Given the content of the strip, a word on redheads:
I am not a redhead. A number of my extended family members ARE redheads, though, and I’ve taught my fair share of them, so while not an expert, I’ll throw my hat in the ring by saying that in Canada right now, your average redheaded male has probably suffered more overt discrimination based on his appearance than any actual visible minority.
Why? Well, there’s no social taboo against redhead discrimination. We live in a society where jokes such as “beat it like a redheaded stepchild” are not only condoned but funny. Your average redhead has likely been teased, taunted, ridiculed, or just plain beaten up multiple times.
Redheaded girls have it easier, because few white women have not, at some point in time, toyed with the idea of going red. If you’re a guy and you’re a redhead, though, it’s rough. As a teacher, I can report that there are two types of redheaded boy: the introverted types who have retreated into their own world full of androids and dragons, and the nightmarish hellions who are the toughest, meanest kids in the school. There are few in-betweeners. And don’t tell me that behaviour is genetic! Those are defence mechanisms if ever I saw one.
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Its an English thing… Didn’t know it occurred in Canada, but then the only part of Canada I’ve been to was Nova Scotia, so that makes sense.
Stems from the old Anglo-Saxon vs Celt rivalry and all that… though its roots have mostly been lost.
I think it goes beyond an English thing. I’ve seen it fairly heavily represented in American culture too. But yeah. I don’t trust that Prince Harry none at all, and we all know why.
One of my exes dealt with it extensively, especially after South Park. He ended up leaving a job because of it.
Double whammy: bi AND a redhead. Both things that are considered hotter on women than men.
That poor, poor soul. That’s rough.
I noticed you said ‘ex’.
So, you dumped him for being a red head?!
(I joke, of course)
It’s also an Aussie thing. My best mates a ranga and I have been alternating between making jokes about his lack of soul and referring to him as ‘fanta pants’ for over a decade.
It’s horrible but I can’t seem to stop…..
hhmm, not sure if you guys have fanta over there – it’s orange soft drink (soda?)
Canadians have Fanta, but it’s … rare. Over here, orange pop (and it’s called ‘pop’ in Canada) is usually referred to as ‘Orange Crush’ after the most ubiquitous brand name.
I don’t know about elsewhere in the US, but it’s fairly popular here in Kansas.
I’m a redhead. No freckles, thank god. If I had red hair AND freckles I would have to deal with people calling me a ginger all the time. Sigh.
But it’s true, redheaded men are NOT appealing, to me, and never will be. There are plenty of redhead women who are sexy but I have never seen an attractive man with red hair. Ever. And I never will. Maybe in a cartoon or something. But never real life. That’s so bad to say but oh well.
Redheaded men … I feel for those guys, I really do. Being them has to be hard.
Seriously though… if they grow beards and let their hair grow out too… y’know, adopting the old highlands look. That does tend to redeem them somewhat.
Like a cheat-code to fix man-ginge. It genuinely works.
I happen to find redheaded guys very hot–generally I prefer dark hair, but red is an exception ;). The fact that this anti-redhead standard exists boggles my mind…but this is definitely not the first I’ve heard of it.
Redhead girls, though…they’re viewed as a rare catch in the US! Are they really not revered in Canada and Britain?!
In Canada, there’s theoretical lip service paid to the idea that redhead girls are attractive, but usually the media shows this through taking non-redhead actresses and slapping some hair dye on them. Real redhead girls seldom escape childhood without getting teased fairly heavily. And real redhead guys? Those poor, poor souls.
I guess it’s a good thing that red hair is highly recessive. I’ve got ancestry with red hair but luckily only got the freckles, although I do grow red hair on my chin, but that’s due to nerve damage when I was little and only when the hair gets long.
If red hair were dominant, civilization would likely have already collapsed.
I don’t know, my brother was student body president Mr. Popularity with his obnoxiously bright red hair, and he rocks it constantly. ((Might help having the complete ginger package))
…However, as the girl with red hair, after I outgrew my awkward phase, hey, I guess maybe we do have it slightly easier.
Your brother can join the ranks of Conan O’Brien as one of the few well adjusted male redheads on the planet.
Ok, redheads aren’t a visible minority in this country, but I’m pretty sure fairies are. But then I live in northern Ontario and have only briefly visited Hamilton, so maybe it’s different down there.
My mother would agree with the devils running the school though. That’s why she transferred to Windsor.
Transferring to Windsor to escape devils? From what I’ve heard, Windsor is the closest thing to hell that Canada offers!
Well, it was less an escape, more like a brief respite to finish her courses before the local lords caught on.
I am new to Puck, but I felt compelled to add my two cents, as I am a redheaded male (and a stepchild, to boot). Redheads stem from Nordic ancestry. Viking raiding parties contribute the sole genetic ancestry of red hair. We are approximately 2% of the current world population, due to recessive genetics. I am thrilled to be a redhead; yes it was a challenge, but a great character builder, I think. And your webcomic absolutely rocks, by the way. I’m very glad I happened across it. Your sense of humor is tasteful, yet capricious and I find it entirely delightful. 🙂
Well, glad to hear that I get the true redheaded stepchild stamp of approval. And I must say that I find redheaded guys who successfully navigate into adulthood tend to be fairly well adjusted. Maybe it was all that character building.
Viking raiding parties.
That explains why it’s not taboo to make fun, then.
Who cares about redheads (i actually find them appealing, but perhaps being half Danish im biased?) The truly disturbing thing is how pucks ears flap down when shes angry! Yikes! So weird!
Be honest: you wish your ears did that.
Can fairies marry in Canada ?
Not that’s there’s anything wrong with that…..
I believe so. It’s been legal for a while.
Indeed. More than a decade earlier than when the USA legalized marriage, but with hardly a fraction of the fuss raised. Honestly I’d believed it was legal here my whole life; it was a bit of a surprise to look it up and see it was only 2003.
Mainly I think that was because no one was actively trying to prevent gay marriage up here. They were getting married all the time, and even couples from the USA were crossing the border to have their marriage ceremonies in an Ontario church or other venue.
The “legalization” bit was more about getting the law to honor those marriages with things like visitation rights in hospitals, or spousal inheritance rights (example: a husband dies, and his spouse can keep living in what was THEIR house.)
Tracee should understand about redheads. Blondes receive their fair share of insults, even if her blonde hair is likely fake. (I know. When I was younger, I was a strawberry-blonde. Double whammy!)
Maybe she DOES understand. Which is why she knows about their suffering.
We should reject prejudice in all its forms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw
Recently someone I had not seen in years greeted me by name, and I joked, “You know me despite the mask?” “I don’t know many very tall gingers.” I had never been called that before!
(My beard is coppery – increasingly so over time – but my scalp-hair is more of a dusty blond.)
Oh no! You’re one of them now!