Growing up ginger, you'll have heard all the jokes, probably switched between despising your hair and freckles and absolutely loving them (being told your hair is absolutely beautiful by complete strangers does a LOT to ease the taunting primary school memories) and gradually become OK with the fact you'll never come back from a holiday that particularly covetable shade of Kim Kardashian.

In fact, you'll have learned a lot that people with boring hair don't have to and been prepared for adult life in ways you never expected...

1

The human race has a HUGE capacity for shit jokes

'It's probably because you're ginger'. Yeah mate, probably...


2

Being made fun of is a way of life

Laughing along with it only encourages them, but get annoyed and they've got exactly what they want - an angry, 'fiery' redhead showing off their temper. Sigh.


3

And there is literally no ginger joke you haven't heard

You wouldn't even mind them if they were funny. But you honestly don't get the appeal of joining in and pointing out other people's hair colour. 'Your hair's the colour of poo!' Nope, still not funny.

4


But you don't actually mind the Harry Potter ones because everyone loves the Weasleys really

'Why are the Harry Potter films unrealistic?' 'A ginger kid has 2 friends!' Fair play, that one's a cracker...

5

Dying your hair a completely different shade seemed like a great idea when you were a teen


The feel-good effect lasted approximately two weeks, before your roots started to show and the self-hatred for changing yourself for someone else set in.

6

Your parents/grandparents got more annoyed about you dying your hair than you EVER thought possible


Nooooooo. But it's such a BEAUTIFUL colour! People pay hundreds of pounds to have their hair dyed your EXACT SHADE. Don't do it! Or the worst of all, from your mum/dad (also ginger): are you not happy with what I gave you? Does that mean you hate my hair too?

7

That first really bad sunburn experience put you off hot countries forever


8

OR proved that you were actually capable of changing colour and sparked a lifelong (failed, and rather dangerous) quest for a deep tan

9


Red, yellow and orange have been off limits since you were 5 years old (cheers mum)

So much nope.

10

Eventually you gave up (but a light coating of instant fake tan wins out for special occasions... no one likes to be the weird ghost person in the photos)


11

Growing up, you hated having to be Ginger Spice or Ariel. Now you're older, you OWN those hotties at fancy dress parties


Jessica Rabbit, Merida from Brave, Ygritte from Game of Thrones, any of the Weasley family (and yes, still Ariel and Ginger Spice)... you always get to veto anyone else dressing up as them and you win at life when you do, no wig required.

12

You feel secretly proud of hot ginger celebrities

Amy Adams, Rupert Grint, Nicole Kidman, Prince Harry, Hayley Williams, Kate Winslet, Emma Stone, Christina Hendricks, Isla Fisher, Lily Cole and the daddy of them all, Damien Lewis - proof that redheads look hot in more ways than one.


13

And you feel ridiculously smug when people you know (and people you don't) really *do* spend loads of time and money dying their hair your exact shade

14


Your face when someone asks, 'is that natural?'

15

You've started noticing ADORABLE ginger kids and feeling quite proud you'll probably have one one day


16

And honestly, you bloody love your hair. I mean, LOOK AT IT. Who wouldn't?!