A week after one of their own assumed the nation’s top job, red heads across the country have been dealt a blow after complaints about vilification on the basis of hair colour was knocked back by the nation’s advertising watchdog.
The complaints centred on two ads, both of which featured unfavourable portrayals of red-heads: a VicRoads road safety commercial that warns using a mobile phone while driving causes "gingas" to get sleep with each other, and an ANZ bank ad featuring 'Barbara', a carrot-topped clerk whose stubbornness reminds customers of the worst aspects of dealing with banks.
In both cases the Advertising Standards Bureau found that the ads were intended to be humorous and did not constitute vilification.
The ANZ ad has already been subject to complaints by the financial sector union, which say it creates a bad image of bank staff, however the latest complaint focuses on the hair colour of Barbara, played by veteran performer Genevieve Morris.
‘‘The advertisement patently slurs red-haired persons as obnoxious and inferior,’’ the anonymous complainant wrrote. ‘‘If any other ethnic group was identified thus you would promptly shrink from allowing the advertisement and brand the producer.’’
The bank has defended its advertisement, saying Morris was chosen for the role because of her comic ability rather than her copper locks.
‘‘Once humour was selected as the method of communicating ANZ’s message, careful consideration was given to the form of humour chosen,’’ the bank wrote in its formal response.
‘‘‘Barbara’ is a satirical representation of a bank employee in a customer service role. ANZ’s decision to use this particular actress to play ‘Barbara’ in the advertisement was based on the actress’s ability to deliver the comedic script in a satirical manner and also because of her expressions and mannerisms.’’
In dismissing the complaint — which relied on the advertising code clause that prohibits vilification on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, age, sexual preference, religion, disability or political belief — the advertising watchdog agreed the humour did not focus on hair colour.
‘‘The board agreed that the advertisement was intended to be a tongue-in-cheek mockery of bad customer service. The board considered that the exaggerated depiction of a person providing bad service made it likely that most people in the community would not link this behaviour to people with the physical characteristic of red hair generally.’’
The VicRoads advertisement, while more pointed in its negative portrayal of those with ginger roots, was also deemed okay.
The Don't be a Dickhead campaign shows two red-headed people in bed and makes the cheeky suggestion that every time a driver uses their mobile phone behind the wheel, "gingers get fresh with other gingers" and "a red-head gets it's wings".
It also pokes fun at Emos and shows a man walking around impaled with a street sign.
The ad, aimed at young drivers, was uploaded to the VicRoads website in March and has to date received more than 33,000 hits on YouTube.
Pages of complaints were lodged with the ASB on the basis the ad was discriminatory and offensive.
"What would be the problem if two blonde people had sex? What makes it OK to attack red heads just because there is less of us?" one complainant wrote.
"After being bullied all through school having my hair pulled and cut by kids and teens to getting a part time job at a pub to pay my way through uni where I suffered even more abuse from drunk adults who wanted to see if my pubic hairs matched my head hairs I think I have suffered enough for my colouring. I don't think my own government should contribute to the belittling of a minority."
Another said: "I am appalled as a visitor from the UK that the notion of redheads having sex is seen as a bad thing. I think this is a basic human rights issue. It's racism it's prejudice and it's a very very bad joke."
Others complained the ad would encourage bullying in schools.
"I am also a teacher and I know that students will be quoting this ad to me and this will make any read-headed students feel uncomfortable and possibly could lead to bullying. I also object to using the term 'dickhead' in the ad as many students will use this term justifying it by the fact that it was in a VicRoads ad so it must be OK to say it.
"I find it utterly repulsive that my tax dollars now support a campaign which reinforces the derogatory message that it is supposedly 'hip/ trendy/ funny' to ridicule people such as myself."
In a decision handed down in April, and published online, the ASB found the clips did not breach the advertising code of ethics.
"The board noted that the Code does not refer to hair colour or physical attributes of a person and considered that having red hair is not a disability," it concluded.
"The board considered that the advertisement did not discriminate against or vilify red headed people."
It also ruled Emos had not been vilified for the same reason, and responded to complaints that the depiction of an impaled man was too graphic by saying the scenario was "exaggerated and clearly unrealistic" so as not to be taken seriously by viewers.
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv- ... -zhlf.html
Ginger discrimination..
Ginger discrimination..
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Ginger discrimination..
Ok, now I am almost always the one who just doesn't get it so here goes. Just what is wrong with red heads in Australia and England? I saw plenty of red heads in the UK when I was there in the early 70's. 
I expect to go straight to hell...........at least I won't have to spend time making new friends.
Re: Ginger discrimination..
Nothing at all wrong Miles, in fact red headed women are hot as hell.
