Gingers don't have the best reputation: either depicted as nerdy, weird or outright soulless, our carrot-topped friends don't get nearly enough love.  But "Red Hot," a new exhibit in London's East End, is aiming to make red the new black.

On view December 16 to 22 at the Gallery in Redchurch Street,  photographer Thomas Knights' photos and videos tackle the stigma redheads are saddled with, especially in the UK, with hunky firecrotches who are "masculine, chiseled, cool and proud of the way that they look," according to the press release.

We have been conditioned to think ginger men are ugly and weak," says the crimsoned-tressed Knights, who teamed up with the Anti Bullying Alliance on the show. "I wanted to flip this on its head and present the redheaded male as the ‘ultimate’ alpha male."

He elaborates on his Facebook page:

In the UK and throughout the world, being ginger and male comes with many stigmas attached. Many are bullied at school and for some, even later in life.

As far as I can see, no one has focused (or noticed) the huge, polarised gap between the way our society perceives red headed women (often the ultimate woman - think Jessica Rabbit) and red headed males (often emasculated and de-sexulised in film and TV - no Hollywood heroes - no leading men).

No other hair colour has this level of gender inequality in any society, and RED HOT holds a mirror up to the preconceived limitations we put on the red headed males.

Essentially, what I’m doing is creating an exciting and revealing exhibition showcasing a positive outlook on the red-haired male, and aiming to re-brand the ginger male stereotype along the way.

Oh, we're coming down with a terrible case of scarlet fever.