The extinction of the redhead

According to this article, and others like it that people keep forwarding to me, Redheads could be extinct by as early as 2060 or by the end of the century.

Here's my completely unscientific thoughts as to why this is asinine...

First, I hope to be alive in 2060, and I certainly hope Jackson will be as well. Plus, all the other great redheads I know. So, barring some sort of redhead genocide, this is absurd.

Secondly, the redheaded gene can be dormant for several generations. As in - ME! None of my parents or grandparents had red hair. I had a great-grandmother with red hair. Also, it only takes one parent with the red hair gene to pass this to their offspring (as in - Jackson!).

Thirdly, um... what about Scotland and Ireland. Huge percentage of redheads.

While the extinction of reds is a fun little musing, I really feel it has NO merit. And, what kind of world would this be without redheads? I love my hair color. It makes me different. And, if these "scientists" get it right, I may be getting more and more unique. :)

Oh, and while I'm bashing redhead folklore...[insert soapbox] ... redheads are not necessarily more temperamental. I can't tell you how many times I hear this. In reference to me, or God FORBID, my son is cranky in public....[soapbox over].

I'll also pause to answer the questions I am constantly posed as a redhead...

1. "Were you ever called carrot-top?" Not really. Sometimes Red, especially by my buddy Ashley. But, none of that remotely bothered me... maybe that's why I never got called it much.

2. "Do you tan?" Um... no. I can get what I call the "redhead tan", where there is a slight beige-ish tint to me. Otherwise, I burn, peel, and I'm right back to the whiteness. Redheads that tan (aka Nate) break the rules and its totally not fair. Tanning in the bottle has been my friend and, per my dermatologist, I am never to intentionally try to get sun. Ha.

3. "Are you burnt?" or "Do you have a rash?" Let me explain this. Redheads typically have very fair skin. I can't touch my neck without a faint little pink spot appearing. I can't cry without people noticing my blotchy face for HOURS later. And, if I am hot, my face gets very red. This seems to be odd to you olive-skinned ones.