In the “South park” episode “Ginger Kids,” the character Eric Cartman delivers a speech claiming that Gingers are non-humans and therefore have no souls.

by Jessica Carrera ‘13 and Evan Schwartz ‘13

In 2005, the comedy “South Park” aired an episode called “Ginger Kids.” In the episode, Eric Cartman delivers a “hate speech” directed at gingers, claiming that they are disgusting non-humans that do not have souls. Later on in the episode Cartman gets tricked into thinking he contracted “Gingervitis” (the disease that causes someone to become a ginger) and bands together with the gingers he was making fun of to take over the town.

Ever since this episode aired the name began to catch on. There are thousands of videos on YouTube about gingers, and Urban Dictionary has also contributed to the spread of the name and stereotype by adding the word “ginger” to its dictionary.

Unlike the poor redheads in the “South Park” episode, junior Steven Palmer does not feel that he has been treated unfairly because of the color of his hair. “Nothing bad has ever really happened to me due to my hair. I guess I’m lucky,” he said as he laughed at the thought.

Although some YouTube videos are giving them a bad rep, gingers alike are not the ones who seem offended.“I don’t think it’s hateful, I think people who aren’t gingers think it’s condescending and hateful to insult a ginger but I don’t think it’s an insult. It’s a lighthearted, funny thing,” said senior Alex Mazzeo. “One time in one of my election speeches I said ‘You can call me the ginger!’ and then I won that year.”

Defeating the stereotypes of a ginger is a very common practice for people with red hair today.  Like the characters in “South Park,” people jokingly assume that real-life gingers really do not have souls. It is just a television show, but some people who have seen the show are ignorant to the fact that it is a joke and should not be taken seriously.

Junior Megan Conrad said that it is not a rarity for people to believe the “South Park” stereotypes. “People know I’m a ginger, so they think I have no soul, but then they meet me and they’re like ‘oh, she has a soul.’” Conrad said that having another ginger person in her friend group makes it easier to deal with the stereotypes. “People always joke about my friend on my team and I. They’re like ‘oh, you guys are without souls … two less souls on your team” Conrad commented with a smirk.

This “ginger movement” started with “South Park” calling people with pale skin, freckles and vibrant red hair “gingers,” but the word has now become an umbrella term that is used to describe almost any person that has a shade of red-colored hair; for example, people with brown-red hair or strawberry blonde are being called gingers as well.

Although gingers seem to have become accustomed to the stereotypes, one thing they agree upon is that they would rather be referred to as “redheads” than “gingers.” Mazzeo finishes, “I think redhead is more unique and shows that no one else has my hair, and ginger is like a label.”