Being a ginger comes with many stereotypes. Most are completely made up, (I'm talking to you South Park) and while the comments associated with them make for hilarious anecdotes at the bar, they are just plain annoying when you hear them all the time. Now, before I get really angsty, let's get to this cursed list.
1. "I have a thing for redheads."
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| You may not be a natural ging, but you are the queen of gifs Emma. |
Guys, this line does not make us want to do anything with you. It does not make us feel like a special unicorn that you plucked up from the other side of the bar. It makes us incredibly creeped out because you are usually whispering it in our ear. Yes, I have had guys whisper that to me. More recently, I had a coworker (relatively older than me) come up to me and say this. He went on to say that all of his ex-wives were redheads and I'm now realizing he might want to marry me. Needless to say, whether it's a work, or at a social setting like a bar, it's just never a good line to start with.
Fellas, we understand you're taken aback by our ginger prowess, but honestly, we are human beings. Just saying hello works like a charm. Usually, redheads are associated with the stereotype that since we have red hair, we are freaky. While that may be the case for some redheads, it's not all of us.
Crucial note: This doesn't mean you can't compliment our hair. Just be genuine about it, not like you want to hit us over the head with your club and drag us into your lair. Personally, if a guy comes up to me at a bar, I usually only have a conversation with him if he makes me laugh.
2. "Does the curtain match the drapes?"
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| Perfect expression from the always sassy Joan. |
Okay. I needed to calm myself before I wrote about this one because it's so terrible and disrespectful, but people still open their mouths and say it.
Story time! Back in the good ol' days of college and bar hopping, I lived in San Fran and the first year I was a proud 21-year-old, I thought, "Hey! St. Paddy's Day is coming up!" My friends and I decided to bar hop on this wonderful holiday, and man do I regret it. Gingers, do yourself a favor. Don't go out on St. Paddy's Day unless you are fully prepared to get hassled.
We ended our beer-induced night at an Irish bar near campus. I was busy keeping my very drunk friend from leaping across the bar and attacking the bartender (who she previously had a crush on), by distracting him with, what I thought, was an innocent conversation. He shifts the conversation to, "are you the only redhead in your family?" to which I responded, "no, my sister has red hair." Then he asked the dreaded question. "Does the curtain match the drapes?" Now that I think back on it, I'm horrified, but in that moment I was a few drinks in and quick on my feet, so my witty response was, "It's too bad you'll never know." BOOM. I've never been more proud of my tipsy self.
Moral of the story: Just don't ever say this to a redhead. It's not only weird, it leads the person to believe you only want one thing, and that you aren't very original, or funny.
3. "You have no soul."
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| Say it again, I dare you. |
This is the most well-known phrase associated with redheads, thanks to South Park. They do one episode making fun of gingers, and it causes a tidal wave of memes with pale, awkward gingers. While I can take a joke, and most of the time just laugh along, it can get irritating. Just like the whole "blondes are stupid" joke, that also should just never be said, it gets old reeeeal fast.
4. "Are you Irish?"
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| She's Scottish, duh. |
This one relates somewhat to #2's story, but it's just as ignorant. It's 2015, people. When are we going to realize that not ALL redheads are Irish? Not only am I only 25% Irish, (I'm Greek, Italian, and Irish, thanks for asking), but I have some redhead friends that, I know it's hard to believe, aren't Irish at all. One of my friends from high school is straight ging, as well as her entire family. They are basically the Weasley family, but not Irish. She is Portuguese. Gorgeous, redheaded, and Portuguese. Get your facts straight before you just stomp over to a ginger and say those clueless words.
5. "Is that your natural color?"
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| Yes? Do I win a prize? |
I'll admit it, I like this one normally. It's not disrespectful in any way, but it can get old. And every single redhead has heard it. Personally, I have a really different shade of red, so I get it a lot. Usually it's whenever I get my hair cut. Immediately after this phrase, they tend to say something like, "don't ever dye your hair!" While I appreciate the admiration for my hair, and I will never dye it, don't tell me what to do! I have never dyed my hair, but that's my own choice. Plenty of redheads have dyed their hair, my sister being one, and that's fine. You do you.
6. "You're going extinct."
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| Satine does not approve. |
We're not going extinct, but thanks for the concern. Red hair is a recessive gene, meaning both parents have to pass it on for their child to be redheaded. Yes, it's very rare, only making up around 4-5% of the population, I won't get into the science of it because it's tedious, so you can just read more about it here. The line that tends to be paired with this one is that redheads should marry other redheads, to breed more redheads. We aren't bunnies! Just people, who really don't want to date other gingers. Don't get me wrong, it's not because there aren't really attractive redheaded men out there. I mean, look at Ed Sheeran and my always favorite Rupert Grint. Classic ginger men. I wouldn't date a ginger guy because we look alike. Do you want to be asked if your boyfriend is your brother? I didn't think so.
So, next time you are hanging out with your ginger friend, or happen to see a ravishing redhead at the end of the bar, use that glorious brain and think back to these phrases. Just go up and say hey, and if you really must comment on our hair, make it real and respectful. That's all we're asking for. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me. Great, now that song's stuck in my head.
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