National Kick A Ginger Day- Nov. 20

Being a Ginger myself, when I heard on the news about National Kick A Ginger Day I was quite amused at first. Although I don't really watch TV, I did happen to catch the South Park episode referring to Gingers. In case you didn't know, according to the episode, Gingers are "people with red hair, freckles, and pale skin - are disgusting, inhuman, inherently dumb, have no souls, and are unable to survive in sunlight." I can appreciate that type of humor and I thought nothing of it, knowing that it is just a silly TV show. That is until I heard about all those who took it upon themselves to act violently towards "Gingers" by beating up redheaded children at school on National Kick a Ginger Day, which began from that South Park episode.



The following article is only one of the many regarding this past Nov. 20, Kick A Ginger Day:

Kids Attack Redheads on 'Kick a Ginger' Day
By Katherine Thompson| Posted Nov 23, 08 4:31 PM CST

Inspired by a Facebook page, kids in Vancouver spent a day kicking and punching redheads for fun, the Vancouver Sun reports. Trouble is, being hit hurts. "I was amazed by the amount of people that kicked me," said 13-year-old Aaron Mishkin, who figures he was assaulted about 80 times. An online group promoting "Kick a Ginger" day started it all.

The group's 14-year-old creator, who based the page on a South Park episode, apologized and said it was intended as a joke. But after students went home with injuries and 20 kids were suspended at one middle school, the RCMP is investigating the group, saying it may have spurred a hate crime. "It's really unprecedented," one cyber-bullying expert said.



This type of behavior really struck home because when I was younger I was made fun of a lot for having red hair and freckles. Being from Ohio and attending private schools, I was pretty much the only person in the entire school that was a redhead and I always got teased and made fun of. I got called carrot top, red hot, fire crotch, big red... you name it. Boy are kids cruel!

Now I look back at the names I was called and I laugh because people now compliment me more than ever for my red hair. I don't think I have ever gone into a hair salon without people commenting on how gorgeous and healthy my hair is. They always tell me that they can tell I don't dye it because of how shiny it is. I have even had several friends try to dye their hair my color, which we have learned is impossible to match (just ask my friend Meghan... poor thing!).

So for all you Gingers out there, keep your heads up and don't let anyone tell you that you are anything but beautiful.

As my idol Lucille Ball put it, "Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead."