Red Heads On The Decline?

The news reported that due to recessive genes, redheads are on the declineand will die out by 2060. This type of story was reported back in 2005 and 2007. When in fact, there is no verifiable scientific proof to backup this claim. The assumption is that recessive genes can die out. Although recessive genes can become rare, they don?t die out, barring some global catastrophe that would affect all redheads and offspring carrying the recessive gene MC1R.

You don?t have to be redhead in order to have redhead children, all you need, is to carry the recessive gene MC1R. Both parents are required to have that gene. If only one parent carries the gene then there could be a variation of redhair, combined with other hair colors, since red hair is not dominant.

Red hair can skip a generation or more, due to the nature of the recessive gene and then reappear. It seems that the package deal includes, freckles and fair skin. Women with red hair have a higher pain tolerance than anyone of any other hair color including men. Yet, there is a higher reported rate of bruising from red heads.

In England, they are called gingers in a derogatory manner. Gingers are treated rudely and can be the subject of vicious attacks. Prince Harry was bullied at school for having red hair. A family of redheads had to move three times due to the violence inflicted upon them and one man was stabbed in the back for being Ginger. There is discrimination against redheads and the UK Commission for Racial Equality does nothing to address the hate crimes. Terms such as: gingerphobia (fear of redheads) and gingerism (prejudice against redheads) are being report by the media.

Americans find red hair something of a novelty,as natural redheads represent anywhere from 1% to 2% worldwide. People try to duplicate it with red hair dyes, as hair dye companies capitalize on the fad.

There are more blue-eyed redheads than with green or brown eyes. The eyes of redheads are sensitive to ultraviolet light and therefore need the protection of good sunglasses.Red hair in combination with brown eyes is rare indeed. The reason is due to the melanin that is needed to protect the fair skin from sunburning as fair skin red heads are lacking the levels of melanin needed. Researchers are interested in the melanoma aspect that redheads face.

I went ahead and included a photo of myself and my dog Samson. This is what I mean by Red Headed Step-Child.

There are many famous natural redheads:

GillianAnderson, Lynsey Bartilson, Carol Burnett, Timothy Busfield, DeanButler, Marcia Cross, Megan Follows, Debra Messing, Queen Elizabeth Iof England, Rita Hayworth,
Molly Ringwald, Nicole Kidman, RupertGrint, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Thomas Jefferson,Vincent Van Gogh, George Washington, Patrick Henry, F. ScottFitzgerald, Billy the Kid, Axl Rose, and Conan O?Brien.

Why did I start the group "Red Headed Step-Child"? Because I am one. What do you think of Red Heads? Do you know any Red Heads?

Here are my sources of information:

http://www.redandproud.com/famous%20redheads%20media%20M-Z.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/redhead-extinction.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_hair