On red hair and freckles

[PMarky2]

Red hair and freckles are a particular weakness of mine. That and hot sex explains why I married the missus.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Has there been a redheaded writing exercise thread yet?

Write About Redheads Without Making It Weird Challenge 2025.

 

[Actingup]

Red hair in social media:

(Snip)
Chat group, Irish: We are not fucking Brits.
Chat group, Brit: We'll see about that.
Chat group, American 2: Where's Ireland, exactly?
Chat group, Australian: Fuckin' A, mate. Let's drink.

I’m not saying it’s never said, but I’ve never heard an Aussie say ‘Fucking’ A’. I had to look it up.

I think something like ‘Ranga? Take my hat and sunscreen, love’ would be more likely.

 

[Nynah]

I think something like ‘Ranga? Take my hat and sunscreen, love’ would be more likely.

You mean you don't actually say a certain stereotypical phrase about shrimps and barbies?

("take my hat and sunscreen, love" is actually very good and I will be stealing this to use)

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Gee, I go away for a weekend and you lot practically restart the Troubles! Glad most of you managed to sort that out.

Meanwhile, I do find it fascinating how much redheads and blondes are both overrepresented in Lit. Not that I haven't met many delightful examples of both, but I do write quite a few of my female characters as brunettes or having 'dirty blonde' hair,.or a light brown that a rude person would call mousy, etc.

Irish people are probably hugely overrepresented on Lit, partly thanks to having the go-to sexy accent as well as the red-hair/pale skin stereotypes. I admit the sexiest man's voice I've ever known was Irish, to the extend I've written a bunch of stories with a guy with that voice, but there's a fair few Irish accents that aren't nearly so lovely.

 

[Actingup]

You mean you don't actually say a certain stereotypical phrase about shrimps and barbies?

("take my hat and sunscreen, love" is actually very good and I will be stealing this to use)

I think you know this already, but we call them ‘prawns’. Also nobody drinks Fosters.

(Steal away if it gets you writing again!)

 

[Baztrachian]

Also nobody drinks Fosters.

Apparently so.

This is a list of the ten most popular beers in Oz last year and Foster's isn't one of them:

1. Great Northern Brewing Co (Brewed by CUB, via. Asahi)
2. Carlton Dry (CUB/Asahi)
3. XXXX Gold (Lion, part of Kirin)
4. Coopers (Independent)
5. Victoria Bitter (CUB/Asahi)
6. Corona (Brewed in Australia by CUB/Asahi)
7. Tooheys (Lion/Kirin)
8. Hahn (Lion/Kirin)
9. Pure Blonde (CUB/Asahi)
10. Asahi (CUB/Asahi)

 

[Actingup]

Gee, I go away for a weekend and you lot practically restart the Troubles! Glad most of you managed to sort that out.

Meanwhile, I do find it fascinating how much redheads and blondes are both overrepresented in Lit. Not that I haven't met many delightful examples of both, but I do write quite a few of my female characters as brunettes or having 'dirty blonde' hair,.or a light brown that a rude person would call mousy, etc.

With a token apology for the lengthy self-quote, I had some fun with redhead stereotypes in a 1st person narrated story last year.

Okay, so let's just get this out of the way. I'm the redhead of the story: you'll very rarely find more than one. I'm the one usually added when there's too many brunettes, blondes, and buxom black-haired beauties to be sustainable, and you need to tell us all apart. Because of the burning skin thing, I'm probably wearing a hat and sunscreen for much of the story, even in moonlight. More than likely, I'm also the one in this story that suffers the 'carpet matching the drapes' joke, although (spoiler alert) none of my co-stars here, and almost nobody in the story, is stupid enough to make that joke in my hearing. See if you can spot one coming though: you can never let your guard down too far. And don't forget I'm the narrator, so if they weren't stupid before they opened their mouth, they will be by the end of the scene.

