far as I recall he was arguing that the issue, in the West, is now one of etiquette: the liberal establishment is more bothered about getting everyone to use the correct race language than striving towards anything as tricky as actual equality. It was a view I had some truck with, but, in that moment, as a red-haired person on that train, another line of thought occurred to me. Gingers, I reflected, have never been seen as less than human; we have never been enslaved, rounded up and massacred or even denied our basic legal rights. There's no real question of inequality. And yet, and yet ... maybe we could be doing with more of a look-in when it comes to this business of etiquette.

[...]

The Equality and Human Rights Commission - formerly the Commission for Racial Equality - does not monitor discrimination against redheads and has nothing to say on "gingerism". In any discussion of how the phenomenon compares to racism, it will be pointed out firstly that red hair comes from mutations of a particular gene, the melanocortin 1 receptor, and isn't necessarily directly inherited from parents; and secondly that redheads have not suffered centuries of systematic abuse. Yet if we accept that black people can be racist towards whites, or that whites of one nation can be accused of being racist towards whites of another, then definitions of racism become less watertight.

Read more

Gingerism; the last acceptable prejudice?

Simon Hattenstone, the father of one red headed child elaborates on his misinformed prejudice against his own daughter, whilst asking the question "Why do so many seemingly decent people - the type who would hate to be considered prejudiced - think gingerism is perfectly acceptable?"

In my time I have been a revolting gingist. My daughter Alix was born 17 years ago with a fine carrot topping. Over time, she developed into a fully-fledged ginger. Ginger is one of the first words she learned. Why? Because I called her my little ginge, my ginger darling - on a good day.

At other times, I went the ginger with two hard Gs route. What made me think I had the right? Because I was her father, because I thought I was being funny, because I loved her? Whatever, there was no excuse. When we met other gingers, I'd smugly announce, "Look, one of yours!" and expect the both of them to crack up at my sparkling wit. Thoughtless bastard.

Worst of all, I travelled the road euphemistic. Despite my "banter", I told Alix her hair was copper, Titian, russet - anything but ginger.

Read more at The Guardian

Kiss a Ginger Day receives global coverage

Kiss a Ginger Day is celebrated on 12th January.

From Canada.com:

Derek Forgie, talent co-ordinator for MTV Canada and a natural redhead, recently created Kiss A Ginger Day on Facebook, which was celebrated on Jan. 12.

Forgie said he started it as a "karmic counter-event" to Kick a Ginger Day, which made national headlines last November after redheaded kids were bullied for their hair colour.

That event was also started on Facebook, by a Vancouver Island teenager. Kick a Ginger Day was based on a Southpark episode and quickly spread across the country. In Prince George, B.C., one boy was sent home from school with bruises after being kicked at least 18 times.

People of all nationalities and hair colours reacted to the event, described as an example of "gingerism" -- the discrimination against redheads, or "gingers."

Read more

Red head Dakota Blue Richards tells of school bullying

From The Argus:

A Hollywood starlet has revealed how she suffered torment at the hands of school bullies because of her ginger hair.

Brighton-based teenager Dakota Blue Richards attended St Paul's School in Brighton, Blatchington Mill School in Hove and KBis Theatre School in Brighton.

She said fellow students picked on her after she dyed her hair red for her role in box office blockbuster The Golden Compass.

Read More

Simply Red's Mick Hucknall elaborates on his self image

From The Guardian:

Both my mum and dad had red hair. I had a problem with being a redhead at school but, since my success, I have become proud of it. In teenage years, if you look unusual, you can feel insecure.

Read More

'Ginger' considered less offensive than 'Paki'

From The Daily Mail:

Paki does not equate with calling someone ginger; only if people with ginger hair have been attacked in race riots, barred from renting property, beaten up in school and not given jobs because of the colour of their hair, eyebrows and eyelashes, would it somehow be on a par.

Read More

Note: Ginger kids were beaten up as recently as last year due to the high-profile Kick a Ginger campaign promoted on FaceBook.

Being called names such as "ranga" could be good for young people

From The Daily Telegraph:

IF your child is being teased in the playground - don't worry, it's good for building character.

New research has found playful teasing, and being called names such as "ranga", could be good for young people because it helps them bond and develop social skills.

