Apparently, women with red hair have an increased risk of endometriosis; experts guess that the gene determining red hair might be located near other genes that make women susceptible to endometriosis. And what are the problems associated with endometriosis? Abnormally difficult or painful menstruation, menstrual disturbances and infertility and of course premenstrual tension leading to "witch-like" symptoms.Special attention is also given to the global prejudice against red heads, including this interesting snippet.
In Corsica, the home of the redheaded Emperor Nero, if you pass a redhead on the street you spit and turn around claims Sylvia Stevez, the founder of Association Francaise des Rousses, a red-headed liberation movement.The article also dips into folklore and the ancient prejudice which has metamorphosed into the gingerism we see today.
Think back, way back to biblical times. Remember Judas, the red haired, red bearded, ultimate betrayer? Or, Mary Magdalene, the redheaded "reformed prostitute"? The ancient evil Egyptian God of chaos and storms, Seth, was another famous red-head. Throughout history and across continents redheads have often been viewed as "others" or witches, not quite human.Final interest can be given to the impact of gingerism in very recent British history.
These past few years have not been good ones for British redheads. First, Frank Dobson, the London mayoral candidate, told a press conference his mother warned him "to steer clear of redheads". Then, an advertisement campaign staged for NPower, a British utility company, implied that redheads were a sorry lot. Redheads were up in arms. So much so that The Advertising Standards Authority made NPower remove their ads. (Ed: actually, the npower ads were not removed.) And then, Neil Kinnock suggested it might be disadvantageous to be a ginga if you wanted to be prime minister. Of course, he lost the election.Read more
Side note: If anyone can obtain more information about Association Francaise des Rousses (in English: French Association of the Red Ones), could you please post your findings in the comments.
