Derpy offensive?

[Doctor-Whooves 288]

I dunno. Spongebob has become a popular icon, and since it's like an everyday thing people don't see Patrick Star as offensive. Society logic. 

 

 

They thought Derpy was offensive because they thought she was portrayed as a mentally challenged person because of her eyes and voice. Personally, I think the whole thing is just stupid. Your right, why not Patrick as well? In today's world, everything is considered offensive, and you can't go through one thing without someone considering it offensive. You didn't see many people do that, say, 30 years ago. Sheesh, what's with people? Didn't know there were so much sensitive people. 

 

Derpy is Derpy, she is not a hint of any offensive material, and she has been this way for a whole season and nobody complained about it until now. She is just clumsy, and there have been numerous characters who acted just like her. And when I saw the episode, it didn't even occur to me that it would be 'offensive'. Those people need to chill out. It's just a kids show, they didn't intend any harm. 

 

You also make a good point. I believe that the parents made a connection between the crossed eyes and the clumsy behavior. If it had been one thing or another, then it probably wouldn't have been such a big deal.

[chrisalis1 1]

I don't find Derpy offensive at all. In fact, I was downright saddened to hear that others believed that she was. They need to get their heads out of their tiny box that they live in and open their eyes. :c

[Blindsight 142]

I simply don't understand how Derpy is offensive. You know what I find offensive? That a kids' show can't include a character that's (maybe) mentally ill. Yeah, great message for our children. "My kid won't watch a show where's a mentally ill character, because that's not normal or acceptable!" It makes me sick.  <_<

[Haven Celestii 9,385]

>Inb4PonyEcho

 

How many times has this dead horse been beaten now? Anyone keeping track? >.>

 

Anyway...The only way I see her being offensive, is cause of her voice and her overall clumsy behaviour. Her eyes don't help out with that problem either. In my opinion, her original voice is quite literally the source of the problem. Maybe had they actually gotten her voice right the first time no one, or at least not as many, would have considered her to be mentally challenged in anyway.

 

I can also see why someone who is cross-eyed or has been could take offense. Her clumsiness could have easily been taken as them picking fun at that fact.

[Shanks 10,811]

Yeah God forbid anypony is actually slightly different from the others, oh boy we have to protect the children from everything by jumping to conclusions about a cartoon pony being an insult against disable people when the only evidence pointing to her being disabled is a short clip of her talking. And we have to kill any chance of said pony having any character development outside of fan works by demanding that she be taken out.

[bcd34a 51]

I took this off from a save derpy website just so everypony can see why Derpy/Ditzy Doo was found offensive to someponies.

 

But I got about 10 emails saying how offended folks were. People labeled me an "ableist" (a word I'd never heard of) and said that I was being insensitive to the disabled by calling this character "derpy." I then did a search on what derpy meant and the first things that came up were "embarrassing" and "awkward" which is what I thought. But then when I did more in-depth searches, I discovered that one definition is "re******."

[derpstar 9]

I took this off from a save derpy website just so everypony can see why Derpy/Ditzy Doo was found offensive to someponies.

 

But I got about 10 emails saying how offended folks were. People labeled me an "ableist" (a word I'd never heard of) and said that I was being insensitive to the disabled by calling this character "derpy." I then did a search on what derpy meant and the first things that came up were "embarrassing" and "awkward" which is what I thought. But then when I did more in-depth searches, I discovered that one definition is "re******."

Here is a list of other "ableist" words, just to give you a bit of perspective what kind of lunacy we're dealing with. If they had their they wouldn't even be allowed to include the "are you crazy" scene in season 1.

 

http://www.autistichoya.com/p/ableist-words-and-terms-to-avoid.html

 

and let's not forget the obvious. Derpy wasn't offensive to handicapped people at all. http://derpiboo.ru/55991

 

Infact, it would appear that most people who are cross eyed or have other disabilities are pretty upset that some people spoke for them. It is infuriating when some people claim people with eye defects (like me) should be offended by her. Yeah no, thanks for getting the only cross eyed cartoon character ever removed from TV, you hateful monsters.