It may even make "victims" more likely to take on leadership roles in the long term. Dr Erin Heerey, of the University of Bangor in North Wales, studied a group of university students in California and found that their "playful humiliations" led to them becoming better friends.

Read more

Red hair bullying cases could end up in court

From The Register:

"In the UK, anti-discrimination legislation prohibits only less favourable treatment on certain grounds – currently sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and, in employment, age," said Barker. "Less favourable treatment on the grounds of hair colour or appearance, except where it is linked to race, isn't specifically prohibited and name calling of someone with red hair won't amount to unlawful discrimination."

"It could however amount to bullying," she said. "In the workplace, if an employee feels that they are being bullied or harassed for any reason, for example because of their hair colour or appearance, they could lodge a grievance and ultimately could even take the fairly drastic step of resigning and claim constructive dismissal if they could show that their employer failed to intervene to prevent the bullying or harassment concerned."

The practice of picking on people with red hair is thought to be a particularly British trait. Though it can sound trivial to others, years of abuse at school and then also at work can leave the bullied person feeling extremely distressed.

Read More

Man stabbed over 'ginger hair'

This is the first known case of gingerism resulting in the stabbing of a person.

From BBC News:

A 20-year-old man has been stabbed in the back after an argument over his ginger hair.

The victim was stabbed three times following the altercation at Kirkby's Wine Bar in Baildon, West Yorkshire, on Sunday night.

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "There was a minor altercation earlier in the evening in the wine bar when comments were made about his ginger hair.

Read more

Red-haired family forced to move

This article details the abuse received by a red headed family from Newcastle. The family were forced to move house three times because of the persistent red head bullying they received.

From BBC News:

A Newcastle family claim they have been forced from two homes by thugs who have targeted them over their ginger hair.

Kevin and Barbara Chapman say they and their four children, aged between 10 and 13, have endured years of taunts, smashed windows and violence.

Read more

Is gingerism as bad as racism?

This article signifies a turning point in national recognition of gingerism as a prejudice.

The article was prompted by the alleged abuse of a red headed family from Newcastle, England, which resulted in them having to move house.

From BBC News:

Here's a joke. "What's the difference between a terrorist and a redhead?"

Here's the punchline. "You can negotiate with a terrorist."

Is this offensive? If it was made in your workplace, within hearing of a redheaded colleague, would you make a fuss? Probably not.

But mock someone's ethnicity, religion or sexuality and you will attract the beady eye of management. Make a sexist joke and prepare to be dismissed as an antediluvian relic.

Read more

BBC Breakfast interview with 'Ginger' photojournalist Charlotte Rushton following Newcastle redhead bullying scandal

'Ginger' photojournalist Charlotte Rushton is interviewed by BBC Breakfast shortly after the Newcastle redhead bullying scandal of 2007.

Excellent overview of global redhead prejudice

From Sydney Morning Herald:

"Some months ago the sports pages and in fact all media reported on the incident of Andrew Symonds being called a 'monkey' by an opposing player," Leseley began. "Today, Kerry O'Keefe saw fit to call all redheads 'rangas' (orang-utans)." Why was one ape-ish label OK, and the other not, she asked, and ended with a plea. "I need to know that somewhere, someone may hear and agree."

I hear you, Leseley Willmott. I, too, am borderline ginger, and was quite dangerously so as a child. Ours is an affliction many with high levels of the pigment pheomelanin have endured throughout history. There is some evidence that the ancient Egyptians buried us alive. The ancient Greeks thought our humours - phlegm, yellow bile, black bile and blood - unbalanced.

In Britain, where the persecution of such people is virtually a national pastime, the BBC reported in 2003 that a 20-year-old man had been stabbed three times in the back outside a wine bar in West Yorkshire after comments were made about his ginger hair.

As recently as last year, the Beeb reported that a family had been forced to move home twice because of their children's orangeness.

Read more

Prince Harry is bullied for being ginger

Prince Harry has told a junior councillor he is bullied for being ginger, according to another article from The Sun.

The Prince was talking to Maxine Broadfoot, who had won the Diana Award for "counselling fellow pupils and helping children who had been bullied".

When he realised her interest in councilling, the Prince "asked if he could come and get some counselling because he gets bullied for being ginger."

Originally reported in The Sun