Dr. Mechano

Cisgender male. I am biologically male and have always identified as such. This is a good topic, though. Transgender individuals are often overlooked and marginalized in society, even in many LGBT-positive communities.

The fact that gaming culture still feels the need to designate "girl gamers" as a separate category from the (presumably male) default is indicative of some serious internalized sexism in the gamer community. As much as gamers (and nerds in general) complain about not being accepted by the mainstream, I find that many gamers are horribly elitist themselves, and this includes an absolute ton of misogyny that runs rampant in the community. As a subculture that often lacks mainstream acceptance ourselves, I feel that the gaming community should be accepting and welcoming to all people who play games, not a "boy's club" where women are excluded, or must somehow "prove themselves" to be accepted. As an avid gamer myself, I know the gaming community is better than this. Treat women like you'd treat any other fan. Don't patronize them, don't assume they're less competitive or less capable, and - here's a thought - don't creep on them, objectify them, or make them uncomfortable because of their gender. Really, everything I said applies across the board to other fandoms as well, MLP included. Let's stop condoning fandom sexism and call it out when we see it. Nom, I say this gently and with love, since we're pals. But surely you know better than this. Here's the thing. Women have their own agency and autonomy, and are in fact individual people of equal worth and equal value to men. Moreover, women do not exist to make you dinner or have sex with you any more than you exist to make women dinner or have sex with them. A "woman's place" is - not surprisingly - wherever she wants to be, doing whatever she wants to do. I'm not making the argument that women can't cook for their spouse (or indeed, that men can't cook for theirs), or that desiring sex (again, as a man or woman) is inherently sexist. Obviously they aren't, and both partners in a relationship can and frequently do happily consent to those things. I am saying that reducing a woman down to those two aspects - without taking her individual desires, ambitions, or identity into account at all - is to devalue and dehumanize her. Women are certainly capable of consenting to sex, but they are not defined by being sexually available any more than men are, and ultimately their interests, goals, and desires should be what takes top priority and defines them as a person. Think about this how you'd feel if a woman said about you, "Hey, as long as he's feeding me and having sex with me, then I guess he can enjoy his hobbies." If you wouldn't like being reduced to being defined by those roles (or needing her permission to play vido games) yourself, good! You've put yourself in women's shoes, and may understand - if only partially - how they're constantly objectified and struggle to be viewed as individual people in our society due to sexist cultural institutions. You're obviously defined by far more important things than culinary skills and sexuality; And I'm sure you know that women are too.

Nice! I really like your drawing style, especially with her hair. I look forward to seeing more of your art as you post it!

I love to laugh. Having a sense of humor is key to making the most out of life, and it's good to be able to laugh at yourself. However, I feel there's a clear line in the sand between clever, thought-out comedy and unfunny, witless bullying. When I see people making crass jokes about racial minorities, women, LGBT people, or the disabled, I make a point to call them out on it. They may have the freedom of speech to joke about whoever they please, and I defend their legal right to say what they want, but I also have the same freedom of speech to call out their words for the bigoted bile that it is. And I always do. The response, often, is something along the lines of, "C'mon, lighten up! Get a sense of humor!" And to them, I say that I do have a sense of humor, and in my view a far better one than they have. You see, I feel good comedy and satire punches upward. It pokes fun at the powerful, the entitled, the institutions. A good irreverent and offensive comedian still stirs the pot, but he or she does it at the expense of institutions and repositories of power, not the disadvantaged. Anyone can make fun of the disadvantaged, and no real comedic skill or cleverness is required to do it. Bullies, conversely, punch downward. You don't have to be particularly edgy or clever to spot a marginalized group in society and simply reinforce society's stereotypes about them by regurgitating tired old jokes about that group. Jokes that trivialize slavery and segregation are not clever. Jokes that belittle rape victims are not clever. Jokes that make light of bullying and hate crimes committed against LGBT youth are not clever. It doesn't take much thought to look at an oppressed person and simply go, "HA, SUCKS TO BE THEM." That isn't wit, that's an unclever attempt at shock humor at the expense of the underprivileged. When I see fellow MLP fans engage in this unfunny tripe, I cringe. It's awfully hypocritical of certain subsets of this fandom to complain about not being accepted or tolerated for their individual differences (such as liking a show outside of their demographic), yet perpetually spout bigotry and intolerance, often under the guise of "humor." MLP fans, you're better than this, I know you are. It's time we stop condoning prejudice (whether it's supposedly "humorous" or otherwise), and start being the loving, tolerant, inclusive fandom we claim to be. I'm all for irreverent - perhaps even potentially offensive - comedy, but let's make sure we punch up rather than down with it.

