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MLP:FIM: a gender neutral show? Why or why not?


SolidTwilight

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So I always here people refer to MLP:FIM as a "girls show" but if you take a good look at it you see that really only the stuff like the name of the show, logo, colors and other cosmetic things are "girly". if you look at the story, carters and every thing else that makes the show great, it is all very gender neutral. I don't think it should be called a "girls" show because it really is not. what do you all think? also on a side note, I always wanted to know if someone changed all the "girly" stuff like the colors, logos, opening song to more "boy" like stuff but left the show the same (even leave the female voices) and showed it to boys in the target age that its made for girls how they would react?

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Honestly it seems like a gender neutral show to me.   :huh:

 

However if they did try to change things to cater to 'boys' or 'girls',it will lose the gender neutrality the show is now known for.

 

I don't want to watch Strawberry Ponycake or Dragon Ball Pony,but My Little Pony: Friendship is magic.  :)

 

....

 

Fuck it,id watch Dragon Ball Pony  :wub: 

 

Edited by Pinkamena-Pills
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No, to me it's a girls show. Don't forget it's about ponies, there're hearts everywhere and most characters are female...

Even though the show is watched by many boys/men, it's a girls show.

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They would probably react to it with a neutral reaction. Boys today are already taught to "break gender roles" so for the most part, they would not care if the leads were females as long as the colors and music was palatable.

 

And I guess you could label it as neutral. As unlike its counterpart EqG, it doesn't focus on ideas and actions that are specficily identified with girls.

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It is not intended to be a gender-neutral show. That isn't to say it can't be enjoyed by both genders, but it is designed to appeal to young girls. Remember that MLP:FiM is still a business and the show is used to sell merchandise. It's easier to access children through television programmes, and they use colours that attract young female children - pink and purple, mostly.

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Nope. It is clearly intended as a girls' show.  Hence its being marketed to young girls, the large number of female characters, and the pink logo.

 

It might not seem so because the creators were clever enough to make the show watchable for adults, although they were probably thinking of parents, not bronies.

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(edited)

No, to me it's a girls show. Don't forget it's about ponies, there're hearts everywhere and most characters are female...

Even though the show is watched by many boys/men, it's a girls show.

one of the points I was making is that all the girl stuff is just superficial. there called ponies but what if they changed the name to something else and took all the harts and stuff out. the real content of the show is not made for little girls, it made for anyone. I think the only thing that makes it a girls show is the marketing of it. Edited by SolidTwilight
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I think gender needs to go. As in disappear. There is nothing inherent in any television show that makes it more suitable for boys or girls. It is only marketed to one group because CEO's sell things as such and parents obey their wishes. Anything can be gender neutral with the right perspective, including My Little Pony. I wish that it was the case that most people saw the show as neutral so any of their children can enjoy it, not just girls.

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(edited)

Honestly it seems like a gender neutral show to me.   :huh:

 

However if they did try to change things to cater to 'boys' or 'girls',it will lose the gender neutrality the show is now known for.

 

I don't want to watch Strawberry Ponycake or Dragon Ball Pony,but My Little Pony: Friendship is magic.  :)

 

....

 

Fuck it,id watch Dragon Ball Pony  :wub: 

 

 

the closest you shall getto Dragon Ball Pony is prob Smile HD

 

 

But even Lauren Faust never wanted the show to be just for girls...

 

"I wanted a respectable show for girls," Faust explains. "Saying something is 'for girls' or 'girly' is usually equated with being not worthwhile, being stupid." She wanted to change that, but she never expected she'd be so successful.

 

"I never dreamed adult men would be into the show," she tells the crowd, "because I didn't have any faith that you'd give it a try. Now I know better. It gives me the courage to continue."

Edited by Aeron-Quillson

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@,Ya uhh DBZ was no where near that grotesquely violent....Already seen that vid,and i rather not get 'Smile PTSD' again as i clearly already have other mental issues to deal with lol.  :)


sig-27460.i2QLbt3.jpgOatmeal, are you crazy?!

 

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(edited)

@,Ya uhh DBZ was no where near that grotesquely violent....Already seen that vid,and i rather not get 'Smile PTSD' again as i clearly already have other mental issues to deal with lol.  :)

 

like i said...close...never spot on...and welcome to the club...

1297054388134.jpg

and smile HD is nowhere near as bad as "cupcakes" (least in my opinion

Edited by Aeron-Quillson
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"What are you trying to accomplish, putting yourselves in danger like that? Trying to see "justice" done? Is that really justice, though? Aren't you just doing this because you want a little spice in your boring lives? What's the difference between that and a criminal who gets his kicks by murdering people?You see what I'm getting at? There's still a lot of time left. Give it some thought."


If you can read this and have a problem with me...take it up with my lawyer

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like i said...close...never spot on...and welcome to the club...

1297054388134.jpg

and smile HD is nowhere near as bad as "cupcakes" (least in my opinion

 

lol i love that pic,so me. 

 

Thank you for the welcom wagon..

 

 

 

because im sure ill need it

i_think_i_broke_the_mane_6____by_mental_

 

 

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"Silly, you are already under my control."- Pinkie Pie
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lol i love that pic,so me. 

 

Thank you for the welcom wagon..

