This is one of my favourite photos ever! Now, a bit of a rant...
My boyfriend, Adam, is ginger. It is one of the main ways I describe him to people who haven't met him and, along with his beard, one of his most dominant features. I love his hair and can't understand why people such as his younger sister (who is also ginger) feel the need to cover it up. I think it is something to be proud of, something a bit different, something that this girl with straight brown hair could only dream of. But since getting to know Adam, I have seen a different side.
This year, in broad daylight, with no provocation, a fully-grown man threw an orange at him simply because of his hair colour.
Our next door neighbours last year used to shout at him out the window, shouting 'ginger!' and then hiding behind their curtains like children.
Adam told me that when he was in secondary school a guy a couple of years above him poured orange juice into his hood.
I struggle to see why it is seen as acceptable and even funny to target people because of their hair colour, as if being ginger is something to be mocked and laughed at despite it being entirely out of their control and entirely natural. If the incidents above were racially motivated, it would be seen as appalling! But even I found it hard not to laugh about the man and the orange- its just not fair.
Adam is pretty confident in life. Everyone I know loves him. But sometimes I know that the prejudice against him because of his hair gets to him. Its hard not to care that the first thing my grandad said when I showed him Adam on facebook was "so he's a ginger minger", despite his own grandchild being equally ginger. It was obviously a joke, I'm sure he couldn't care less who I date, let alone what hair colour they have, but why the instantaneous negative reaction?
It is unusual to be ginger.
With red hair usually comes pale skin and freckles.
Adam has to be careful in the sun, as I wear less clothing to tan, Adam wears long sleeves.
But that shouldn't make him a target for abuse.
Many people are specifically attracted to ginger people. Adam frequently gets approached by women on nights out, sometimes because he's ginger, and other times because he's simply attractive.
If we ever have children, a part of me would be absolutely gutted if they weren't ginger (apologies to any future non-ginger children, I'm sure I'll still love you) partly because if they were then they'd look like Adam, and partly because red heads are unique and awesome. But I'd still be worried about sending them to school, worried about the first time someone singles them out because of their hair colour and makes them feel inadequate. I'd be worried that they would feel like there was something wrong with them for being given nothing more than a different hair colour.
Obviously, I think Adam is really attractive, and he knows that.
He knows that his hair colour is perfect and a really great part of who he is.
I just wish that no one ever makes him feel differently, because its unfair and cruel. And whatever anyone may think, its not funny. Just pure bullying.
