Toronto Redhead Summit

Today I had the quirky experience of meeting with my fellow redheads en masse. 

I was amongst a group of at least 60 people who responded to an invite to attend the Toronto Redhead Summit. We drank Ginger Beer and discussed our experiences with growing up while standing out.

When the rain continued, we moved into the nearby community centre. 

Film editor Gareth C. Scales explained that his documentary with Aaron Champion was born out of his experiences with orange hair. As this Toronto Star article notes, he’s been called ‘fire crotch’ and debated with people who insisted he was Irish.

It all began to feel very much like a support group when we moved to the couches upstairs.

When the taunting part of the discussion began, we all laughed when one of the guys said he used to be called “Man of Green Gables.”

Interestingly, we pondered whether our experiences as scapegoats (remember Kick a Ginger Day?) and being mocked for our locks made us more empathetic to the struggles of others. Of note, a number of people in attendance worked for aid organizations.

The girls all agreed that our experiences were far more positive. While there are many female sex symbols to glamourize redheads - Jessica Rabbit, Julianne Moore, Katherine Hepburn, etc. - somehow, David Caruso isn’t doing the same thing for the guys. 

Overall, I was pretty amazed by the whole experience. There was even talks of making it an annual event.

What I thought made it even more interesting, was how much it caught on. What was originally a Facebook call for interviewees blossomed into unexpected attendance and media coverage (CBC, the Toronto Star, CFRB 1010, etc.) and a chance to connect with a community that is as unique and interesting as the redhead gene itself. Since that gene is going extinct, this is a great time to check out Hug a Ginger Day.

Details TBD on the documentary release date.