Edited December 30, 2012 by derpstar

[roptiriolg 49]

None of the bronies really wanted her to go. When parents saw their kids watching that episode, they thought that Derpy was an attack on the mentally ill. They took one look and saw the crossed eyes and clumsy behavior, and took it as mental retardation.

 

Patrick, on the other hand, has always been stupid. It's part of his charm, I suppose. But a lot of parents stop their kids from watching Spongebob. I guess they didn't like Derpy on a show as innocent as one filled with magical ponies made for young girls.

 

This is my take on it. I could be wrong.

 

That would be very unfortunate about those parents and their skill to look after kids... Like, instead of teaching their kids tolerance towards disabled and defective people, teaching them to stay away from such and for that r eason not liking the episode... where the world goes. One there would be probably less tolerance than now.

Edited December 30, 2012 by ImtR

[derpstar 9]

That would be very unfortunate about those parents and their skill to look after kids... Like, instead of teaching their kids tolerance towards disabled and defective people, teaching them to stay away from such and for that r eason not liking the episode... where the world goes. One there would be probably less tolerance than now.

Where has anyone said that there were any parents involved in this? Have you seen a single claim that any of the complainers had any kids? How many parents do you know who use the term "ableism"?

Edited December 30, 2012 by derpstar

[Sunbro 4 Lyfe 938]

Because derp is commonly asdosiated with the words stupid or retard. If your herp derping your acting stupid or retarded. Now its her canon name, it basicly means her parents named her "retard".

[derpstar 9]

Because derp is commonly asdosiated with the words stupid or retard. If your herp derping your acting stupid or retarded. Now its her canon name, it basicly means her parents named her "retard".

Except that it doesn't. It's yet another manufactured aspect of this whole controversy. Derp never meant retard before certain people started associating the term with it. http://cdn.derpiboo.ru/media/BAhbBlsHOgZmSSJwMjAxMi8xMi8xMy8xMF8wMV8yNl8zNzhfMTgxNTM3X19VTk9QVF9fc2FmZV9kZXJweV9ob292ZXNfbWV0YV9kZXJwX2RlcnB5Z2F0ZV9nb29nbGVfZ3JhcGhfc3RhdGlzdGljc19yZXRhcmQGOgZFVA/181537__safe_derpy-hooves_meta_derp_derpygate_google_graph_statistics_retard.png

 

Ever since the term derp was created in 1998 it has meant a silly mistake or brain-fart. It's just during the recent years when anyone has started claiming it meant retard. It's pretty much a self-fulfilling prophecy at this point. How to ruin words 101.

Edited December 30, 2012 by derpstar

[Shanks 10,811]

Infact, it would appear that most people who are cross eyed or have other disabilities are pretty upset that some people spoke for them. It is infuriating when some people claim people with eye defects (like me) should be offended by her. Yeah no, thanks for getting the only cross eyed cartoon character ever removed from TV, you hateful monsters.

While I am not crossed eyed or clumsy like Derpy or mentally retarded like some people seem to think she is I still felt insulted and offended for precisely that reason. I have a mild form of Autism called Aspergers and and though I have progressed to the point where most people cannot tell it used to be about as obvious as an 800 pound gorilla walking down the street. The idea that a bunch of people with nothing better to do than to complain about things they don't understand can tell me what to be offended or not offended by really pisses me off. I am eventually going to write that Derpy fanfic idea I said I would write I Pinkie promise and those people are going to be parodied quite brutally in it.

[PonyEcho 1,610]

>Inb4PonyEcho

 

How many times has this dead horse been beaten now? Anyone keeping track? >.>

 

Anyway...The only way I see her being offensive, is cause of her voice and her overall clumsy behaviour. Her eyes don't help out with that problem either. In my opinion, her original voice is quite literally the source of the problem. Maybe had they actually gotten her voice right the first time no one, or at least not as many, would have considered her to be mentally challenged in anyway.

