Spot a Yank a clue, anyone?
This is what I'd have posted if I were around for this one: what's the thing with anti-ginger prejudice in the UK? Obviously it's not universal, of course, but it's almost completely unknown over here in the US. Does anyone know where that comes from? Is it some kind of anti-Scottish/Irish/Welsh thing from long ago? (All three populations are somewhere around 10% ginger, and up to 13% in Scotland.)

I'm more than happy to look up how hot Gas Mark 6 is or what sort of products they sell at Boots, but the redhead prejudice puts me at a loss. I apologize (er, "apologise") if anyone's offended or if I'm being excessively clueless, but I'm genuinely interested in learning how this came about.

Personal experiences: well, I've dated/flirted with a few redheads, all of whom were very cute. I also dyed my hair red once with henna from these people. It started out a very rust-like orange, which I didn't like very much, but the henna oxidized over the next few days and turned a sort of dark reddish color, which I liked a lot. I actually had people walk up to me and compliment me on my hair, out of the blue, and that was a completely new experience for me. Alas, I don't have any images.

Also, has anyone dyed their hair red and written a document called Ginger Like Me? It's a horrible idea, but I'm kinda surprised I didn't come across anything like that in a cursory Google search.
(tellum0 is spelled with an 'o', Fri 26 Feb 2010, 4:55, 14 replies)

oxidized
I don't understand what you're saying.
(British Steel was participating in awesomeness on, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 6:37, closed)

Red hair is unusual
and therefore must be picked on. Many names exist.

It's not anti-Scot or Irish. We can abuse the haggis munchers and Bog-trotters in other ways (although seldom feel the need, except at rugby and football matches).

Personally, I like a bit of redhead, but gingers must still be mocked. odd really, reflecting on it. I have always had a thing for Mediterranean women and Asians, but there's always been a special place for redheads...
( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Fri 26 Feb 2010, 6:54, closed)

I've never been one for ginger cups
all those freckles make me go cross-eyed.
(British Steel was participating in awesomeness on, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 7:48, closed)

What do the English think of
...Lucille Ball?
(The 2-Belo OH SHI--[Sound of impact][End of recording], Fri 26 Feb 2010, 7:52, closed)

You should watch the Ginger Kids
episode of South Park. American predujice for ginger is there alright, and going by the pictures above your post they pretty much kicked off 'new wave' ginger hate. It's almost entirely satirical these days in my experience.
( Rookie You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 8:38, closed)

I haven't watched South Park in ages
but I vaguely remembered hearing about that. And I definitely heard about the "Kick A Ginger Day" thing on facebook. Makes sense, or as much sense as any prejudice.
(tellum0 is spelled with an 'o', Sat 27 Feb 2010, 5:45, closed)

It is tradition for gingers to be picked on
along with flids and mongs.

Oh, and speccy twats like me as well. It is the law of the playground and cannot be messed with.
( sm.pl.crt.rs I don't fucking know, do I?, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 8:55, closed)

I'll have you know
that I'm a speccy git, thank you very much. :-D

Yeah, that was more or less what I figured.
(tellum0 is spelled with an 'o', Sat 27 Feb 2010, 5:44, closed)

i did hear, though i can'tconfirm or deny
that it dates back to medieval times, when the rich inter-married and as a result produced an unhealthy amount of gingers, which the poor in turn hated for their richness, so ginger became associated with royalty, which the common man loves to hate.
also, they have no souls.
(UppityDamnPrimate LET'S OPEN THIS F*CKING PIT UP, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 10:16, closed)

Prince Harry's a bit fucked really, isn't he?

(LongJohnBaldry, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 14:04, closed)

ise/ize
Contrary to popular belief, 'ize' is actually the correct english spelling, coming straight from the greek. 'ise' is a french form and only appropriate for those words english borrowed from french relatively recently. Quite how the fallacy that 'ise' is english and 'ize' american has become so widespread escapes me.
(WarneMarsh My priority for frivolity begets quality jollity, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 12:32, closed)

shut up
the correct, current, English spelling is ise.

The English spelling is ise, and has been corrupted by the Septics onto ize.
( disasterprone "Pyjamas caused the Holocaust", Sat 27 Feb 2010, 21:42, closed)

It is a tradition for Yanks to be picked on
Hey, wait, is this the wrong thread? Or are ginger Yanks shot without trial? (Don't look at *me*, I'm an Ameri-kraut)
(The 2-Belo OH SHI--[Sound of impact][End of recording], Thu 4 Mar 2010, 5:13, closed)

Thanks all
The consensus seems to be that it just worked out that way, so I'm going to file this alongside "right-hand/left-hand traffic" and "first floor/ground floor" in my head--just one of those differences that make international travel interesting.

(Fun fact that is not related to anything: the only place under US jurisdiction that drives on the left is the US Virgin Islands. Of course, they get most of their cars from here, so their steering wheels are all on the wrong side. There might be a business opportunity here for an enterprising resident of a left-hand-traffic country, but I haven't run the numbers on it.)
(tellum0 is spelled with an 'o', Sat 27 Feb 2010, 5:54, closed)