Redheaded People: Genetic Stereotypes

Redheaded people are a rarity in this world. Their genetic makeup allows them advantages over non-gingers as well as disadvantages. Inevitably, there are also plenty of misconceptions and stereotypes about redheaded people that have led to taunting, mistrust, and even violence throughout history. If you have ever wondered how to become a ginger, sit down because Zoe is about to give you a step by step guide. Step one: You must have the gene that causes red hair. This gene is recessive and comes from the MC1R, which is a genetic mutation. There are many things that we are not, but a mutant is on the list of things that we actually are. This may or may not come with special mutant powers. Step two: If you desire to become a true ginger you must get rid of that pesky soul. First, find a crossroad and summon a demon. This can be done by burying a container of ritual items, including a photograph of you, graveyard dirt, a black cat
bone and a yarrow flower at the center of the crossroads. Next, you must give the demon your soul. Seal the deal with a kiss and you are on the fast track to becoming a true ginger. Step three: You must burn easily.
Since you have the red hair gene, you produce your own vitamin D. While sunlight may be the ginger’s kryptonite, in the right amount it is extremely beneficial. Our pale skin allows us to absorb more sunlight than other people and our bodies create more vitamin D than our darker haired companions. Our ability to absorb sunlight where it is seemingly nonexistent is our strength, but it is ironically our downfall in sunny climates. It turns out the ginger mutation actually does come with special powers. Step four: You must experience pain differently. A side-effect of having red hair is that you have a higher pain tolerance than other hair colors. Genetically, pain receptors are linked to the mutated MC1R gene that causes red hair. As a result, studies have found that gingers require more anesthesia for dental or medical procedures than other hair colors. Some studies also show that redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold pain, because their bodies are able to change temperature
quicker.
Step five: Now you must find at least one person who believes you are some kind of mythical creature, like a vampire or witch. Because of our pale skin, lacking the need for sunlight, and our common love of the night, people tend to think we are demons. Some examples include the ancient Greeks who believed that redheads would turn into vampires after they died and how during the witch hunts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in Europe, many women were burned at the stake as witches merely because they had red hair. Finding a person who is certain that you are a monster is the final step to completing your mutant transition.
Now that you have read this step-by-step guide on how to be a ginger, you too can look like a cold, diseased lobster with freckles. Have fun with your feisty self and go steal some souls.