While I love all the characters on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, my absolute favorite is Rarity. I find her to be the most believable and dynamic of the cast, and have really enjoyed watching her character develop over the course of the series. Rarity's a great character, and perfectly embodies her element: Generosity. However, a small but vocal minority of fans insist that Rarity doesn't live up to her element, and for them I've made this list. Let's begin, shall we? Friendship is Magic, Part 1 Rarity gives Twilight Sparkle, a complete stranger at the time, a free hair treatment after seeing her disheveled mane. This sets the tone for Rarity's generous nature; When Rarity sees someone in need, she steps up and offers them assistance. Friendship is Magic, Part 2 After hearing Steven Magnet's lament over his lost mustache, Rarity consoles the sorrowful serpent by slicing off her own tail and affixing it to his face. What I really love about this scene is that you can just tell that this was a big sacrifice on Rarity's part. Even though she plays it off by saying "short tails are in" and "it'll grow back," she gives herself away by how relieved and happy she is to have her tail restored by the Elements of Harmony later on. Rarity compromised her own appearance - something she takes enormous pride in - to help the sea serpent with his appearance. Look Before You Sleep After a tree crashes through Twilight's bedroom window, Applejack informs Rarity that she needs her help to clear it out, and that she can't do it without her. Rarity overcomes her fear of mud and dirt, plunging headfirst into the foliage, getting uncomfortably dirty in the process. As much as it repulses her, she does it to help her friend and to do the right thing. Swarm of the Century Rarity makes Rainbow Dash a fancy outfit for Princess Celestia's arrival. Even though Rainbow Dash hates standing still in order to be fit for the dress, she has no problem with the dress itself, and this seems to be a genuine favor on Rarity's part. Winter Wrap-Up Rarity is so focused on helping Twilight repair her nest that she spends the entire episode working on it. While this wastes a lot of time, her heart was in the right place. Suited For Success Here, Rarity makes dresses for all of her friends, twice (three times in Fluttershy's case), then put her entire career at risk by letting them wear the redesigned dresses at her fashion show. Sonic Rainboom Remember, it was Rarity who convinced everyone to go to Cloudsdale to support Rainbow Dash in the competition, as she was the only one who recognized Dash's stagefright. She also willingly volunteers to be the test subject for Twilight's wing spell. True, she lets the wings go to her head, but she does demonstrate incredible empathy for Dash before becoming enamored with her wings. A Dog and Pony Show Rarity shows appreciation for Spike's help by giving him a large gem. Additionally, after being kidnapped, Rarity actually shows some initial generosity to her captors. Once she learns that they want gems, she actually shows them where they can be dug up. It's only after they try to force her to stay and work for them that she unleashes her full force on them and orchestrates her brilliant escape (taking the gems with her). Green Isn't Your Color Despite her envy of Fluttershy, Rarity stands up and applauds for her friend the moment the crowd turns against her. Rarity risks her own reputation to save her friend's, no matter how she feels. Owl's Well That Ends Well Rarity makes Spike a snazzy gem-encrusted bowtie (and later makes another one for Owlowicious). Considering how much Spike likes gems, this is a thoughtful gift in particular. Party of One Rarity willingly sticks her head into a garbage can to keep Pinkie Pie's birthday party a surprise, showing tremendous dedication to making one of her friends happy. Remember, Rarity hates dirtiness, so this is a clear breach of personal comfort on her part. Return of Harmony, Part 1 Despite having already stated how uncomfortable she is at getting out in the rain, she still gives her umbrella to Twilight to shield her from Discord's chocolate milk rain near the beginning of the episode. Sisterhooves Social Rarity participates in an outdoor sporting competition and gets completely covered in mud just to make amends with her sister. Once again, Rarity forgoes her own comfort for someone else, and does it again by playing in the rain with Sweetie Belle during the episode's conclusion. The Cutie Pox Upon seeing Apple Bloom is depressed, Rarity offers her a new hat to cheer her up. I find this impressive because Rarity really doesn't know Apple Bloom that well. But since she's her sister's friend, Rarity is invested enough in her well-being to freely give her something to make her happy. It doesn't work, but again, the thought's what counts. The Mysterious Mare Do Well Rarity and her friends show Rainbow Dash a bit of tough love by using a superhero persona to knock her out-of-control ego down a peg. Rarity contributes to this by stitching together four identical superhero costumes for her friends to wear, which is no small task. Sweet and Elite No matter how much Rarity wants to fit in with the Canterlot elite, she stands by her friends in the end, proudly letting everyone know how important they are