But seeing as it's been made politically incorrect to take the piss out of women, people of colour, the disabled, gays of all types, etc etc, etc, they are scratching around for a target these days...
But seeing as it's been made politically incorrect to take the piss out of women, people of colour, the disabled, gays of all types, etc etc, etc, they are scratching around for a target these days...
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Ginger discrimination..
To h#ll with them!
Yeah, I used to be a red head (until it turned gray) and alll I want to say to people that need to bully red heads......
BYTE ME!!!!
Yeah, I used to be a red head (until it turned gray) and alll I want to say to people that need to bully red heads......
BYTE ME!!!!
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Ginger discrimination..
Then sack your spokesperson;
(needs no caption)
(needs no caption)
Re: Ginger discrimination..
My Ex is a ranga.
He has dealt with abuse and prejudice all his life for his hair colour. I think that is starting to diminish now that he is going salt and paprika.
Strange really? Jealousy probably.
I have spent most of my life as a dark auburn, most people thought it was from a bottle ... until they realised that I put a rinse through my hair so infrequently, and keep my hair so relatively short, that the colour it actually natural.
He has dealt with abuse and prejudice all his life for his hair colour. I think that is starting to diminish now that he is going salt and paprika.
Strange really? Jealousy probably.
I have spent most of my life as a dark auburn, most people thought it was from a bottle ... until they realised that I put a rinse through my hair so infrequently, and keep my hair so relatively short, that the colour it actually natural.
Bah!
Re: Ginger discrimination..
I have more fun
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Ginger discrimination..
Nobody ever takes the piss out of ginger women do they? It's just the poor male copperknobs, ermm redheads, that get it in the neck. Thinking back it's interesting that I can recall the names and faces of all the Ginger kids at my school very well, especially the girls, whereas the rank and file students have all passed into the realms of the forgotten 
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SisterMaryFellatio
- Posts: 580
- Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:24 am
Re: Ginger discrimination..
Coppertop, Ginger nut,carrot top. ginger minge,duracell......I have chanted at many a redhead. I even did a frightful thing to a redhead I went to college with in the locker rooms - Please forgive me Wendy! I am a blonde naturally, I then moved to the Gold Coast, Australia. Blondes are to a penny here and its full of blonde plastic Barbie dolls.....I became a ranger! Why??/ I stand out in the crowd. I am a loud opinionated bird anyway who likes to be the centre of attention I was getting a little lost in amongst all the other blondes!
i do believe i am in good company.....
i do believe i am in good company.....
Re: Ginger discrimination..
It exists here to a lesser extent mostly in the form of lighthearted jokes. My brothers fiancee fully admits to being a "daywalker" as everybody says it with a smile.
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.
Re: Ginger discrimination..
You first......loCAtek wrote:Then sack your spokesperson;
(needs no caption)
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Ginger discrimination..
I am sorry Gob, but originally the Celts were a red haired people. Merely a mutation that was able to survive, but it will eventually die out. That will be a sham; red haired woman are the most beautiful.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
http://members.fortunecity.com/marbanks/Scot/red.html
The Origin of Red Hair
by Milt Paras
from the Buchanan Banner Summer 1995 Vol.XXIII No.2, page 16
Used with permission of Milt Paras
The people of Scotland came from five different ethnic groups who occupied or invaded northern Britain in the Dark Ages. The oldest were an ancient Celtic people, known to their foes as the Picts, whom the Romans had fought and Tacitus, the Roman historian, described as the warlike tribe north of Britannia noticing those features of red hair and large limbs on the men that cartoonists, not without reason, still regard as characteristically Scottish.
The Romans came to Scotland, but never subdued it or made a peaceful colonial people of its inhabitants. Towards the end of the first century A.D. there was a great battle, called Mons Graupius by the historian Tacitus. On an unknown hill-slope in the northeast, his father-in-law Julius Agricola vanquished an army of tall, red-haired men who fought bravely with long swords and round shields.