(Much later in the story)

There was just one incident, and I guess it was my fault. Us girls, and even the boys, had been fending off the occasional advance, which was fine and expected. But as usual, somebody always pushes it too far, and when a couple of young, cocky dudes came up to dance in the faces of me and Nadia, I thought 'here we go'. One of them had a black t-shirt with a picture of a 'Minion' on it and the legend 'Stuuuuupid!', and the other's shirt simply said 'I'm with stupid' in a matching font.

I checked the positions of my wingmen, and saw them start to close in, just as the Minion guy, virtually drooling over me, leaned in and bellowed "I want to know something!" in my ear. Up close, I noticed that he had a missing front tooth, and for his age, his complexion was terrible, as though he worked outdoors without any sun protection. Possibly the sun had fried his brain too -- his eyes were certainly dull, and a bit reddened.

"What?" I yelled back, leaning back from him a bit, and flexing my hand to prepare myself.

He moved closer again, his rank breath causing my nostrils to twitch, and asked his important question. "Does the carpet match the drapes?"

SLAP!!! I stepped back and belted him across the cheek, open palm. He fell backwards, and he and his colleague seemed to be in shock as Luke and Adam picked him up, one to each side, and held him while Nadia bellowed in his ear "That's no way to speak to a lady." Then they dropped him back on the floor, where he stayed, hunched over while people kept dancing around him.

I told you at the start not to fuck with the narrator. History is written by the victor.

 

[MrPixel]

It's funny how much inspiration I get from AH threads like this. So I just introduced a ginger female into my series, and there will be a freckle-counting session coming soon.

I have a red-headed, freckled girlfriend, and many years ago I threatened to "count" freckles. She demurred.

Meanwhile, I do find it fascinating how much redheads and blondes are both overrepresented in Lit.

If it's any solace, I try for some balance. I have at least one raven-haired character taking the stage. I mostly only thump the "blonde" trope for my usual FMC, who is Scandinavian, and modeled after my wife. Light brown is how I envision most, being the Midwest and all.

 

[XerXesXu]

Is that the gene that governs pain threshold? I'd heard, and an M.D. agreed with me, that red (auburn?) haired people have a high pain threshold. I do happen to have both.

I had to check, but yes, it is. More resistance to anesthetics and higher pain threshold. I can't recall ever being in serious pain, disconfort maybe. For decades I've been telling people not to bother taking over-the-counter painkillers because they have zero effect; I'll have to rethink that.

 

[NuclearFairy]

I had to check, but yes, it is. More resistance to anesthetics and higher pain threshold. I can't recall ever being in serious pain, disconfort maybe. For decades I've been telling people not to bother taking over-the-counter painkillers because they have zero effect; I'll have to rethink that.

That would explain why I have the highest pain tolerance of anyone I know and am having to constantly lie to the dentist that yes that last shot you gave me which is the absolute maximum you can safely give me is enough, can't feel a thing. I hate going to the dentist, and getting stitches.

Edit: And no I'm not a red head. Although my grandfather was.

 

[SimonDoom]

That would explain why I have the highest pain tolerance of anyone I know and am having to constantly lie to the dentist that yes that last shot you gave me which is the absolute maximum you can safely give me is enough, can't feel a thing. I hate going to the dentist, and getting stitches.

Edit: And no I'm not a red head. Although my grandfather was.

I have a low pain tolerance, which pretty well settled, early on, where I would fall on the BDSM spectrum. I can dish it out but I can't take it.

 

[SimonDoom]

I’m not saying it’s never said, but I’ve never heard an Aussie say ‘Fucking’ A’. I had to look it up.

I think something like ‘Ranga? Take my hat and sunscreen, love’ would be more likely.

Duly noted!

 

[NuclearFairy]

I have a low pain tolerance, which pretty well settled, early on, where I would fall on the BDSM spectrum. I can dish it out but I can't take it.

My enjoyment of pain is not as high as my tolerance for it. Although I do enjoy it in the right context to a certain extent. My pain tolerance is about a 10, whereas my masochism level is more of a 4. My SO and I have even had some conversations about this, where he thinks people with higher pain tolerances might be more likely to become masochists due to them being able to feel that endorphin rush better. But it's pure speculation.

