User:Anitasarahjacqulydia

GINGERVITIS

Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population.Red hair appears in people with two copies of a recessive gene on chromosome 16 which causes a mutation in the MC1R protein. Red hair varies from a deep burgundy through burnt orange to bright copper. It is characterized by high levels of the reddish pigment pheomelanin and relatively low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The term redhead (originally redd hede) has been in use since at least 1510.[3] It is associated with fair skin color, lighter eye colors (gray, blue, green, and hazel), freckles, and sensitivity to ultraviolet light.

The MC1R recessive variant gene that gives people red hair and fair skin is also associated with freckles, though it is not uncommon to see a redhead without freckles. Eighty percent of redheads have an MC1R gene variant,[4] and the prevalence of these alleles is highest in Scotland and Ireland. The alleles that code for red hair occur close to the alleles that affect skin color, so it seems that the phenotypic expression for lighter skin and red hair are interrelated. Red hair can originate from several different changes on the MC1R-gene. If one of these changes is present on both chromosomes then the respective individual is likely to have red hair. This type of inheritance is described as an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Even if both parents do not have red hair themselves, both can be carriers for the gene and have a redheaded child. Genetics The alleles Arg151Cys, Arg160Trp, Asp294His, and Arg142His on MC1R are shown to be recessives for the red hair phenotype.[23] The gene HCL2 (also called RHC or RHA) on chromosome 4 may also be related to red hair.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Red_Headed_Young_Man.jpg

Red hair is the rarest natural hair color in humans. It is caused by a mutation of genes, thought to have been a disease caught by Orangutans, that affected humans by mutating the colour of their hair. A cure was never found for the disease and it eventually became part of the human DNA system, causing an on going illness that still exists in our society today.

Researchers have found that people with red hair require greater amounts of anesthetic.[40] Other research publications have concluded that women with naturally red hair require less of the painkiller pentazocine than do either women of other hair colors or men of any hair color. A study showed women with red hair had a greater analgesic response to that particular pain medication than men.[41] A follow-up study by the same group showed that men and women with red hair had a greater analgesic response to morphine-6-glucuronide.

Beliefs about temperament A common belief about redheads is that they have fiery tempers and sharp tongues. In Anne of Green Gables, a character says of Anne Shirley, the redheaded heroine, that "her temper matches her hair", while in The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield remarks that "People with red hair are supposed to get mad very easily, but Allie [his dead brother] never did, and he had very red hair."

In modern-day, the words "ginger" or "ginga" are sometimes derogatorily used to describe red-headed people ("ginger" is not often considered insulting; the abbreviation "ginge" is much more commonly used derogatorily), with terms such as "gingerphobia" (hatred towards redheads)or "gingerism" (prejudice against redheads)The phrase "ginger" has also been brought back into current terms by Team Starkid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbtHFP11R8k

Redheads are also sometimes referred to disparagingly as "carrot tops" and "carrot heads". This nickname originated from the knowledge gained my scientists in Britian during 1987 that "Gingers are fun loving creatures, who especially like baby carrots. If you feed a ginger a baby carrot it will befriend you for life."

Red hair festival Hundreds of redheads together at the Redheadday 2008 Redheadday is the name of a Dutch festival that takes place each first weekend of September in the city of Breda, the Netherlands. The two-day festival is a gathering of people with natural red hair, but is also focused on art related to the color red. Activities during the festival include lectures, workshops and demonstrations.

MOST IMPORTANTLY! It must be remembered that we do not need to fear all Gingers, some of them are good people (the ones with souls).*