Who We Tease
Red Heads -- Easy Targets
WHO we tease....
It's really
impossible to know exactly who WILL get teased and who will NOT.
However,
red heads are prime targets just because they look different!
-- People can be teased about --
- Hair colors, texture, or style (obviously, red heads fit here and below)
- Any distinguishing or unusual physical features
- Different or unusual behavior
- Different background or culture
- Different weight or height extremes
- Type of clothing or jewelry
- Appetite, both extremes
- Breast size
- Sexual preference
- IQ or mental abilities, too smart of not smart
- Physical abilities or lack of
- Facial features like nose, acne, ears
- An unusual job
- Talk differently with accent or stutter
- Wear glasses
- Learning disability or handicap
- Chronic illnesses like asthma, allergies, etc.,
- Wheelchair or crutches or hearing aides
- Stick out in crowd for any reason
- Accident happened like threw up, burped, bathroom accident
- Family circumstances that are out of ordinary
- Feelings -- too sensitive, cry or get embarrassed easily, or get mad easily
- Your friends or group associate with
- A hobby or passion
- Name is unusual or different or easy to make fun of
- Your opinions
- Possessions
- Religion
- Gender
- Race
There's even
'workplace bullying' -- by adults!
According to a joint study by the polling firm Zogby and the Workplace Bullying Institute (an employee-advocacy group), nearly 50% of the U.S. workforce is a victim of or a witness to bullying on the job. This is defined as "repeated malicious mistreatment, verbal abuse, or conduct that is threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, or that interferes with work." Many US states have made it illegal to bully someone based on race, religion, or sexual orientation.
(Would you share with us how YOU handled teasing?...Help out someone else....just click HERE to share.)
-- RED HEADS SPECIFICALLY --That's who we tease....anyone different.
As stated above, having a unique hair color makes you stand out in the crowd and an obvious target for being picked on. Red-haired kids get singled out because are often the only redhead in their class or even school!
They get labeled with usually unflattering nicknames that stick with them such as carrot-top, copper-top, red, etc.
Opinions and biases regarding red heads can differ with country, culture, times, and seasons. Seems that being a redhead, at least in the US, is currently a hot item and very popular and fashionable. However, it wasn’t always the case in times past for many red-haired people, young and old.
For red heads living outside the US (such as Ireland, England, and Scotland), it seems that harassment against ‘gingers’ appears to be a LOT worse than here in the US. Since some of these countries have a very high number of gingers, I find it odd that the prejudice is so high. Apparently, they are often insulted in the streets and even ridiculed by the media. WHY?
Heck, I believe some of these ‘normal’ reactions from redheads are perfectly understandable, as they are just reacting to people’s stupid assumptions, rude comments, and being noticed all the time. A brunette or blonde doing the same behavior would probably go unnoticed. But, since the person is a ‘red head’ then it’s the ‘reason’. How would you feel in their shoes?
PLUS, who we tease is influenced by what we're taught.... Throughout history and cultures there seem to be stories, myths, misinformation, and general assumptions about red heads that have perpetuated bullying and teasing. I think some just started out of ignorance and superstition. The stories grew. Some are basically ‘crap’ (excuse me) and some are possibly true...
Visit my 'STEREOTYPES' page to read more and give your 2 cents on this...
Visit my 'SUPERSTITIONS' page for myths about redheads.
Visit my 'NICKNAMES' page to see the list of names redheads have to deal with.
Who knows HOW these ideas start??!
HOW We Tease | WHY We Tease | Reactions to Teasing | Advice From Redheads | Tips for Parents | Tips for Kids
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