Disclaimer: The author of this article is a redhead.
As of October, the ‘Gingers of Stellenbosch’ WhatsApp group has 62 members, all of whom have one thing in common: they have red hair.
This was according to Gita Fourie, a second-year drama student at Stellenbosch University (SU), and a member of the group.
Gita Fourie, a second-year drama student at Stellenbosch University, recalls the lengths that she went to, as a person with red hair, to cover up her freckles. Freckles are a common and natural feature of red-headed people. Warning: This audio contains strong language. AUDIO: Kimberley Schoeman
Reclaiming ginger
Redheads, or “gingers”, bond over the struggles that come with being a redhead, according to Fourie.
“Red hair, pale skin, freckles, and being afraid of the sun are things all redheads relate to. We’re kind of a minority, so when you see another redhead it feels special,” said Fourie.
The Whatsapp group was created in 2018 by two red-headed best friends, Elizabeth Du Preez and Jana Malan, Du Preez told MatieMedia via Whatsapp correspondence.
The label, ginger, was originally used as a derogatory term for people with red hair. However, it has been reclaimed by redheads to identify a community, according to Fourie.
“We all have stories of insecurities about our hair and being called a ginger. Now, it’s something we use to describe ourselves as a collective,” explained Fourie.
When a member of the WhatsApp group spots another red-haired person, they send a selfie with the potential member to the group, and the group votes whether the person is “ginger enough” to be added, explained Fourie.
“I was at a party when I was added to the group. At the time I didn’t know the group existed. I was joking with another red-headed person about being on a WhatsApp group when they asked if I was on the Gingers of Stellenbosch WhatsApp group. I couldn’t believe there were so many redheads in Stellenbosch,” recalled Fourie.
The term ginger is used to refer to people with red hair, pale skin and freckles. Originally meant as a derogatory nickname, redheads have reclaimed the word ginger as a term for the community, according to Tristan Rodgers. GRAPHIC: Kimberley Schoeman
MC1R: The red hair gene
Melanocortin 1 Receptor (MC1R) is the gene that produces pigmentations in one’s skin and hair, according to Tristan Rodgers, editor-in-chief of MC1R, the only magazine in the world dedicated to redheads.
MC1R is based in Germany, but shipped worldwide, with over 15 000 copies of the magazine sold since the project began, according to the MC1R website.
In order to join the ‘Gingers of Stellenbosch’ Whatsapp group, potential members need to show that they have the typical traits of a red-headed person, such as different shades of red hair and freckled, pale skin, according to Gita Fourie. PHOTO: Kimberley Schoeman
“MC1R is a genetic protein that everyone has, it just comes in many variations. It’s sometimes called the red hair gene because of a mutation that occurs on a person’s genetic code that leads to red hair,” said Rodgers, in email correspondence with MatieMedia.
The Gingers of Stellenbosch group is currently planning a gathering on the Rooiplein at SU, but no official date has been confirmed.
MC1R is a magazine dedicated to people with red hair, and it is the only print publication of its kind in the world. IMAGE: Tristan Rodgers/MC1R