Why is it ok to call anyone a redhead but to call someone a ginger you need their permission?

[serious1984]

I mean aren’t they 1 and the same?

[HelpfulWoman]

Because it's used a lot as a "slur" in schools. My sister experienced bullying and it was one of her most called insults at her. She eventually dyed her hair more brown to try to stop it.
There was often jokes about gingers having no souls for instance, so as already stated, it has negative connotations to it.

[Effably]

Is this a clever little anagram question to discuss more common things openly?

If it is, well done I guess.

If it isn't, just rearrange ginger. Ask same question. Assume similar, if very different levels of severity, of insult. Question should make sense.

It is interesting to me how words turn bad even though they might not originally have been. But that is a very different, if linked, discussion.

[NamerOfStars]

This:

is ginger. It's brown. Clearly, unambiguously brown; not even auburn. What does that have to do with red hair?

Here's a hint: it's an acronym. You're literally referring to them with a repurposed racial slur.

[IslaTheWitch]

It's more because of Red Ginger plant:

en.wikipedia.org/.../...purpurata_(red_ginger).jpg

[IslaTheWitch]

My grandma claimed that it's a huge pity I have literally red hair :D so she couldn't call me ginger, as she wanted. But she did anyway :D

I've never heard that any permission is needed to call ginger a ginger... I was called all sorts of names and no one ever asked me for a permission :D

Later I learned that the gene coding this hair color is a mutation which can't be inherited. My kids are blondes :D

[7Phoenix7]

Omg I bet your hair looks gorgeous

[purplepoppy]

Red head is neutral, it simply describes hair colour but ginger links the colour to perceived negative traits. It classifies people as a different group based on their hair colour.

[serious1984]

And perceived negative traits means?

[purplepoppy]

en.m.wikipedia.org/.../Discrimination_against_people_with_red_hair

[IslaTheWitch]

@purplepoppy
I'm a redhead all my life and I've never heard about that... kids can be a bit cruel, but in my adult life I've never been discriminated because of my hair color...

[NathanDavis]

@islathewitch ginger...

[IslaTheWitch]

me? :D nah... I'm not enough orange to be called a ginger 😭 but I don't mind :D I like being called "ginger" much more than "carrot" 🥕 :D

[NathanDavis]

@IslaTheWitch zanahoria... or jengibre

[IslaTheWitch]

@NathanDavis I like how "jengibre" sounds :D

[IslaTheWitch]

But "zanahoria" sounds a looks good. I think I want to be called like that... can I change my username? :D

[IslaTheWitch]

and*

[NathanDavis]

@IslaTheWitch Canela...

[IslaTheWitch]

@NathanDavis Canela smells heavenly but "zanahoria" resonates...

[DarkLegacy]

You do not need their permission, if you want to call them ginger then do so.

[RedInnocent68]

I don’t think that’s true.