As a recent ginger journalism graduate from the University of Missouri, I will be posting about ginger celebrity news and gossip, examining ginger stereotypes through my personal experiences, and sharing hilarious photos of ginger sightings on campus and around Atlanta, GA.
As a member of the 2% of the world that has red hair, I have experienced time and again a great deal of confusion about our kind. People think we’re crazy, hot tempered, and the result of a genetic mutation. I’ve been called a range of names, including “day walker,” “ginger,” and, most recently, “the redhead.” Over time, I’ve come to embrace my abnormal hair color, but I still want to know where my minority scholarship is.
lol! I just stumbled across this website and it makes me laugh to read it. Two of my sisters and I are ginger, despite the fact the our parents bother have black hair. (Our other sister is blonde in case you were curious.) Genetics are just fun like that.
I love that you have dedicated a site exclusively to redheads. I’m a redhead myself and neither my parents nor my sister are. Only a few distant relatives of mine are blessed with the ginger gene. I’ll be keeping an eye out for new posts!
“While the rest of the species is descended from apes, redheads are descended from cats.”
- Mark Twain
Redheads are very unique, and are found in EVERY genetic type – White, Asian, Black, Latin, etc. We were first to be burned at the stake (which is probably why our numbers are so low), and first to be seen as priestesses in pagan culture. We have a higher tolerance for both pain and drugs.
Here are some facts and links about being a redhead:
- Redheads have often been a favorite subject of painters – from Titian (a redhead and painted with a particular hue of red) to pre-Raphaelite, Victorian to Vargas
- redheaded women are genetically better at coping with pain
- redheads need special beauty products like makeup, hair care, skin lotions and sunscreens
- Redheads have the thickest hair, but have the smallest number of strands.
- Only an estimated 2 percent to 5 percent of the U.S. population is born with red hair
- Professor Jonathan Rees conducted a study of redheads at Edinburgh University. He identified the “gene for red hair” the melanocortin 1 receptor. Professor Rees found that this single gene, carried by up to 40% of Scots, was responsible for red hair. He estimated that the first human redheads walked this earth 50,000 years ago and then spread throughout northern Europe.
- From 1483 to 1784, thousands of were suspected of witchcraft. Women accused of witchcraft were searched for ‘Witch marks’; any abnormality – moles, freckles, warts and especially red hair. Approximately 45,000 women were tortured and murdered by burning at the stake or drowning.
- In Denmark, it’s an honor to have a redheaded child. In Corsica, if you pass one on the street you spit and turn around. In Poland, it’s said if you pass three redheads, you’ll win the state lottery.
- The highest percentage of redheads comes from Irish ancestry
you can read my full write up about our fabulous gingerness here:
http://www.feralsexkitten.com/vlog/2004/01/17/redheads-are-sexy/
thanks for all the facts! will definitely have to look into some of those further for future posts. keep reading!
Hi there,
I help run the website Ginger Parrot (www.gingerparrot.co.uk), and I was wondering if I could feature your blog on the website? Just mainly a link with a bit about your webpage? It works out well for you ’cause it’ll get you more site viewings? What do you say?
Thanks,
Emma
Sure, go for it! Sorry for the delayed response; I’ve been a bit behind on my blogging lately :/