Seven Reasons You Should Be Proud Of Being Ginger

01/07/2015
Carys Millard

As a proud redhead, Carys is here to tell you that better ginger is better than any other hair colour. Here’s why…

‘Ginger. Ginger.’

The amount of times I heard that at school. I always thought, ‘I’m ginger? Nobody told me. Thank you so much for clearing that up. I thought I was blonde.’

A lot of gingers are teased because of their hair colour. Last year, a study found that redheads are a bigger target for bullying. I’ve always been proud of my hair and I gave as good as I got whenever someone tried to make fun of me. Because I’m so proud of it, here are my seven reasons why you should be proud of your hair.

1. People say that when blondes go abroad they get a lot of attention.

That is true because in the majority of far away lands everyone has brown or black hair. However, given that fewer than 2% of the world’s population has red hair, it is even more of a shock for people abroad to see gingers. What does that mean? It’s another level of attention. I am fortunate enough to have travelled a lot in my short life and the more exotic a place, the more attention I get. I’ve been followed by groups of people, filmed and photographed. I’ve been given beautiful gifts. For example, when I was in Egypt a man gave me two beautiful Egyptian cat figures. I’ve been taken to meet family and friends and once I was swimming in Guyana and children came and showered me in little yellow flowers. (I tell you, I felt like I was in a Disney film that day). So basically, if you want to be treated like a celebrity/Disney princess when you go travelling, keep your red hair.

2. When you are in school, people will tell you that your hair is horrible.

However, the same people that teased me for being ginger in school, now tell me that it is beautiful. If anyone mentions my hair now, it is never to say anything except how beautiful it is.

3. Ed Sheeran- ‘Being individual is the most attractive thing.’

You don’t have to be ginger to be individual because it’s our personality that we want to define us. However, if you want to visually stand out in a crowd, being ginger does help. It’s really useful when I get lost…

‘Where has she gone?’

‘Look for her hair…’

…two seconds later…

Found her…’

4. ‘The ginger connection’

It’s true that ginger people do feel like friends as soon as they meet. I instantly love ginger people that little bit more…is that weird? Probably. My best friends in both primary school and secondary school were ginger…

5. Freckles and pale skin.

First of all, most people tell me that freckles are cute so I don’t even get the whole issue that people have with their freckles. In terms of being white-as-paper, apparently ‘a pale complexion permits more sunlight into the skin, where it encourages the production of vitamin D’. So, that’s cool right?

6. Zero Shades Of Grey

This isn’t going to be useful for a few years but guess what? Gingers don’t go grey. Apparently red hair just slowly fades from ginger to white.

7. Gingers rule… literally.

Tom Felton- ‘What would you change about the world?’

Rupert Grint- “Everyone to be ginger would be good. A ginger world, that would be cool.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iEdQcjKyM

Whether you have ginger, blonde, brunette or black hair – guys, it’s just hair. I’m glad that we have a rainbow and you should be too, otherwise, sorry Rupert but life would be dull.

Are you a red head and proud? Not so sure? Tell us all about your body image pride. We love it when people love who they are. @rifemag