to her. As much as she wants to be part of high society, she puts all of that at risk without a second thought for her friends. Secret of My Excess Inspired by Spike's generosity, Rarity makes capes for each of her friends, free of charge. A Friend In Deed Rarity doesn't even appear on screen in this episode, but her generosity can be felt. Pinkie has Rarity make a new toupee for Cranky Doodle Donkey. Since Pinkie asked for the favor, she most likely provided the hairpiece free of charge. Putting Your Hoof Down Rarity and Pinkie Pie both are extremely understanding of Fluttershy, despite how unkindly she treats them after Iron Will's dubious assertiveness lessons. They even confront Iron Will and attempt to protect Fluttershy from his debt-collecting, all despite their treatment earlier, because that's what good friends do. Dragon Quest Rarity is concerned for Spike's safety for the whole episode, and constructs a dragon disguise for her, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight to wear so that they can keep an eye on him. She's even willing to fight deadly, fire-breathing dragons to protect Spike in the end. Ponyville Confidential Interestingly, Rarity is the most understanding and willing to talk of all the people hurt by the Gabby Gums column. You can't really blame the other ponies for refusing to talk to or see the Crusaders, of course, but Rarity takes the higher road and directly speaks to Sweetie Belle, letting her know in the clearest possible terms that humiliating others and making them feel horrible is not her little sister's destiny. I think this is significant, because Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and even Twilight (understandably) refuse contact with these kids, while Rarity - concerned with her sister's life choices - gives her a very heartfelt lesson. Sleepless in Ponyville She goes camping. True, she brings an unnecessarily huge load of luggage and saddles Sweetie Belle with carrying it, but to go at all despite how uncomfortable it makes her is a great example of Rarity learning from Sisterhooves Social. She wants to spend time with her sister, even if it's not an activity she enjoys doing. Spike at Your Service Willingly eats Spike's horribly burned pie just to make him feel good. Rarity truly values Spike's feelings, and knows he'd be crushed if she rejected the pie he made for her. No matter how awful it is, Rarity eats a little bit of it for Spike's sake. Just for Sidekicks You thought that small gem Rarity gave Spike was her being cheap? Wrong. That tiny gem bought an expensive, industrial-strength hair dryer. The size of a gemstone is not always proportional to its value. Rarity's gem may have been the most expensive one of the whole lot, above and beyond the expected payment for his pet-sitting. Games Ponies Play In the absence of Cadence's hairdresser, Rarity willingly steps up to the challenge of arranging the princess's hair herself. Equestria Girls Dubious example, since Rarity's human counterpart is technically a separate character with her own history and personality, however close it may be to pony Rarity's. Nevertheless, this version of Rarity mirrors her pony counterpart's generosity, offering Twilight - a complete stranger - a free disguise to hide from the teasing of the other Canterlot High students after Snips and Snails upload an embarrassing video of her. Castle Mania A bit of an abstract example, as the generosity isn't to any particular character, but to art itself. Rarity goes out of her way to restore ancient art that once belonged to the royal pony sisters. She's not keeping it for herself or treasure-hunting here; She's restoring it for its own sake, a selfless act. Bats! Despite her discomfort with the vampire fruit bats, Rarity does her part to help Applejack reign them in (though she dons a protective biohazard suit to do so). Rarity's gotten a lot better at overcoming personal discomfort to help others. Rarity Takes Manehattan What doesn't Rarity do here? Let's just make a quick list of her generosity in this episode: Gets her friends tickets to Hinny of the Hills Buys Spike a carrot-dog Gives multiple generous tips to the bellhop Gives a complete stranger her scarf Buys a grumpy stranger a flower to cheer him up Fixes a cabbie's broken wheel Lends Suri Polomare her one-of-a-kind fabric After her moment of weakness and mistreatment of her friends, Rarity profoundly regrets her actions and is willing to give up the entire competition to make amends with them, not even caring that she apparently lost the contest. Arranges a private showing of Hinny of the Hills, at the price of remaining in Manehattan and designing costumes for her playwright friend. Hooks Coco up with a new job once she learns that she quit. Really, this episode alone is a perfect example of Rarity's generosity. Rainbow Falls Rarity makes the uniforms for the Ponyville team. She also volunteers to paint the team's horseshoes, and offers Rainbow Dash a silk bandage in the hospital. Three's A Crowd Along with Applejack, Rarity is more than willing to take care of Discord so that Twilight Sparkle and Cadence can have a day to themselves. While she and Applejack catch the blue flu and are unable to help, it's the thought that counts! That's it so far! This master list will be updated as the series progresses.