Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Hey Gingi!



While I never thought of myself as the type to have friends in hot places, it seems that Hot Chanie has taken a stand for the Red and Raggedy among us.

That's right, after a brief hiatus, HC herself has put up a fresh post regarding an article from my father's bible, Yediot Achronot. She's addressed her concerns that the sweeping edicts issued will crimp my style, and vowed her defense. I thank you, Hot Chanie, and I share your hope that I'll be allowed to continue to just be me.

Yediot doesn't intimidate me much. Likely because a fresh, inky copy of this paper was on the kitchen table in my house every morning while growing up, so despite some of its disparaging views on religious life, it just feels like coming home. That is, the Hebrew print edition does.

Sidenote: Yediot is the paper of the common man, and at least it doesn't get all hoity-toity and intellectual about its Chareidi-bashing like Haaretz does.

HC is concerned that in the efforts of the rabbinic powers that be to buckle down on modesty, not only will clothing that is red and form-fitting be deemed unacceptable, but even women with red hair (!) like yours truly may be at risk for being deemed too flashy and not making the grade, simply by virtue of the hair color granted us.

Now, as far as red and tight clothing, I thought these guidelines were already in place in the Chareidi world at large. Perhaps the difference lies in the institution of across-the-board rules and the kashrus stamp of approval being granted to stores selling strictly appropriate clothing described in the article.

Let's remember, everyone, that we're talking about Bnei Brak here. I can't foresee this happening on Main Street, Central Avenue (as Orthomom discusses) or even 13th Avenue just yet. Maybe I'm partial to finding Bnei Brak extreme because until age 5, I grew up in a highly secular enclave about a stone's throw from Bnei Brak known as Givatayim.


I don't know about you folks, but there's something fun about walking into a mainstream clothing store and realizing that off the bat, 85% of the clothes don't fall within my guidelines for modesty. Of the remaining 15%, 10% are totally unaffordable. Of the remaining 5%, 3.5% would look terrible on a redhead. It's fun narrowing down and then trying on that remaining 1.5% with two tired kids in tow. I like to refer to this exercise in shopping futility as "the thrill of the chase."

Life as a redhead is certainly interesting. For those who've never met me, or only met me after I was married and covering my hair, my hair was always kind of intense. Curly, and a dark-strawberry-blonde, people almost always referred to me as "the girl with the curly red hair."

Older ladies would stop me and ask me to accompany them to their hairstylist appointments to show the hairdresser the color and look they were trying to achieve. I'm not bragging here - how many of you want to be at the forefront of 70+ fashion? People were forever assuming I was Irish. I got called "Red" by strangers on a regular basis. In short, it was a thrill that I sometimes miss and that can't quite be duplicated even with a good sheitel.

It was a major part of my identity, and covering it was a huge adjustment, though not an entirely negative one, since I do believe (not to sound all kooky here) that as we grow up, those physical things that are not the real us need to fall away gradually anyway.

To sum up, from a proud Gingi, I thank Hot Chanie for her concern, (though a big part of me figures that she's totally kidding here) and for being a guardian of the inner part of every woman that strives to be attractive and desirable.

12 comments:

PsychoToddler said...

As far as I can tell, you can never really contain a Gingi, so I don't think you have much to be worried about.

All kidding aside, these edicts reek of the kind of poison being spewed forth by our Taliban friends. I don't really understand why the Bnei Brak crowd is trying so hard to emulate them.

On the other hand, avoidance of flashy colors, particularly red, has been a longstanding rule with the chareidim. As they like to say around these parts (and I'm paraphrasing Henry Ford here), you can buy your clothes in any color, as long as it's black.

Jack Steiner said...

That famous red head temper is something else.

socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Great post, enjoy your redness.

Ezzie said...

Redheads rock. Remind me to send you a picture tonight... you'd like it. :) We're still hoping Elianna's hair becomes curly and red. From what we can tell, it looks like we're getting the curly at least...!

kasamba said...

Once a curly, always a curly no matter how straight your shaitel is!!!

My brother is a gingi- I remember beng so jealous!!!

I bet you're gorgeous!

RaggedyMom said...

PT - That's true, as a species we're difficult to suppress. As far as the mullahs go, I'm with you - I don't get it. Let's give ourselves more credit than that!

Jack - You said it! People tend to think I'm calm and sweet, but RaggedyDad knows the truth!

SWFM - Thanks, I am!

Ezzie - Just as long as you know what you're in for if Elianna does wind up a redhead! See Jack's comment!

Kasamba - I think the last person to call me gorgeous in person (besides RD, lol) was another blogger's mother. Like I said, I'm very popular with the senior set!

Ezzie said...

Nah... I was a super-calm child. :)

Ariella's blog said...

My youngest has curly red hair -- a coppery shade --not strawberry blond. She draws comments (and compliments) on her hair most places she goes. It also often provokes people to ask, "Where did the red hair come from?" OK, I'm not a pure red-head myself, and my hair is often covered in a way that does not indicate hair color at all. But I don't think they really anticipate a lecture on genetics and recessive genes.

RaggedyMom said...

Ezzie - Must be because you aren't a real gingi. Further proof needed? See 2007-edition-Ezzie.

Ariella - Only a proud mom-of-redhead could set the offenders straight! Genetics are funny. As the only blue-eyed member of my family, I could have used your lecture printed on a t-shirt and I'd have worn it everywhere I went! Though I do hope I get a kid with RaggedyDad's nearly black hair somewhere down the line!

SJ said...

Curly AND strawberry? Wow! I'm jealous! :)

RaggedyMom said...

SJ - :)

Anonymous said...

as a proud curvy woman i understand the "thrill of the chase"
also interesting piont about how as we grow older the physical distractions from our true selves fall away - interesting that covering your hair gave you an apreciation of how aging really does focus anf filter and make us wiser