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[[File:Woman with red hair-tribune.com.jpg|thumb|Woman with red hair]]

[[File:Woman with red hair-tribune.com.jpg|thumb|Woman with red hair]]

[[File:Red Haired Man.jpg|thumb|Man with red hair and beard]]

[[File:Red Haired Man.jpg|thumb|Man with red hair and beard]]

‘’’Red hair‘’ (or ‘’’ginger hair’’’) occurs naturally in two percent of the overall planet earth, human population, appearing in higher percentages (two to six percent) among people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and lesser frequency in other human populations. So for the most part, gingers are a rare breed, far outnumbered by the yellow and brown haired members of the human species.

'''Red hair''' (or '''ginger hair''') occurs naturally in two percent of the overall planet earth, human population, appearing in higher percentages (two to six percent) among people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and lesser frequency in other human populations. So for the most part, gingers are a rare breed, far outnumbered by the yellow and brown haired members of the human species.

It is most common in individuals homozygous for a recessive allele on chromosome 16 that produces an altered version of the  melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) protein. The melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) plays important roles in human basal pigmentation and UVR-induced tanning response. The human MC1R locus is highly polymorphic, which results in the diversity of skin pigmentation levels.

It is most common in individuals homozygous for a recessive allele on chromosome 16 that produces an altered version of the  melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) protein. According to a study in 2003 by Gregory S. Barsh of Stanford University, the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) plays important roles in human basal pigmentation and ultra violet rays (UVR)-induced tanning response. The human MC1R locus is highly polymorphic. Gene polymorphism is a gene is said to be polymorphic if more than one allele occupies that gene's locus within a population. This result of being highly polymorphic is what happens in the diversity of skin pigmentation levels. Extensive research by Paul B. Fisher and Kenneth D. Tew in the book "Advances in Cancer Research" fully detail MC1R variants, red hair and melanoma susceptibility for the human population with red hair.

Red hair varies in hue from a deep burgundy or bright copper, or auburn, to burnt orange or red-orange to strawberry blond. Characterized by high levels of the reddish pigment pheomelanin and relatively low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin, it is associated with fair skin color, lighter eye color, freckles, and sensitivity to [[ultraviolet]] light.

 

Cultural reactions to red hair have varied from ridicule to admiration with many common stereotypes in existence regarding redheads. The term redhead has been in use since at least 1510.

Red hair in all it’s unique hues vary from a dark auburn or bright copper, to burnt orange, or red-orange to strawberry blond. Red hair has the highest levels of pheomelanin, containing a reddish pigment of around 67 percent, and mainly low levels of eumelanin, a dark brown/black bioaggregate of melanin pigment. Red hair is associated with fair skin color, lighter eye color, freckles, and sensitivity to [[ultraviolet]] light.

Cultural reactions to red hair have varied from ridicule to admiration with many common stereotypes in existence regarding redheads. Since 1510 the term redhead (originally redd hede) has been in use on earth.

==Genetic Mutation==

==Genetic Mutation==

[[File:Crystal-Strawberry-blonde-lighter-red-hair-tribune-com.jpg|thumb|Woman with strawberry blond red hair and lighter eye color]]

[[File:Crystal-Strawberry-blonde-lighter-red-hair-tribune-com.jpg|thumb|Woman with strawberry blond red hair and lighter eye color]]

In his 1895 memoir and history ''The Gurneys of Earlham'', Augustus John Cuthbert Hare described an incident of harassment:

In his 1895 memoir and history ''The Gurneys of Earlham'', Augustus John Cuthbert Hare described an incident of harassment:

"The second son, John, was born in 1750. As a boy he had bright red hair, and it is amusingly recorded that one day in the streets of Norwich a number of boys followed him, pointing to his red locks and saying, "Look at that boy; he's got a bonfire on the top of his head," and that John Gurney was so disgusted that he went to a barber's, had his head shaved, and went home in a wig. He grew up, however, a remarkably attractive-looking young man."

"The second son, John, was born in 1750. As a boy he had bright red hair, and it is amusingly recorded that one day in the streets of Norwich a number of boys followed him, pointing to his red locks and saying, "Look at that boy; he's got a bonfire on the top of his head," and that John Gurney was so disgusted that he went to a barber's, had his head shaved, and went home in a wig. He grew up, however, a remarkably attractive-looking young man."

