Red Heads and Farscape

[soyarma]

Shockingly, a significant number of people are not aware of the facts surrounding red haired people.

The first thing is that guys are inately attracted to all red-heads. We can't help but giving them a second look. Red heads with green eyes the most (notice how popular Sikozu is). The second is that guys all know that red-heads are the most dangerous. They are inately volitile (part of the charm I guess :)).

Now less than 3% of the human population has red hair (except in scotland and ireland where it sits at about 10%). So imagine my surprise when at the Boston Farscape convention the redheads outnumbered the blonds. Out of 60 people in the room at one time 13 had red hair! Thats 21%, which is 7x the average sprinkling of redheads in America. Out of the 14 major characters (give or take one or two) 2 are redheads which puts FS above the average for redheads as well.

So I gotta ask, what about Farscape draws redheads in greater than average proportions?

[soyarma]

I was doing a bit of reading at thinkquest.org (where I got the 3% number and found some interesting tidbits):

Scientists believe, however, that red hair might totally disappear in the future.

Red hair - blessing or curse?

In the Bible: In some biblical stories, evil is depicted by red hair. For example Judas, who betrayed Jesus for money, is described with red hair. Eve, too, is often drawn with red hair when eating the fruit of the Garden.

Middle Ages: Red-haired women were often regarded as witches; they were persecuted and not rarely executed.

Renaissance: In the 16th and 17th century, red hair was fashionable.

In the 19th century: Red-haired children were "evidence" that their mother had had an affair with the devil. Many pieces of advice went around explaining what might be done against red hair. Quite often those ideas were rather unhealthy.

During the World War II: The Nazis discussed whether two red-haired persons should be allowed to get married for fear of "degenerate" children.

End of the 20th century: Red hair is currently considered as a sign of youth (often women from 30 onwards have their hair dyed red). Red hair is a symbol of emancipated women and for women who sometimes and assertively act nontraditionally.

Today red hair is almost considered common. Red tints and dyes for hair are constantly in much demand.


http://library.thinkquest.org/26829/text-only_3-colors_e.htm

[AgentSun]

well...its boston. you have a lot of irish there :)

[soyarma]

One last little note:

Our great grandchildren will know no readheads as they will be gone from the face of the earth (which I find terribly sad). Since there are so few redheads and they marry brunettes the most (since there are just more brunettes) they are being bred out of humanity. Scientists estimate that in 100 years there will be no more redheads outside of Ireland and Scottland.

http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishinamerica/news/redhair.asp

[soyarma]

Actually, Boston being an Irish city is really a misconception. Its by far and large an Italian city. I have only met one Irish person in my regular dealings but have met about 150 Italians.

[Kurt_eh]

Where's the drooling :lech: smilie when you need it! :D ;)

[soyarma]

I found some more interesting red-head info here: http://www.amipros.com/redheads/redheads.html

Here are some ammusing excerpts of facts and misconceptions:

Redheads "are deemed to be the emotional slaves of our colouring as no other group," writes redheaded Nicola Tyrer in the Daily Telegraph; short temper and sexual fieriness are attributed to them.

In France, to be redheaded is thought to be a fate so dire that some women have formed a Proud to be Red association.

"In Denmark it is an honour to have a redheaded child.
In Corsica, if you pass one in the street you spit and turn around.
In Poland, if you pass three red-heads you'll win the state lottery," claims
Sylvia Stevez, the Parisian founder of Association Francaise des Rousses.

Harvard dermatologist Madhu Pathak calls redheads "three-time losers" because their red pigment is an inadequate filter of sunlight and their skin is more susceptible to sunburn, skin cancer and wrinkling with age.

There are two kinds of redhead, says Mary Spillane, managing director of
British image consultants Colour Me Beautiful. There's "the autumn type with hazel eyes," and the Celtic type with translucent skin, light eyes and the carrot top -- leprechaun redness "that people have trouble with."

Redheads have always been thought untrustworthy. As a 17th-century Frenchman observed, "Judas, it is said, was red-haired."

Superstitions: red hair is unlucky; it's lucky to rub your hand on a redhead's head; bees sting redheads more readily. The Egyptians regarded the colour as so unlucky that they had a ceremony in which they burned red-headed maidens alive to wipe out the tint, says author Claudie De Lys.

Percentages of redheads in different countries range from single digits to a fraction of 1 per cent -- a recent estimate for France is 0.03 per cent of people. (A 1977 estimate for North America is 4 per cent.) Redheads generally are more numerous in northern latitudes, but also turn up among Hungarians, Egyptians, Israelis and certain Nigerian tribes.



It sounds like they get the short end of the stick, but I think they are special. I must say though, has anyone ever seen a person of dark skin and red hair? That would be an astounding sight!

[faustus]

I've only met 2 red heaired people. both where nuts

[grinner]

I don't know about red heads being rare... my family is 100% Dutch... and probably 70% of all of us are either redheads or have natural red tinting in our hair. It is amazing when the whole family gets together... and see all the redheads.

[Xevallah]

I used to have a friend who was black and had natural redish/orangish hair. Was kinda wierd actually.