 

 

 

because im sure ill need it

i_think_i_broke_the_mane_6____by_mental_

 

 

 

We meet every friday, and there will be nachos, and derp...lots and lots of derp


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"What are you trying to accomplish, putting yourselves in danger like that? Trying to see "justice" done? Is that really justice, though? Aren't you just doing this because you want a little spice in your boring lives? What's the difference between that and a criminal who gets his kicks by murdering people?You see what I'm getting at? There's still a lot of time left. Give it some thought."


If you can read this and have a problem with me...take it up with my lawyer

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We meet every friday, and there will be nachos, and derp...lots and lots of derp

Im always down for some derp

FANMADE_Derp_by_WorkingOrder.gif

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sig-27460.i2QLbt3.jpgOatmeal, are you crazy?!

 

"Silly, you are already under my control."- Pinkie Pie
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Currently still undergoing maintenance. Yes, i can do that, im a program, silly.

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(edited)

Im always down for some derp

img-2753884-1-FANMADE_Derp_by_WorkingOrd

 

i forgot there will also be...MUFFINS

tumblr_m8ywpvJ9hn1rxmai6o1_1280.gif

Edited by Aeron-Quillson
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"What are you trying to accomplish, putting yourselves in danger like that? Trying to see "justice" done? Is that really justice, though? Aren't you just doing this because you want a little spice in your boring lives? What's the difference between that and a criminal who gets his kicks by murdering people?You see what I'm getting at? There's still a lot of time left. Give it some thought."


If you can read this and have a problem with me...take it up with my lawyer

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What I think is that Hasbro should create a new generation however with the same graphics and same plot as in FIM just with some boy characters so then more people would feel as if they can like it, I actually got scolded by my dad by watching an episode (Show Stoppers) just because he didn't see any boy characters at all.


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Ostensibly, no; the visual design is very much typical of shows that cater to girls, with all the vibrant pinks and purples and whatnot. (Not saying those are "girly" colors, just saying society still largely sees them as such.)

 

As far as actual substance, though, it's definitely struck a balance. I'd say most of the episodes' plot lines are gender neutral, with some leaning in a more girlish direction (e.g. Rarity's dressmaking) and some leaning in a more boyish direction (the surprisingly DBZ-esque nature of the S4 finale).

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Gender-neutral as in everybody can watch it?  Perhaps, yes, but that applies to anything and everything. The fact of the matter is that this show is made for girls. This must be the billionth time I've repeated this, but the show was, as said by Lauren Faust meant to be a quality show for girls, to show them that there are many ways to be a girl, and they none of them are wrong.

 

To call it a gender-neutral show is jarring. "Oh, this show is actually good? Then it can't be a girl's show, it must be gender-neutral!" Why is it so hard for many to admit that they like a girl's show?

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(edited)

No, to me it's a girls show. Don't forget it's about ponies, there're hearts everywhere and most characters are female...

Even though the show is watched by many boys/men, it's a girls show.

 

Nope. It is clearly intended as a girls' show.  Hence its being marketed to young girls, the large number of female characters, and the pink logo.

 

It might not seem so because the creators were clever enough to make the show watchable for adults, although they were probably thinking of parents, not bronies.

 

It is not intended to be a gender-neutral show. That isn't to say it can't be enjoyed by both genders, but it is designed to appeal to young girls. Remember that MLP:FiM is still a business and the show is used to sell merchandise. It's easier to access children through television programmes, and they use colours that attract young female children - pink and purple, mostly.

 

The fact of the matter is that this show is made for girls. This must be the billionth time I've repeated this, but the show was, as said by Lauren Faust meant to be a quality show for girls, to show them that there are many ways to be a girl, and they none of them are wrong.

Actually, all four of you are not only factually incorrect, but also repeat the same mistake that I called out in the past. Back when Faust developed the show, she created it without simply looking at it as a show squarely "for little girls." The colors may be saccharine, or the mane cast is mostly female, but the presentation is very oxymoronic. Toy bait notwithstanding, FIM is developed to be enjoyable for anyone regardless of primary demographics, and FIM's true market audience is all-ages and gender-neutral. She created the show to be enjoyable for everyone with content and writing that transcends the typical tropes seen in shows like these. The same demographics as The Powerpuff Girls, Pixar, and current Thomas & Friends. (BTW, the true target audience of the franchise isn't little girls or kids at all, but their guardians, as kids usually aren't allowed to buy products without their parents' consent.)

 

There's plenty of subtext within the show to prove it's gender-neutral:

  1. Beyond simply the writing, it has the quality and nuances to attract anyone regardless of gender or age through little messages that transcend its base demographic (i.e., criticism of executive meddling in Suited for Success, subversion of fairytales in The Best Night Ever, critique of the American public school system in Testing Testing 1, 2, 3).
  2. It's inspired by pre-Tales G1, which targets the very same demographics of FIM. Hell, Bonnie Zacherle helped found MLP as a gender-neutral franchise.

The only content thus far that is exclusively marketed to little girls is the first-party toys that are not Equestria Girls.

 

 

Why is it so hard for many to admit that they like a girl's show?

Because it FACTUALLY isn't.

Edited by Dark Qiviut
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On a base level, MLPFiM obviously seems as girly as it gets. :P

But really, the storys, themes; and characters are something everyone can relate to, no matter what. ;)

So yeah, visually it's really rather girly, but in the end the show is incredibly appealing to both genders- the evidence is all around! :)

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Pretty much what Radiance64 said. From a marketing and official Hasbro merch standpoint, it's very girly.

 

But its morals and messages are for everyone and there's a lot of things covered in MLPFiM I wish more people would learn.

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