red top round-up: blog 
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redheads: the mystery, the fear, the attraction
by ThanosPublished Jul. 9, 2009
Views: 1018
Posted below is a rather interesting and informative blog that ncmomof3 wrote back in April of 2009. I'm putting it up here since it's so poignant to our group. Thanks ncmomof3!
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Since the dawn of time, redheads have been surrounded by mystery; feared, revered, loathed, adored, degraded, and exalted. Why this range of mixed feelings? What is behind the world’s inability to understand us? I think it is because true redheads are so rare and anything so rare and uncommon has always been looked upon with suspicion. Just how rare are redheads? In the United States, redheads comprise only 2-6% of the population.
Redheads permeate all cultures. Some researches trace it back all the way to Adam, whose name is said mean “red or ruddy”, to King David and Mary Magdelene who are thought by some to have had red hair. A few have even gone so far as to suppose the “mark of Cain” mentioned in Genesis was actually red hair.
Historically speaking, redheads were portrayed as fiery and hot tempered. This comes from the high percentage of Scots being redheaded. Scots are descended from Celts, who are themselves known as violent warriors.
Ancient Egyptians believed that red haired people belonged to the god “set”. Many of their pharaoh’s had red hair, including Ramses. Greeks believed that redheads turned into vampires upon their death. Aristotle described redheads as being “socially unhousebroken”. Roman historian Deo Cassius described Queen Boudicca as “tall and terrifying in appearance with a great mass of red hair”. And the Russians have a tradition that says red hair is a sign of a fiery temper and craziness.
But, as always the Middle Ages was the worst. It was said that during the Middle Ages, red haired children was seen as coming from the devil or as having been conceived during that time of the month.
Myths and legends aside, there are some documented medical facts that prove red heads are different than the rest of the general population. (Sorry, dying your hair will not change this). The first is pretty obvious. Red heads have fair skin and usually burn easily when exposed to the sun, they have fewer strands of hair on their head (yes someone actually did a study and counted), but the most interesting is what researchers at the University of Louisville discovered. On average, people born with red hair require about 20 percent more anesthesia to obtain satisfactory sedation. University research indeed. Anyone who's ever tried to seduce a redhead knows that.
So do not despair, redheads. Brunettes may be smarter, blondes may have more fun, but none are wrapped so tightly in mystery and intrigue as we are. Like a gift to be opened on a special day, we continue to fascinate the world about us. And that's no myth.
Filed under: Lifestyle
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