Red head prejudice rife in British primary schools

Gingerism.com has received two reports in the space of this week in relation to red head prejudice in British primary schools. The first comes from the mother of a 6 year old girl.

I have a 6 year old daughter, during a school lesson about tolerance and accepting differences in people, the teacher singled her out to point out she had "ginger" hair as opposed to the rest of the class who had blonde or brown. She answered - Mrs G, the polite way to say that is redhead, to which the teacher replied, No, you're not the colour of my jumper (red) YOU ARE GINGER. I'm sure, to the amusement of the rest of the kids in the class.

I complained to the head teacher but was basically told, it wasn't said in malice and I should get over it.

The second comes from a primary school teacher, who retold the story of a red headed child's response to being singled out for the colour of her hair.

The class of 4 year olds were in circle time. The discussion was about how everyone is different, with a focus on how people have different eyes and hair colour. During this discussion, one child pointed at a red headed girl and said "yeah and she's ginger!".

The next day, the red headed girl came back into class, having cut her own hair off the night before.

If your goal in life is to stand up against all kinds of prejudice, you should consider earning a degree in social justice and find a job that can help prevent social exclusions and promote equality.

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

Student's poem about her exposure to gingerism

Bubbles, a high school student from Wallasey elaborates on the red head bullying she experiences at school.

It's a hair colour,
That's a fact.
On other people,
It's a big impact.

Love thy neighbours,
God once said.
Name calling still happens,
Hey red head.

Getting bullied,
Oh the shame.
Then you realise,
It's only a name.

Turned the colour,
Of my hair.
Talk behind my back,
It's not fair.

Hey Ginge,
People shout.
Others stare,
As you walk about.

Individuality,
What's wrong with that?
You cover it up,
By wearing a hat.

We all have different,
Hairstyles and colours.
So why respect one,
Less than all the others?

Summer Heights High: Punking Rangas

Jonah and his friends are in trouble for calling another pupil a Ranga:



The comedy was one of my favourites when it was shown on BBC iPlayer earlier this year. You can grab the DVD at Play.com (UK), Amazon.co.uk (UK) and Amazon.com (US).

School hair policy article plays on gingerism

In a move typical for tabloids, it has been insinuated that gingerism is to blame in the following report by The Hounslow Chronicle:

A schoolboy was sent home on his first day back at school - for having a one-inch ginger fringe.

Felix Kramer, 15, had been back at Isleworth and Syon School for Boys for less than an hour on September 5, before getting booted out - even though his brown hair was not dyed, it was simply bleached ginger by the sun.

The GCSE student said: "I was shocked as my hair goes like this every year, but they said it wasn't acceptable.

"My dad was quite angry about it and said I should get the school to pay for my haircut."

Since it's usually school policy to not allow dyed or elaborate hair cuts, I'm going to assume what the school actually objected to was the perceived dying of his hair. Not, in fact that he was partially ginger.

Felix, if you read this please let us know in the comments.