September 22, 2003
Monday, September 22, 2003. "Oppressed" Again
Don't you hate when you learn you're oppressed. I mean, who knew? I found this link yesterday via Ravenwood's Universe (in the post where he's referring to me, incidentally) - a website named Redheads United.
I gave it the perfunctory once-over, not really reading it, but bookmarking it for later. Well, today, I went back, and here's what I found.
On a page named "what is redism?" I learned that I am oppressed. This page appears to be COMPLETELY SERIOUS. (I, however, of course, am NOT...so enjoy)
Fisssssssssk!
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If you're a redhead, you almost certainly had times at school when people
picked on you, simply because you were different to everyone else. You were
the one with red hair, and you were to be avoided at all costs. You
supposedly had the short fuse, the unpredictable temperament and I bet you
were the last one to be picked for any team too.
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There were the taunts of "gingernut", "ginger" and "carrot-top". You may
remember others. You could be walking along one day and some idiot with
nothing better to do would call out across the street "GINGER!", leaving you
to guess his I.Q. to be under 10. And did you ever wonder why you got called
"carrot-top", when you could have sworn your hair wasn't green?
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You may have managed to ignore it or laugh it off. Even the severest
taunting can be forgotten as soon as it stops, or when you leave school. You
tend to hope that adults won't voice their opinions of redheads in such a
childish manner. However, this kind of treatment can make an impact. Your
confidence can be dented by playground jibes, you can become shy or
introverted, and you may well feel as if you are less important than other
people with a different, "normal" hair-colour.
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The worrying thing is that redism doesn't end in the playground. You can
hope as much as you like but the truth is that you're stuck with the jokes
for life. The worst of it is that adults seem to be able to get away with it
without it even being deemed cruel! Having reached my twenties I still get
the "ginger abuse" from kids and young men and women of my age!
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Redism appears to be viewed as an acceptable prejudice to hold by many
people, including high profile figures such as MPs or judges (see The Hall
of Shame). But in this age of political correctness, how do they get away
with this kind of behaviour? Should this be tolerated?
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In April 2000, for example, NPower, an electricity and gas supplier ran a
poster campaign to try and get customers to switch their electricity supply
to their service. One of the posters depicted a family of two parents and
one boy, each having red hair. The caption for this advert read, "There are
some things in life you can't chose".
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Consider what would have happened if the poster depicted 3 black people,
with exactly the same caption. There would have been a public outcry, the
government would openly attack the company and the advertising agency and
the press would be plastered with the news that a well-known company was
racist. The poster campaign would be banned, if indeed it did manage to get
the go-ahead in the first place.
More black people versus redheads oppression theme for the next several paragraphs - not even a good argument.
But, most importantly, I learned I'm a minority! Oh, wait, I already get a bunch o' unearned perks for being female, so I guess that's no matter. What I learned here today is that I'm oppressed, and life as a redhead isn't worth living? Hmm - I seem to remember something about "I'd rather be dead than red on the head." Yeah, heard that one a few times.
Tall bridge just made for jumping is to the north, buddy.
hln
Posted by hln at September 22, 2003 08:51 PM | RANT
As far as i'm aware, being a redhead in the USA isn't nearly as bad as in the UK. I was taunted for years, and it never eased up until I left school. Come and be a red head in London, UK and see how it feels!!!!!
Until then, you can't comment on what this person is saying.
Posted by: Joanna at January 9, 2004 02:44 AMJust because you don't have a hard time, don't put down people who do actually suffer. We don't asked to be abused, or to feel this way. Joanna is right, you don't have a clue. Try coming over to the place where we do spell colour correctly, see how long you last. We don't ask you to feel opressed, it's great that you are so happy, but why deny others hamless support?
Posted by: Vickie at January 9, 2004 07:22 AMdo you have feelings? do you have confidence? i'm aware we are pandering to your need for attention by responding to your pathetic puerile digs at someone else's opinions but i feel like pointing out that you shouldn't make flippant remarks about suicide. i like my red hair, i'm proud of my red hair, i'm not going to dye it and i ignore the stupid jokes and jibes but for some people including a member of my family take it to heart. my cousin was harassed in her workplace because of her hair colour, she bcame depressed, dying it didn't help it made the comments worse. she committed suicide last year. people like you who do have self-confidence and seek out the attention that she killed herself to avoid should remember that not everyone else's head is up their ass. the world does not revolve around you so think before you submit anymore rantings about 'redism'.
Posted by: heidi at January 10, 2004 02:36 PMI find everything I’ve read so far to be intriguing and, for lack of a better term, slightly disturbing. I am from the US and although I have been teased relentlessly for my freckles(which frequently comes with red hair territory) the hair itself has never received anything but positive feedback. I have been raised to appreciate my unique color as have my red headed sisters and do wish others had a chance to receive the uplifting comments that stem from such a beautiful and unique color of hair.
"Gingers" are beautiful!
ok, ive been to that site, and i must admit its a bit much. but im a redhead. the kind of red gold hair that makes random old ladies stop u, and the first thing a guy compliments on a first date. this seems like it would be a nice thing. but it gets old. im one of 800 students in my school yet i can tell them im amy with the redhair and they instantly know exactly who i am. this makes it hard to blend into the crowd when u want. u constantly stick out. and i would do anything to have brown hair. i bet u if i dyed my hair no one would recognize me becuz few ppl look past my coppery hair.
Posted by: amy at February 1, 2004 05:29 PM
