Journalist Frazer on Standing Out From The Crowd
What do you do?
I work as a journalist across a number of different radio stations in Central Scotland. That means I find news stories, I interview people about them and present them as part of news bulletins on air throughout the day. It’s a really fun job – you never know what the day’s news is going to be when you walk into the office in the morning, and you meet loads of really great people too.
What’s the best thing about where you’re from?
Where I’m originally from is a small town. Everybody knows each other, so you never feel alone. Even if you’re popping down to the shops, you’ll always bump into someone you know that you can have a chat with. It can get annoying sometimes, like sometimes it feels like there’s no privacy, but overall, it’s definitely a good thing – and something I miss a lot since I moved to Glasgow.
What’s the most common question you get asked?
Nobody really asks many questions about my hair to be honest. I get a lot of people saying they wish they had ginger hair like me, or surprisingly a lot of people are jealous of how soft my hair is (L’oreal is a godsend for soft hair by the way). I always get asked who I got my ginger hair from as neither my mum or dad are ginger (although mum claims my Grandad’s beard is ginger - I don’t see it) so I tell them I got it from the milkman. Mum doesn’t appreciate that joke.
Was there ever a time where you didn’t like being ginger?
When I was at primary school my hair wasn’t just ginger, it was BRIGHT ORANGE. Like I’m talking Irn Bru orange. I used to get the mick taken out of me a lot when I was that age – but I think it was just because I was an easy target. I got picked on for a lot of different things and the ginger hair was just another thing kids could pick up on. As I grew older, my hair started to darken a little and I started to appreciate the fact that I was one of a small group of people in the world that actually has this colour of hair and it’s something to be proud of. I just wish I could grow proper stubble because ginger guys with actual real stubble look GREAT. Not the prickly wee hairs that I get though, it’s pathetic.
Most creative/ funny ginger insult you’ve received?
People are pretty unoriginal when it comes to ginger insults. Like usually it’s just “oi ginger!” or “ginger knob” or “ginger *insert other expletive name*”. I think the most creative one I got was “Irn Bru is no shampoo” – like think about it. Imagine ACTUALLY using Irn Bru as a shampoo. The mess!! How sticky would you be ughhhh.
Do you have a red-headed icon?
I am my own icon. No but in all seriousness, have you ever seen Riverdale? The red heads in there are STUNNING. I think KJ Apa (Archie Andrews) definitely has to be my icon, simply because he makes being ginger look hot. He’s a very handsome boy and his red hair really adds to it.
Do you think any of the myths about red-heads are true?
Obviously we don’t ACTUALLY believe things like this. I mean, sure I have a short temper and know how to be a mean witch, but deep down doesn’t everybody? I definitely use the gingers don’t have souls line way too frequently. I guess I like to laugh about things before others even get the chance to think about it. This is my life, so it’s my joke too.
What other ginger person do people say you most resemble?
Funny story. So I matched with this guy on Tinder, who also happens to be ginger. We got chatting and very quickly realised we are into the exact same things! Like I mean, literally everything is the same. We had the same jokes, the same hobbies, even the same friends – the number of mutual connections was ridiculous. Anyways, long story short, we agreed we were too similar to pursue it, but we became best friends off the back of it, so I’d definitely have to say I most resemble him.
What do you like most about being ginger?
It sets you apart from the crowd. It gives you a bit of colour and a bit of flare. It makes you feel like you’re above everyone else. You’re part of an exclusive few percent of the world and you own it.
What do you like least about being ginger?
It sets you apart from the crowd. There’s no hiding, everyone can see you and you know fine well they’re all staring t you when you’re on holiday imagining you being in Braveheart yelling FREEDOM. It’s a mostly positive situation to be honest, I don’t mind it at all.
If you could have been born with any other hair color, would you?
The only other hair colour I’m digging just now is grey, and I don’t think I’d suit grey hair so probably not. That’s the other thing – gingers apparently don’t go grey, we just go bald and that gives me the UTTER FEAR!