[Mazinkaiser]

I've always like brunettes better than redheads. :) Then again, I've never met any redheads...

[I-am-so-Johns-girl]

I like red heads...I think they're cool! I had a best friend (as a child) that was a true carrot top with beautiful blue eyes and lots of freckles! I was so jealous of her unique red hair as I had plain, light brown hair. She was lots of fun and wasn't crazy at all...LOL! I can't remember any one else in her family that had red hair but her heritage was French/Cajun.
I know quite a few red heads now...but it's all comes out of a bottle. :snicker:

Girlie :curtsey:

[Selena]

The red gene is recessive ... that's why you only see it in small numbers. People with brown hair often have red as a recessive trait.

[BlackThorn]

I'm a plain, old, drab brunette. But I'm dating a redhead. What drew him to Farscape? Why, I showed it to him, of course!

[SabaceanBabe]

Mom was a "carrot top," dad had auburn hair, my oldest brother (Rusty) was a "carrot top," my sister was strawberry blond (too red to be blond but too light to be a carrot top), my other brother is platinum blond but has a red beard, and I'm a strawberry blond. All but the one brother are/were generally considered to be redheads.

[generic_screenname]

Well, Jool and Sikozu are redheads. Two redheads on the same show! On a few occassions even at the same time! That's enough to bring in a redheaded fanbase.

[Digger]

Being Irish there are several redheads in my family. I have several cousins who have red hair, but none of my brothers or I have it. However, my brother's 7 year old daughter is a redhead. My brother is already shopping for shotguns.

[generic_screenname]

My brother is already shopping for shotguns.

It's redhead season already?

[Digger]

Getting ready for the boys who are sure to start coming around when she's a teenager.

[Darth Buddha]

The red gene is recessive ... that's why you only see it in small numbers. People with brown hair often have red as a recessive trait.I was taught that red hair is a case of incomplete dominance relative to brown hair... and even with blond hair sometimes. Hence auburn, strawberry blondes and the like.

Granted, that was a few years ago.

There is also a fairly well supported link between red hair and hyperactivity/ADHD.

For myself, my Celtic ancestry had a few red hairs in my head, and a lot of red hairs in my beard... but they've all gone quite white in the last ten years, while the dark brown has remained dark brown. Weird.

Anybody know why?

[Jeff O'Connor]

Being Irish there are several redheads in my family. I have several cousins who have red hair, but none of my brothers or I have it. However, my brother's 7 year old daughter is a redhead. My brother is already shopping for shotguns.

Wow Digger, not only are we both Irish but we both have the same birthday. Dude... freaky. :shrug:

[generic_screenname]

Jeff O'Conner is Irish? I never would have guessed.

My mom's hair is kind of red. She's mostly Italian (my Irishness comes from my father's side, along with more Italin genes.) But she does have some Scottish genes.

Then again, Who knows what her natural hair color is. Probably gray or something.

[Jeff O'Connor]

Jeff O'Conner is Irish? I never would have guessed.

My mom's hair is kind of red. She's mostly Italian (my Irishness comes from my father's side, along with more Italin genes.) But she does have some Scottish genes.

Then again, Who knows what her natural hair color is. Probably gray or something.

Who is this Jeff O'Conner you speak of? :g2f:

[Darth Buddha]

Don't let her see that post, g_s!

[trinamick]

My eyes are hazel and I'm a brunette, but when I'm outside, everyone comments on how much red is in my hair. The light really picks it up. People ask me if I highlight my hair with red (I don't). My nephew has dark auburn hair that is more defined in the sun as well (brown eyes). He has ADHD, so maybe there is a connection.

[soyarma]

My younger brother has a tint of red hair and I used to have a red beard, but its turned blondish brown.

Intersting point. Redheads don't go gray. Their hair just gets sandy blonde and then white. I think thats mainly just for solid redheads though, if you have naturally blonde hair mixed in with red highlights the blonde hair will prolly grey.

[BaseLine]

I have dark brown hair, but in the summer a red taint gets through. To my knowledge there is no foreign blood running through my veins...so 100% dutch just like Grinner.

[VBKatLou]

I was born a redhead, but most of my color comes from a bottle these days. :D

My ancesters were Irish/German. I have fair skin so I tend to sunburn easily, but very few freckles. I've been told before that I have a firey temper, but I don't know what those idiots who say that are talking about. :D

Thanks for posting the trivia about redheads. I read an article a few years ago about how redheads were never chosen to compete in the Miss America Beauty contest because of the pre-conceived notion that they had bad tempers or temperment. They were also typically shunned in Hollywood for the same reason. That's why a lot of actresses from the 20s through the 50s dyed their hair dark brown or blond.

[trinamick]

Our family is also Irish/German. While I have dark hair and hazel eyes, my skin is also fairly dark. I tan easily. My sister, on the other hand, has almost jet black hair, green eyes, and the fairest skin imaginable. She burns so easily, and every place she burns gets freckled once her skin peels. She swears that if she burns any more, the freckles are going to merge and she will look tanned anyway! :D