why are people with red hair discriminated in the UK?

I had no idea this actualy happened.I only discovered this thanks to an interview to the actor of Ron Weasly.

In My couuntry(mexico) people would kill for having natural red hair...

The Irish and the U.K. have a bit of a history, is how I learned it.

Because people can, because it's hard to complain about being victimised based on hair colour, because it doesn't feel like "real" racism.

Most redheads get no trouble whatsoever, mind.

Hey plenty of Scots have red hair to. Last I checked Scotland and Britain have a very checkered history together including the last big revolt involving Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Because they're just jealous of the beauty of red hair.

It's not really serious, although bullying at school can get very nasty. Once you get beyond the playground it's enough of a joke that people with red hair can make fun of it.

Tuefel...Scotland is a part of Britain. It's England and Scotland that have had a bit of history, and that's pretty much centuries past despite what Mel Gibson might like to think.

edited 21st Nov '10 3:33:18 AM by pagad

People are using Britain, UK and England interchangeably again...

Aside from that, yeah it's just bullying. Some people, in school or not, get picked on for being tall, short, skinny, fat, having an unusual hair colour etc etc. Nobody ever got refused service in a store for being ginger.

edited 21st Nov '10 8:29:15 AM by Michael

Because it comes natural to torment soulless ginger kids.

They're inferior.

It isn't "discriminated" so much as "some kids have a laugh about it." -shrug-

Because red hair is often a deviation from the norm. Those that deviate get picked on.

Your still forgetting the Scotish Nationalists who want to break away from the Uk.

I've always heard that it was because red hair is stereotypical found on the Irish, and that the English absolutely hate the Irish. Of course, growing up I took it as an article of faith that the English deliberately caused the Potato Famine, so my knowledge is somewhat suspect.

People are using Britain, UK and England interchangeably again...

Speaking of which, is there a simple way to remember the difference between Britain, UK and England?

just bulling? well that is bad but nost as bad as I tough. Thanks for the info guys!!

"is there a simple way to remember the difference between Britain, UK and England?"

Britain = physical. It's the big island north of France, and in times past meant all of the islands (but we don't call them that any more because it annoys the Irish).

UK = United Kingdom = the state. Multiple kingdoms under one government.

England = the largest (~85% of the population) of the four countries in the UK.

Think of it as being similar to the difference between North America, the United States, and New York State (for example), respectively (although there is absolutely no similarity between UK constituent countries and US states; and where the US has to share North America with Canada and Mexico, the UK covers all of Great Britain and also part of Ireland).

edited 21st Nov '10 8:22:50 PM by Jinren

Come on guys, it's really not that hard.

^^^^ Tuefel: I am aware of the SNP, thank you.

I didn't really think it was all that serious a problem. I mean, ranga discrimination isn't that much of a big deal, is it? Is there a ginger ceiling, preventing qualififed rangas from obtaining good jobs, or is this just a schoolyard/pub thing?

It literally isn't nearly as much of a big deal as it's been made out in this thread.

Rupert Grint jokes about it.

Catherine Tate jokes about it.

The Doctor actually bemoans not being ginger.

In any case, this doesn't seem to be limited to the UK - wasn't there a South Park episode parodying discrimination of people with ginger hair?

There's a song parodying this...

Listen to about the 2:15 point.

edited 23rd Nov '10 2:21:53 PM by GameChainsaw

Of course, I find it amusing especially since one of their most admired monarchs was a redhead herself.

Though it's true, it's primarily the while anti-Irish chauvinism over there.

I find it kind of bizarre how the word 'ranga', in my school, sometimes seemed to have some sort of negative meaning beyond simply 'redhead'. Some idiot would tease a kid and say he was a 'ranga', and the kid would get flustered and insist he wasn't.

Ranga means Orangutan, since they have red hair.

How dare they? Red is THE erotic haircolor.

/has a redhead fetish

Someone I know once suggested it was since people with ginger hair tend to be weaker or less attractive (to which ^yes, I cited the redhead phenomenon).

In any case, this doesn't seem to be limited to the UK - wasn't there a South Park episode parodying discrimination of people with ginger hair?

And a few times in Flight Of The Conchords.

This is interesting. I have red hair and I live in England. I think some people called me 'ginger' as an insult sometimes back in school and very occasionally later on. That was about it. So, at least in that part of Somerset, it's not serious at all. I find it annoying when people say prejudice against people with red hair is comparable to racism. Of course, my experiences hardly represent all people with red hair! Still, I don't think that we get any particular disadvantage beyond a certain category of insults being made available to young children, which isn't exactly dire.

As for a link with Irish people, it's possible that that's where it comes from but I don't think anyone who uses 'ginger' etc. nowadays has that link in mind. However, that's a guess. Maybe they do.

The downside to people thinking it is okay to have a laugh at the expense of redheads, from the perspective of people who find redheads sexy, is that it encourages redheads to dye.