Redheads unite at Australian 'ginger pride' parade

So often the target of cruel schoolyard jokes, redheads are banding together to celebrate their unfairly maligned locks.

On Saturday, orange, copper and auburn of all shades flowed through Melbourne, Australia during a ginger pride parade. Supported by the Redheads and Nearly Ginger Association, or RANGA, the event raised money for the Bully Zero Charity. It was also sponsored by an Australian ginger company.

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Image: Photo by Chris Hopkins/Getty Images

Image: Getty Images

"R. A. N. G. A. We're not going to go away," attendees chanted. "Ranga" is an insulting term for redhead in Australia.

The rally hoped to claim back the term "ginger" for those with a healthy amount of pheomelanin in their hair. "When did 'ginger' become such a dirty word?" the rally website asked. "We are the variety and spice of life, making up just 1-2% of the world's population. WE are the definition of unique, a rare human unicorn, that cannot be tamed...except with the sweet soothing music of Ed Sheeran!"

Image: Chris Hopkins/Getty Images

Redheads came out in droves for the event, according to news reports. "We've been called things like bluey, carrot top, copper top, fanta pants, rusty crotch, all sorts of things, blood nut is another one," Aaron Webb, cofounder of RANGA, told ABC News. 

"We can either say don't call us those names, or we can put such a positive attribute on those labels that they're not negative any more."

Redhead pride parades have been held around the world. In the Netherlands, for example, the Roodharigendag festival is an annual celebration of all things flame-haired.

Image: Getty Images