Photographer captures gorgeous images non-white redheads to challenge the way we see race
"I want to stir the perception that most of us have of a 'ginger' as a white Caucasian individual, potentially of Celtic descent."

Not all stereotypes land in the green.
How many non-white redheads do you know?
Think about it. Around 1-2% of the world's population boasts natural red hair, which is caused by a genetic mutation in the melanocortin-1 receptor, or MC1R (this mutation might also explain their superpowers).
Despite making up such a small percentage of the population, most of us have the same stereotypical image in our heads when we think of redheads: light-skinned, freckled white people with curls of flaming hair and a fiery temper to match.
Aside from the obvious issue of assigning a temperament to someone based on hair color, there's one other weird conclusion here: Why do we think that all redheads are white?
A London-based photographer is opening eyes by turning her camera lens on Black and biracial redheads
Amazing photos almost didn't happen after her initial story pitch was rejected.
Photo by Michelle Marshall. Used with permission.
Photographer Michelle Marshall, a French-born, London-based photographer, spoke with Upworthy about the genesis of her project over email. Michelle had been working on a story for a different photo project about freckles (another common result of MC1R mutations), when one day, she spotted an adorable freckled redheaded girl — and was surprised to learn that the girl was of mixed-race background.
Michelle's initial story pitch was rejected, but she couldn't get this idea of Black and biracial redheads out of her mind. Mostly, she was just curious — as artists often are.
"Portrait photography allows me to study what I like, what I see in others that may be overlooked," she told Upworthy. "I see each portrait as a series of distraction-free frames charged with an authenticity of features, traits, mannerism, quirks, and worth."
Here are just a few of the faces from what became Michelle's "MC1R" photo project, along with a few thoughts from her artist statement:
"I am currently interested in documenting the incidence of the MC1R gene variant responsible for red hair and freckles, particularly amongst Black/mixed raced individuals of all ages."
Images designed for letting go of the 'ginger' stereotype.
Photo by Michelle Marshall. Used with permission.
"I want to stir the perception that most of us have of a 'ginger' as a white Caucasian individual, potentially of Celtic descent."
Not only white caucasians and the Scottish can have red hair.
Photo by Michelle Marshall. Used with permission.
"Whilst there there may be an underlying Irish/Scottish connection to the MCR1 gene in the occurrence of red hair, does being ginger really still only confine itself to being Scottish, Irish, Welsh, or even a white Caucasian individual?"
Images that shake up our perceptions about origin.
Photo by Michelle Marshall. Used with permission.
"As we struggle with issues of immigration, discrimination, and racial prejudice, Mother Nature, meanwhile, follows its own course, embracing society's plurality and, in the process, shaking up our perceptions about origins, ethnicity, and identity."
Statistics don't represent everyone.
Photo by Michelle Marshall. Used with permission.
"Scotland may well have the highest percentage of people with red hair in the world, yet statistics haven't really caught up and do not seem to represent everyone."
Compelling portraits created to sway public opinions on race and society.
Photo by Michelle Marshall. Used with permission.
"I wish to create compelling portraits, a visual census representing our constantly changing society."
But above all, Michelle's MC1R project is doing what art does best: connecting people.
As Michelle points out in her artist statement, redheads are typically associated with Irish and Scottish peoples of Celtic descent (unlike the rest of the world, a whopping 13% of Scotland is ginger). But sometimes that MC1R mutation can be passed down through generations from people of African or Caribbean descent, a detail that is likely due to the British slave trade under Cromwell (#ThanksColonialism) and has some pretty interesting implications for the ways we qualify race.
"A lot of [my photo subjects] have been feeling quite isolated," Michelle said in an interview with Vice. "I got a message from one boy who said, 'I didn't realize there were so many of us' — I've not even shot 50 people. But the fact that he was able to see a cluster of people that matched his identify and could relate to that is quite positive."
That's why it's so important that we open our eyes and celebrate the diversity in the world. Not only does it encourage us to challenge our own preconceived notions — for example, by showing us that redheads don't have to be white — but it also helps those people see themselves (or helps us see ourselves) represented in the world.
This article originally appeared on 8.25.15
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."