The term "redneck" was initially created as a pejorative way of describing a white person from the South, who by virtue of their poverty and lack of education was required to work outside in the hot sun and thus got sunburn on their neck, making it red. However, unlike similar terms that look down on the white working class of the South and continue to be used in an overwhelmingly negative way, such as hillbilly, redneck has been reclaimed.
While some rather ignorant people still use it to describe a culture they see as inferior, for those who wear the redneck mantle voluntarily, it has become a point of pride and a way of self-defining.
Redneck life is about a variety of cultural signifiers: it's associated with flatbed trucks, gun ownership, large families, and a life devoid of airs and graces. A redneck strings up Christmas lights on their porch and thinks they're dressed up when they're wearing the jeans without holes in. They may not be wealthy, but they have their community, their faith, and their unbeatable work ethic.
A true redneck provides for their family and never asks for a handout. They give to the church and their friends when they're riding high, but most of the time they simply ask for a fair shake and a chance to do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. So let's find out how much of a redneck you really are!