 

[SimonDoom]

My enjoyment of pain is not as high as my tolerance for it. Although I do enjoy it in the right context to a certain extent. My pain tolerance is about a 10, whereas my masochism level is more of a 4. My SO and I have even had some conversations about this, where he thinks people with higher pain tolerances might be more likely to become masochists due to them being able to feel that endorphin rush better. But it's pure speculation.

You might consider writing a story based on your pain tolerance, if you haven't already. You could play it for laughs (think Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors) or seriously. It could be very erotic -- a character who seeks sexual experience that will satisfy her/his appetite for pain.

 

[PMarky2]

It's funny how much inspiration I get from AH threads like this. So I just introduced a ginger female into my series, and there will be a freckle-counting session coming soon.

I have a red-headed, freckled girlfriend, and many years ago I threatened to "count" freckles. She demurred.



If it's any solace, I try for some balance. I have at least one raven-haired character taking the stage. I mostly only thump the "blonde" trope for my usual FMC, who is Scandinavian, and modeled after my wife. Light brown is how I envision most, being the Midwest and all.

There is a light brown haired woman at church I am just crazy about because she has the whole MN Scandie vibe going.

 

[NuclearFairy]

You might consider writing a story based on your pain tolerance, if you haven't already. You could play it for laughs (think Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors) or seriously. It could be very erotic -- a character who seeks sexual experience that will satisfy her/his appetite for pain.

I'll think about it. I could even go crazy and have it be the first thing I write that only has humans involved.

 

[AG31]

I had to check, but yes, it is. More resistance to anesthetics and higher pain threshold. I can't recall ever being in serious pain, disconfort maybe. For decades I've been telling people not to bother taking over-the-counter painkillers because they have zero effect; I'll have to rethink that.

I routinely decline anaesthesia for colonoscopies because I'm curious and want to watch the screen.

 

[SimonDoom]

I routinely decline anaesthesia for colonoscopies because I'm curious and want to watch the screen.

Damn, this forum is full of pain-gluttons.

Not me. I swear by ibuprofen.

 

[SweetDee33]

That would explain why I have the highest pain tolerance of anyone I know and am having to constantly lie to the dentist that yes that last shot you gave me which is the absolute maximum you can safely give me is enough, can't feel a thing. I hate going to the dentist, and getting stitches.

Edit: And no I'm not a red head. Although my grandfather was.

The pain tolerance thing is legit! I'm not a redhead but both my dad and maternal uncle are and I have the pale skin of a redhead for sure. I had skin cancer removed from my head and the doctor gave me the max dose of lidocaine and I could still feel everythinggggggg. I felt too scared to say anything bc I didnt want him to think I was drug seeking so I just sat there and pretended everything was fine while he cut out my forehead

 

[NuclearFairy]

The pain tolerance thing is legit! I'm not a redhead but both my dad and maternal uncle are and I have the pale skin of a redhead for sure. I had skin cancer removed from my head and the doctor gave me the max dose of lidocaine and I could still feel everythinggggggg. I felt too scared to say anything bc I didnt want him to think I was drug seeking so I just sat there and pretended everything was fine while he cut out my forehead

Yikes, that sucks. Luckily my drug tolerance isn't that high, it usually at least dulls the pain.

 

[StillStunned]

Besides having only a sprinkling of red in my beard, I've inherited my granddad's ginger genes. The anaesthetic thing is real. It wore off half way through my vasectomy.

 

[StillStunned]

I'm picturing every single man reading my previous post cringing and clutching himself protectively.

 

[MrPixel]

The pain tolerance thing is legit! I'm not a redhead but both my dad and maternal uncle are and I have the pale skin of a redhead for sure. I had skin cancer removed...

Gosh. A very good friend's father was a redhead, as is she, and he endured a series of head and facial surgeries chasing a metastatic melanoma. She stays out of the sun best she can.

When we were dating I would threaten to "count freckles," which always elicited a disapproving smirk.

 

[NuclearFairy]

Besides having only a sprinkling of red in my beard, I've inherited my granddad's ginger genes. The anaesthetic thing is real. It wore off half way through my vasectomy.

How'd you sit still for that?