Recessive gene

My oldest son is a red head ("ginger"), as was (before going grey) my father. This photo is from a new book by Jenny Wicks, "Root Ginger." Social reactions to such recessive genes are curious and often weirdly negative. As one participant says, "My mother's reaction to being told her first born was a ginger was to weep uncontrollably." I'll admit to some pangs of worry when BB emerged with ginger hair, as though he'd been born with a strike against him. Such an odd reaction.