In [[British English]], the word "ginger" is sometimes used to describe red-headed people (at times in an insulting manner), with terms such as "gingerphobia" and "gingerism" used by the British media. In Britain, redheads are also sometimes referred to disparagingly as "carrot tops" and "carrot heads". (The comedian "[[Carrot Top]]" uses this stage name.) "Gingerism" has been compared to [[racism]], although this is widely disputed, and bodies such as the UK Commission for Racial Equality do not monitor cases of discrimination and [[hate crime]]s against redheads.

In [[British English]], the word "ginger" is sometimes used to describe red-headed people (at times in an insulting manner), with terms such as "gingerphobia" and "gingerism" used by the British media. In Britain, redheads are also sometimes referred to disparagingly as "carrot tops" and "carrot heads". (The comedian "Carrot Top" uses this stage name.) "Gingerism" has been compared to [[racism]], although this is widely disputed, and bodies such as the UK Commission for Racial Equality do not monitor cases of discrimination and [[hate crime]]s against redheads.

Nonetheless, individuals and families in Britain are targeted for harassment and violence because of their hair color.  In 2003, a 20-year-old was stabbed in the back for "being ginger". In 2007, a UK woman won an award from a tribunal after being sexually harassed and receiving abuse because of her red hair; in the same year, a family in Newcastle upon Tyne, was forced to move twice after being targeted for abuse and hate crime on account of their red hair. In May 2009, a schoolboy committed suicide after being bullied for having red hair. In 2013, a fourteen-year-old boy in Lincoln, England had his right arm broken and his head stamped on by three men who attacked him "just because he had red hair". The three men were subsequently jailed for a combined total of ten years and one month for the attack. A possible fringe theory explaining the historical and modern mistreatment of red-heads supposedly stems from Roman subjugation and consequent persecution of [[Celtic]] Nations when arriving in the [[British Isles]].

Nonetheless, individuals and families in Britain are targeted for harassment and violence because of their hair color.  In 2003, a 20-year-old was stabbed in the back for "being ginger". In 2007, a UK woman won an award from a tribunal after being sexually harassed and receiving abuse because of her red hair; in the same year, a family in Newcastle upon Tyne, was forced to move twice after being targeted for abuse and hate crime on account of their red hair. In May 2009, a schoolboy committed suicide after being bullied for having red hair. In 2013, a fourteen-year-old boy in Lincoln, England had his right arm broken and his head stamped on by three men who attacked him "just because he had red hair". The three men were subsequently jailed for a combined total of ten years and one month for the attack. A possible fringe theory explaining the historical and modern mistreatment of red-heads supposedly stems from Roman subjugation and consequent persecution of [[Celtic]] Nations when arriving in the [[British Isles]].

This prejudice has been satirized on a number of TV shows. English comedian Catherine Tate (herself a redhead) appeared as a red-haired character in a running sketch of her series ''The Catherine Tate Show''. The sketch saw fictional character Sandra Kemp, who was forced to seek solace in a refuge for ginger people because she had been ostracized from society. The British comedy ''Bo' Selecta!'' (starring redhead Leigh Francis) featured a spoof documentary which involved a caricature of Mick Hucknall presenting a show in which celebrities (played by themselves) dyed their hair red for a day and went about daily life being insulted by people.

This prejudice has been satirized on a number of TV shows. English comedian Catherine Tate (herself a redhead) appeared as a red-haired character in a running sketch of her series ''The Catherine Tate Show''. The sketch saw fictional character Sandra Kemp, who was forced to seek solace in a refuge for ginger people because she had been ostracized from society. The British comedy ''Bo' Selecta!'' (starring redhead Leigh Francis) featured a spoof documentary which involved a caricature of Mick Hucknall presenting a show in which celebrities (played by themselves) dyed their hair red for a day and went about daily life being insulted by people.

*[https://gingerparrot.co.uk/the-many-redheads-of-disney/ Ginger Parrot - The many redheads of Disney]

*[https://gingerparrot.co.uk/the-many-redheads-of-disney/ Ginger Parrot - The many redheads of Disney]

*[https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/proopiomelanocortin-deficiency condition in red hair]

*[https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/proopiomelanocortin-deficiency condition in red hair]

==See also==

==See also==

*[[skin color]]

*[[skin color]]