A viral TikTok trend dubbed “Gingers Are Black”* is melting hearts, opening wounds, and building unexpected bridges between two seemingly unrelated communities: Black people and white redheads.
What began as a bold and offbeat statement by TikTok creator @Deiaratherootworker, claiming that “all redheads are basically Black people,” has exploded into a moving, cross-cultural conversation about identity, discrimination, and solidarity.
Her video, which now boasts over 58.4 million views, sparked an emotional outpouring from white redheads across the platform—many of whom say they finally feel seen.
Honoring the Creator Who Sparked the Movement
@Deiaratherootworker’s viral declaration did more than stir curiosity—it created a safe and loving digital space where redheads could, often for the first time, speak freely about their pain.
“She really cracked something open,” one user posted. “She made us laugh, and then she made us cry.”
Her offhand but heartfelt insight led hundreds of redhead TikTok users to share personal testimonies about lifelong mistreatment, from childhood bullying and family favoritism to being fetishized or ostracized by their own white communities.
‘I Woke Up Going Viral… And I Finally Felt Wanted’
One redheaded TikTok user tearfully recounted waking up to thousands of new followers and uplifting messages from Black users. “I’ve had a lot of pain in my life… and I’m not able to talk about it. I saw one of the most beautiful videos ever — and it was about me.”
He spoke of four Black men who shaped his life over the last 26 years and credited this moment as a turning point toward healing.
Another creator reflected, “Waking up and seeing this trend… it healed a piece of my soul.”
She shared how growing up in a conservative white community, she was ridiculed by her own people but felt drawn to and comforted by the Black community’s resilience. With emotion in her voice, she said: “Thank you to the Black community — especially to Black women — thank you.”
A Shared Pain, A Shared Story
As more redheads came forward, parallels emerged: being the only one in the room, experiencing unwanted hair touching, being hyper-visible yet misunderstood, and enduring years of social exclusion. Some redheads went so far as to call themselves “the Black people of the white race.”
Others pointed to redhead representation in media, where characters are often marginalized or caricatured. One creator noted how Lindsay Lohan was publicly ostracized while Paris Hilton was celebrated—a microcosm, some said, of how whiteness can be tiered within itself.
A Scientific Connection?
As the conversation evolved, science even stepped in. Creators shared that red hair is caused by a mutation in the MC1R gene, which plays a major role in melanin production. One TikTok anthropologist explained that this gene traces back to Northern Africa—particularly Morocco—bridging the biology of red hair and the African continent.
“Melanin is more than just skin pigment,” he said. “It’s a biological powerhouse… and it roots back to Africa.”
A Trend That Transcends
Some stories were especially painful. One redheaded woman described how her own grandparents treated her poorly compared to her sister, who had brown hair and tanned skin. “I was this chunky ginger baby who cried a lot… and I always wondered if maybe the contrast between us was just too much for them.”
Other stories touched on educational discrimination, workplace bias, and isolation, all based on hair and skin tone. What united them all was the shock and gratitude at finally being acknowledged—and the fact that it came from Black TikTokers.
From Mockery to Meaningful Solidarity
This trend, born from a humorous clip, has evolved into a movement of empathy and shared humanity. It exposed white-on-white bias while showing the healing power of allyship. And it wouldn’t have happened without @Deiaratherootworker, whose words—both funny and profound—flipped the script.
Her post did what few internet moments ever do: it made people laugh, cry, and feel a little less alone.
“Black people found out redheads were the outcasts of white people… and immediately adopted them,” one viral commenter wrote.
“We said, ‘Oh baby, come here.’ And they really needed it.”
