Good evening readers!
It has been too long since I last posted an entry. Many apologies but I was busy with placement, lesson planning, essay writing and exams. Well, I have now completed second year, meaning my holidays have officially started! :) Really excited about this summer. I'll speak about that in another blog. Now, I know in my previous blog I said I would be doing something creative for my next entry, but change of plans. The creative blog will be here eventually. I promise.
This entry has arisen from what I heard a teacher say in the staffroom today during placement. She said "Aw, he was an unfortunate boy. He was born a ginger". Now, any decent person would have looked across the room and realised that comment would have been an insult to me, seeing as I was the only redhead in the room. In fact, any decent person wouldn't have said it in the first place. I was, as you would expect, very annoyed with this comment. But, I brushed it off. I'm more than used to hearing pathetic comments like that. Ever since I was a little girl, I was tormented over my hair colour. It's a copperish colour, by the way. I was called carrot top, fireball, and ginga, among many others. "Gingerism" has been compared to racism, although this is widely disputed, and bodies such as the UK Commission for Racial Equality do not monitor cases of discrimination and hate crimes against redheads. Gingerism should be monitored because people are bullied due to the colour that rests on top of their heads. I have personal experience of this, therefore I am passionate about the need for the monitoring of this type of racial discrimination. If you're not a redhead, then you simply wouldn't understand.
What many people don't realise, is that redheads are fabulous.
Approximately 1% to 2% of the human population has red hair. It is associated with fair skin colour, lighter eye colours (grey, blue, green, and hazel), freckles, and sensitivity to ultraviolet light. Cultural reactions have varied from ridicule to admiration; many common stereotypes exist regarding redheads and they are often portrayed as the “fiery-tempered redhead”.
Hmm, I guess I agree, to an extent, with redheads being "fiery-tempered". But deep down, we are softies at heart. At least I am anyway. The fiery temper makes us... interesting, to say the least. Ask anyone who knows me.
A found a few fabulous quotations from various people, regarding redheads. I enjoyed them, a lot.
"Once in his life, every man is entitled
to fall in love with a gorgeous redhead!"
- Lucille Ball, 1972
"While the rest of the species is descended from apes,
redheads are descended from cats."
- Mark Twain
(Perhaps this is where we get our fiery temper from? Seeing as cats do tend to have outbursts at people that annoy them) Miaow.
" If you want trouble... find your self a redhead."
“A face without freckles is like a night without stars.”
(How cute)
"Gentlemen may prefer blondes,
but it takes a real man
to handle a redhead."
(Very true, hehe. Kudos to those who can be placed in the "real man" category)
"Only two things are necessary to keep a redhead happy.
One is to let her think she is having her own way,
and the other is to let her have it."
"Be whatever you want, you're my redhead."
- Dexter from the movie - Philadelphia Story (1940)
“We redheads are a minority, we tend to notice each other – you know, and notice our identity.
-Juliann Moore
“I am strong. I am invincible. I am redhead.”
I simply adore these quotations! It would make any redhead smile, laugh or grin.
Now, a few facts;
Did you know that Queen Elizabeth I of England was a redhead, and during the Elizabethan era in England, red hair was fashionable for women? Well, redheads may have been discriminated against, (and still are discriminated against) however, they are once again "in" this season, according to a fashion magazines. I didn't learn this myself. I was told by a friend. So, if you're looking for a summer love, make sure you have a redhead attached to your arm. ;)
I have read many sources and articles related to redheads but I did laugh when a particular source stated that 'redheads who have green eyes were viewed as signs of being a witch, a werewolf or a vampire. I'm glad this was only the view during the Middle Ages, or I'd be screwed! Or, you know, if this was still the view of people today, I could just rip people apart with my vicious claws, or sink my teeth into the neck of a rude individual. Right? Ha.
A (redheaded) friend of mine once told me that she was on holiday. I cannot remember where it was but it's a place where there are no redheads. Probably because it was too hot, therefore redheads would simply disintegrate without their factor six billion. Anyway, she was walking through the market and a lot of men came up to her and asked if they could buy her! No joke. They simply had not seen a redhead before and were mesmerized by her. Funny, but crazy stuff!
Now, admittedly, I used to despise my hair colour because of the passing comments or the outbursts of horrid names. But now as I have become much more mature and confident, I LOVE my hair. We are more unique than your everyday brunettes and blondes. Let's face it; in a crowded room of people there is on average two redheads, among a sea of brunettes and blondes. We stand out. It's always better to stand out. So, if you are lucky enough to have red hair, then embrace it and PLEASE refrain from dying it black as so many redheads tend to do. It's not a good look.
The gene for red hair is dying out, so start loving what you possess. I have.
Well, my aim of this blog was to show you how unique redheads are to give a message to those who seem to still hold a grudge against redheads; Grow up. :)
Much love to the lovers of redheads!
Ciao! Miaow. ;)
Lisa, xx