 

I can also see why someone who is cross-eyed or has been could take offense. Her clumsiness could have easily been taken as them picking fun at that fact.

^^^^

In after TGAP Haven 

 

well first i shall make this point that is never....... EVER mentioned 

Lazy Eyes (or derp eyes if you wish to be a jerk) are not classed as a disability nor do they mean the person with them is mentally handicapped. it is a mean, disrespectful and disgusting thing for people to think that.

it is also something that is easily corrected with no complication other then it's not all that success full if you have it at a older age (I had my corrected when i was 15 after not being able to take the bullying any more and i got lucky) it is done all the time and there is no problem with that.

 

people who have lazy eyes left untreated often lead horrible childhood and get call stupid (which derp is slang for) for it.

 

 

this is the only im put i will give to avoid burning you all with Dimitri's chainsaw/flamethrower. so word of warning

I will destroy you if you jump on my flank about this. 

Edited December 30, 2012 by PonyEcho

[Commander Bubbles 1,343]

People were so offended by Derpy because she was seen by many as a mocking toward the mentally challenged. "Derp" is often connected with mental retardation, and with the combination of her derped eyes, referral as "Derpy," her clumsiness, and her speech patterns, parents saw it as an attack on those with mental disabilities.

 

I gave you an answer, so here's a question I have, not just for you, but for everypony here. If her name was officially "Ditzy Doo," do you think that soccer moms wouldn't have raised as much a fuss about it?

[derpstar 9]

it is a mean, disrespectful and disgusting thing for people to think that.

So where is your righteous fury at the people who got Derpy removed who thought just that?

 

And strabismus isn't always easily cured. I'm never going to be able to use depth perception despite having surgery on my eye muscles as a kid.

 

 

I gave you an answer, so here's a question I have, not just for you, but for everypony here. If her name was officially "Ditzy Doo," do you think that soccer moms wouldn't have raised as much a fuss about it?

Yes. I believe the same non-parents on tumblr who got Derpy removed in the first place would have gone just as ballistic if she was called Ditzy. They'd just call her sexist instead of ableist.

 

If you asked 100 parents what the term "derp" means, it is a safe bet that none of them would have any idea what it meant. It's incredible that you keep repeating the "it's the parents fault" bullshit Ad nauseam without any kind of proof.

Edited December 30, 2012 by derpstar

[Shanks 10,811]

I gave you an answer, so here's a question I have, not just for you, but for everypony here. If her name was officially "Ditzy Doo," do you think that soccer moms wouldn't have raised as much a fuss about it?

Probably, the habitually offended minority will always find something that gets their panties in a bunch if it isn't albeism it is sexism, racism or homophobia. I am not saying these things don't exist or aren't problems I am just saying that it is highly irresponsible and stunts our progress on these issues to call them out when they are not present.

[roptiriolg 49]

Where has anyone said that there were any parents involved in this? Have you seen a single claim that any of the complainers had any kids? How many parents do you know who use the term "ableism"?

 

I am not saying there has been parents involved in this... I am saying it would be very unfortunate if Derpy is seen by parents IN GENERAL as someone defective anyone should stay away from, rather than understanding the reason why people like Derpy

 

Btw I had no idea Derpy was removed on purpose, I thought it was just not in the current episodes, Idk what's the story behind this, I am afraid I don't follow.

Edited December 30, 2012 by ImtR

[Shift 4,271]

Parents overreacted by seeing it as an insult to those who do not have really good brains such as ours. 

 

Derp is commonly associated with stupid, but in realitly it's real meaning is a 'Mess up' or 'Cross-Eyed'. Parents are just overreacting because they don't want their kid to get the wrong idea.

 

  I honestly disagree. Parents are parents...

[iampinkiejesspie 6]

Derpy bothered me more so because I myself have a disability and felt they were kind of portraying it in a not so great way . But instead of getting rid of derpy they should have used as a moment for Derpy to explain what it means to have a disability how her brain thinks different. 

