[megarandomgirl]

I'm about to go into secondary school, and I get bullied a lot because of my hair color. Should I fight back with this?

[Fr_Chuck]

What do you mean by "bully" and what do you mean by "fight" back,

If you mean to do physical harm, like hit or kick someone, no there is seldom a reason to do that unless you have no choice but to protect yourself.

If they are calling you names or laughing at you, and lowing yourself to their level to call them names, does no real harm expect to lower yourself to be like them.

Ignoring and showing them that their opinions mean little to you is often best

[J_9]

It's never a good idea to fight. You risk getting kicked out of school with the zero tolerance policies.

Don't lower yourself to their level. Ignore it and move on. Most likely these people are just jealous of your beautiful hair.

[Wondergirl]

You're bullied because of your HAIR color?

Here's how you handle bullies: you agree with them, you laugh along with them, laugh at yourself, makes jokes about your hair color or whatever they are making fun of. That attitude will take the stuffing out of their bullying. Then ask them if they want to go with you to get Cokes or ice cream after school, your treat.

[Aurora_Bell]

WG, I liked your post EXCEPT the buying of cokes or ice cream. I think they will see this as more of a reason to make fun or bully.

I don't think you should make fun of your self either! Stand up for yourself, I assume they are making fun of your hair because you have red hair? My favorite all time come back was "you're a charming guy, you remind me of this guy I knew in high school.. you know the one that didn't graduate..." or "I can change my hair color any time I want to, but you're stuck being an idiot (or whatever other insult you want to use) forever".

Don't let people walk all over you! My friend has red hair, and (even me) we used to bug the heck out of him for it, he would always reply with "I'm just God's Irish gift to the world" and we would all die laughing. I never knew it bugged him, I just thought it was all in good fun. One day he told me how he wanted to shave his head because of it. I had never felt so low and horrible. I will never make fun of a ginger again!

[Wondergirl]

My point, Bella, was to make friends with your bullies.

I'm surprised the teasing didn't stop for your red-haired friend when he went along with it instead of being upset and thus feeding the bullies. Usually bullies stop and move on to someone else when they can't get a rise out of their victims.

[Aurora_Bell]

Yea, I unnderstand where you are coming from WG, but I remember when I was young and tried to "buy" my friends. I just wouldn't want her bullies to see this as an open invite to take advantage of her.
I offered sleep overs and would buy pizza, movies, give them clothes and jewlery, just anything that I thought would make them want to be my friend. I quickly found out how cruel people can be. I knew I was only being used for my gifts.

I guess no one really knew how much it bothered him, we would all just find new ways to bug him about being a red head.

[Wondergirl]

Yea, I unnderstand where you are coming from WG, but I remember when I was young and tried to "buy" my friends.

That wasn't my intention. Then forget the cokes and ice cream. Invite the bullies over for board games and cookie baking. My thinking was not to "buy" them out but to connect with them.

[earl237]

I've heard that discrimination and bullying of people with red hair is unfortunately very common in the UK. Maybe it should be classified as a hate crime like race, religion and orientation. That would raise more awareness about the issue.