Those of us who are ginger have had it tough for many years. But things are changing. The tide is turning and with more and more gingers filling our screens and gracing our magazine and newspaper covers, it’s time to celebrate the ginger.
So, for all of you blessed with the ginger gene, here are some things that you will only know if you’re a ginger…
You have an automatic connection with other gingers
We don’t know whether this is a shared Celtic heritage or maybe it’s the fact you both had traumatic, ant-ginger childhoods, but it’s the one hair colour that brings people together. Pass another ginger in the street and you always have that brief moment when you share a knowing look.
You don’t fancy other gingers
Whether it’s because you don’t want your son or daughter to have the relentless piss taking you had or whether it’s just that you don’t find other gingers a turn on, take a look a round and you’ll find ginger on ginger relationships pretty rare.
You have to explain to people you’re not Scottish
It’s a common problem that a lot of people assume that if you are ginger: You must be Scottish. One ginger we talked to visited East Berlin just before the fall of the Iron Curtain. No one believed him that he wasn’t Scottish.
You’ve said ‘It’s not ginger, it’s strawberry blonde’
Usually said at school to stop the taunts, a little bit of your ginger soul died that day when you uttered those words. You secretly knew it wasn’t true. You’re either ginger or you’re not. And, you’re ginger.
It makes you feel great when you see ginger celebs
We’ve had Hucknall and Evans in the past but gingers these days are doing really well for themselves. Rupert Grint, Lily Cole, Benedict Cumberbatch, Damian Lewis and Ed Sheeran amongst many others are almost taking over!
You fear the sun
The sun is not kind to gingers. If you’re ginger, your skin burns really, really easily, which means as soon as the sun comes out, you see every ginger ducking for cover and getting the SPF 50 out.
You’ve had an unfortunate ginger related nickname
We all nicknames as kids but if you’re a ginger, they almost always focus around your red hair and are nearly always offensive. Some of the ones we’ve heard:
Agent Orange
Baboon
Fanta Pubes
Ginger Ninja
Rusty Bollocks
And, our personal favourite… Wotsit Cock.
People abroad want to touch your hair
If you don’t like people touching your hair, then don’t travel in East Asia, especially in rural China where most people have never, ever seen a ginger. We’ve spoken to several people who have backpacked in the area and were constantly stopped by people wanting to touch their hair.
You love being ginger
Now you’re older, more mature, you love your hair colour. It’s what makes you different, unique and you. And, you know what? Even if you could have any other coloured hair, you wouldn’t. Because being ginger is best.