Skipping over the next 30 years... Rome's Ninth Legion marched north to the relief of their fort under siege by the wild red-haired tribe, and was silently lost in as unrecorded massacre. The red-haired people, Caledonians, as the Romans called them, were the reason for Hadrian's Wall that was built across the northern outpost of Britannia. In all of recorded history red-haired people have never been mentioned as a group except by the Romans. Modern historians with the help of anthropologists endeavors have placed red-hair as a unique characteristic belonging to the Picts, and the Picts were characteristic to what is in modern history now known as Scotland. The Scottish people are a fusion of Pict, another ancient Irish tribe "Scotti", ancient Britons, the Norman and the Norseman. The latter being composed of Norwegians from Scandinavia but not withstanding and including the mixture of Canes and other early seafaring adventurers that composed the Viking. It should be noted that none of the people that invaded that land were red-haired, but surely blond and black-haired people. The way that the red hair was tranfused into remote parts of the world is a simple deduction to anyone who reads; "Have Claymore Will Travel"
______________________________________________________________________________________________
http://members.fortunecity.com/marbanks/Scot/red.html
The Origin of Red Hair
by Milt Paras
from the Buchanan Banner Summer 1995 Vol.XXIII No.2, page 16
Used with permission of Milt Paras
The people of Scotland came from five different ethnic groups who occupied or invaded northern Britain in the Dark Ages. The oldest were an ancient Celtic people, known to their foes as the Picts, whom the Romans had fought and Tacitus, the Roman historian, described as the warlike tribe north of Britannia noticing those features of red hair and large limbs on the men that cartoonists, not without reason, still regard as characteristically Scottish.
The Romans came to Scotland, but never subdued it or made a peaceful colonial people of its inhabitants. Towards the end of the first century A.D. there was a great battle, called Mons Graupius by the historian Tacitus. On an unknown hill-slope in the northeast, his father-in-law Julius Agricola vanquished an army of tall, red-haired men who fought bravely with long swords and round shields.
Skipping over the next 30 years... Rome's Ninth Legion marched north to the relief of their fort under siege by the wild red-haired tribe, and was silently lost in as unrecorded massacre. The red-haired people, Caledonians, as the Romans called them, were the reason for Hadrian's Wall that was built across the northern outpost of Britannia. In all of recorded history red-haired people have never been mentioned as a group except by the Romans. Modern historians with the help of anthropologists endeavors have placed red-hair as a unique characteristic belonging to the Picts, and the Picts were characteristic to what is in modern history now known as Scotland. The Scottish people are a fusion of Pict, another ancient Irish tribe "Scotti", ancient Britons, the Norman and the Norseman. The latter being composed of Norwegians from Scandinavia but not withstanding and including the mixture of Canes and other early seafaring adventurers that composed the Viking. It should be noted that none of the people that invaded that land were red-haired, but surely blond and black-haired people. The way that the red hair was tranfused into remote parts of the world is a simple deduction to anyone who reads; "Have Claymore Will Travel"
I expected to be placed in an air force combat position such as security police, forward air control, pararescue or E.O.D. I would have liked dog handler. I had heard about the dog Nemo and was highly impressed. “SFB” is sad I didn’t end up in E.O.D.
Re: Ginger discrimination..
Lord Jim wrote:No Dale, wasn't it this guy:
Hey, that's my gran'daddy you're dissin'
So, redheads are running to the continent that time forgot?
If Gwen had any need for victimization to rationalize her control freakishness: the best she could come up with was being Red-headed!?
Re: Ginger discrimination..
loCAtek wrote:Lord Jim wrote:No Dale, wasn't it this guy:
Hey, that's my gran'daddy you're dissin'
So, redheads are running to the continent that time forgot?
If Gwen had any need for victimization to rationalize her control freakishness: the best she could come up with was being Red-headed!?
Really Lo, your grand father was a ginger? Well that is not that unlikely. Before the Spanish arrived in Mexico both heavy facial hair and red hair was unknown there. I am sure that you know that modern Mexicans are mixture of Europeans and Native Indians know as mestizos. As a mixture of peoples Mexican could have characteristics from both peoples. You do know that at one time northern Spain was occupied by a Celtic people.
Lo, help me with my curiosity if you will by responding to this question: Were the men in your family very hairy? That may be hard to answer; very hairy is some what subjective. The best I can help is to say that a Caucasian that did not shave would have a beard down to the middle of his chest in three years.
I expected to be placed in an air force combat position such as security police, forward air control, pararescue or E.O.D. I would have liked dog handler. I had heard about the dog Nemo and was highly impressed. “SFB” is sad I didn’t end up in E.O.D.
Re: Ginger discrimination..
What? No, I didn't say that.
I responded to Lord Jim that my Great Grand'Po was a BANDITO.
That was the Americano impression of the revolutionary Freedom Fighters of Pancho Villa;
It's true his forces robbed US border towns and trains ...BUT! They needed to, to finance the cause. General Villa had gone to Washington to petition the US for aid, but had been denied! So! he had no choice but resort to robbery. We were bandits, pues sí but 'gingers'? How dare you!
I responded to Lord Jim that my Great Grand'Po was a BANDITO.
That was the Americano impression of the revolutionary Freedom Fighters of Pancho Villa;
It's true his forces robbed US border towns and trains ...BUT! They needed to, to finance the cause. General Villa had gone to Washington to petition the US for aid, but had been denied! So! he had no choice but resort to robbery. We were bandits, pues sí but 'gingers'? How dare you!