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Stephen Simpson and sons - Source: Close Up -
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A Christchurch father of two redhead boys has expressed outrage at a radio station's Hug A Ginga Day promotion.
The stunt, engineered by The Edge's morning show hosts, Mike Puru, JJ Feeney and Dominic Harvey, calls on listeners to hug redheads this Friday.
Puru claims the stunt, which is in its third year, is not meant to cause offence.
"The reason Hug A Ginga Day was invented was to celebrate the fact that these people are redheads.
"It's just a fun day, people just need to embrace it," he says.
But father Stephen Simpson says the promotion goes too far.
"If the station changed its emphasis and didn't make it Hug A Ginger Day but made it Hug A Person From A Different Ethnicity, I think they'd be very offended by that and see it as racist or humiliating.
"It's making redheaded people the target of bullying," he says.
However Puru's co-host, Dominic Harvey, who appeared on Close Up tonight, says the stunt is not responsible for creating a bullying culture.
"We did not invent the teasing of people with red hair, that's been going on for centuries," he says.
Stephen disagrees.
"It's encouraging young people to develop a prejudice against redheaded kids," he says.
His children, the first in five generations to sport the coloured top, also lack enthusiasm at the prospect.
"I don't want to hugged by a thousand people I don't know, it's just kind of annoying," says Stephen's 11-year-old son, Fraser Simpson.
And while redheads have traditionally been victims of numerous taunts, Stephen has had enough.
"Why do they need a hug? Is there something deficient lacking in them that requires people who aren't ginger to go up to them and say "tough luck mate", here's a hug?" he asks.
Harvey says they do not mean any harm, and have made a Hug A Ginga etiquette video, which tells participants to ask for permission before they act "to avoid any unnecessary, non-consensual hugging."
Stephen has called for the promotion to be scrapped, but Harvey admits the station has no plans to do so.
"The response we've had is 90% positive," he says.
In any circumstance, Stephen's nine-year-old son Callum already has a contingency plan.
"I'm going to wear a hat to cover my hair so people don't hug
me," he says.
Do you think 'Hug a Ginga Day' is offensive? Are you ok with it or not? Share your thoughts on the message board below:
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Post new commentsuejo said on 2010-05-29 @ 13:09 NZDT: Report abusive post
The issue is that this is separatism. In 2010 it's a shame some people in NZ still see separatism on the grounds of a physical charcteristic as Ok and "bit of fun". Read the history of the persecution of redheaded people over the centuries, which is not unlike that of blacks and Jews. Or maybe these same people would think a "hug a yid day" would be ok too as after all most jews are proud they are jews and hey it'd be a bit of harmless fun!
MW072 said on 2010-05-28 @ 19:52 NZDT: Report abusive post
I know everyone thinks it's good harmless fun, but most of you that say that are probably not ginger. I'm a 15 year old ginger and have dealt with some pretty serious bullying as has my sister. Walking home from school was always a nightmare, i'd have kids from other schools yelling names and singing songs but changing the lyrics. It's not a nice feeling and the fact they don't stop makes it worse. It got pretty bad after the premier of Summer Heights High with the term "ranga"...
anita007 said on 2010-05-28 @ 19:42 NZDT: Report abusive post
I despise Ginga day. I find the term Ginga offensive and I resent people barging up to me feeling they have the right to invade my personal space and touch me without permission. We don;t have hug-a-blond day or hug-a-mousy day! Let's just drop the whole thing thanks!
cliffhall said on 2010-05-28 @ 19:13 NZDT: Report abusive post
My 12 year old daughter Riana says: "The kids in my school are really crazy. One kid has already hugged me and another bumped me (not that its unusual) and said Hugga Ginga Girl. They will go berserk on Hugga Ginga Day. I have only being teased once about my hair in my life and it didnt bother me. I think Hugga Ginga Day will Cause Teasing. Kids with red hair who are teased will be isolated and more bullies will notice them. "
Haemosis said on 2010-05-28 @ 02:46 NZDT: Report abusive post
I have no respect for that idiot teacher he didn't have enough decency to allow others to speak, even the Psych that would have been the only specialist there. Instead he tries to tell her what she should think because he knows better? Get a grip. He got no sympathy for his cause from me. His boys seemed normal enough though even with a dad like that so there is hope for all 'Gingas' who feel hard done by. Just think of those poor boys and realize there are always people worse off than yourself