[Shanks 10,811]

Derpy bothered me more so because I myself have a disability and felt they were kind of portraying it in a not so great way . But instead of getting rid of derpy they should have used as a moment for Derpy to explain what it means to have a disability how her brain thinks different. 

 

Exactly, if all the angry people that sent the letters maybe would have demanded that instead of getting rid of Derpy than it would have been a great opportunity to address and extremely important issue of how disabled people or even just people who may not have a disability but are just seen as different are treated in society. What seems like a bad thing at first glance could have been turned into a good thing, a true teaching moment.

[NavelColt 22,876]

Honestly, it's not like she's the only cartoon character to be potrayed as stupid or clumsy.

And most of those other characters have had MUCH more airtime than her.

Take Patrick Star, for example. He's been potrayed as a lazy idiot since the season 1 of Spongebob. He's done countless stupid/idiotic things, which are much more moronic and more offensive than the 3-6 minutes Derpy had.

There are countless other idiotic and "offensive" characters, all of them could be considered offensive. So, why is she considered offensive and characters like Patrick Star not?

So many goddamn Derpy threads. Time for a hunt.

 

Your topic, 'Why is Derpy/Ditzy considered offensive?' has been merged with 'Derpy offensive?' as both discuss why people would find her offensive, and thus why her voice, name, etc were changed, and why she is now being said to become phased out of the show, potentially.

[derpstar 9]

 

Exactly, if all the angry people that sent the letters maybe would have demanded that instead of getting rid of Derpy than it would have been a great opportunity to address and extremely important issue of how disabled people or even just people who may not have a disability but are just seen as different are treated in society. What seems like a bad thing at first glance could have been turned into a good thing, a true teaching moment.

And who said Derpy was disabled in the first place? Being clumsy and cross eyed does not make you disabled by any stretch of the imagination. Hell. I'm clumsy and cross eyed, but I don't yell "OFFENSIVE STEREOTYPE" each time I walk past a mirror. Edited December 31, 2012 by derpstar

[morethanicecream 116]

Let me explain to you will I think Derpy isn't offensive. Look, she might be clumsy, and crossed eyed, but everypony is accepting of her. Also, she is on of the biggest background pony we love. We accept, love her, and treat her how we treat everypony. I am annoyed that a soccer mom stepped in and changed Derpy. I mean, 10 soccer moms.

Edited December 31, 2012 by morethanicecream

[derpstar 9]

 

Let me explain to you will I think Derpy isn't offensive. Look, she might be clumsy, and crossed eyed, but everypony is accepting of her. Also, she is on of the biggest background pony we love. We accept, love her, and treat her how we treat everypony. I am annoyed that a soccer mom stepped in and changed Derpy. I mean, 10 soccer moms.

Here is a little detail. When you're cross eyed it often mean you lack depth perception, meaning you can't approximate distances as well as people with fully functional eyes. This can often cause the person to be pretty darn clumsy since it's hard to tell the distance to objects.

 

Children with strabismus do not see a three-dimensional world. Instead, their world appears much flatter without depth and distance judgments. With the loss of spatial judgment, children with strabismus are generally more clumsy and are ten times more prone to accidents because of their compromised visual system.

 

How come nobody ever brings this up when you talk about Derpy? Assuming that someone who is cross eyed and clumsy is "retarded" is itself really really offensive.

 

That's the reason why I am so passionate in this subject, but it feels like I'm losing against the stereotype.

Edited December 31, 2012 by derpstar

[Archi the Atmomancer 564]

If Derpy is offensive, so is every other fictional character ever.

 

Pretty much every character you can come across will have some negative traits that might possibly cast a bad light on a stereotype. Honestly I find banning Derpy more offensive than Derpy herself as it comes off as condescending and patronising to people with genuine mental disabilities (eg: "Oh, the disabled people can't speak for themselves, we have to do it for them!"). If disabled people found offence at Derpy they would have said so.