Equine Racism

[Hive King 2,001]

What are your opinions on the racism ponies seem to constantly have? This doesn't just apply to zebras, cows, and minotaurs, it applies to pretty much 90% of Canterlot Unicorns. 

 

Before anyone asks for examples, there are plenty of examples of this. For example, the cows AJ has are shown to be able to talk and reason to an extent, yet they are kept coralled and chased by a dog. Zebras like Zecora are apparently thought of as evil for some reason because they look "garish". Minotaurs are constantly called monsters for no reason. As for the unicorns, the general opinion, even in modern times seems to be

 

"Earth ponies are working class baboons, pegasi are bull headed fools, unicorns are awesome"

[Professor Annabella 330]

What are your opinions on the racism ponies seem to constantly have? This doesn't just apply to zebras, cows, and minotaurs, it applies to pretty much 90% of Canterlot Unicorns. 

 

Before anyone asks for examples, there are plenty of examples of this. For example, the cows AJ has are shown to be able to talk and reason to an extent, yet they are kept coralled and chased by a dog. Zebras like Zecora are apparently thought of as evil for some reason because they look "garish". Minotaurs are constantly called monsters for no reason. As for the unicorns, the general opinion, even in modern times seems to be

 

"Earth ponies are working class baboons, pegasi are bull headed fools, unicorns are awesome"

Minotaur's are constantly being called monsters? There was one time when Iron Will was called a monster that I could recall, and if he was a monster to everypony, why would hundreds of ponies give him their money to attend his seminar?

 

Also, unicorns are shown to be snobby assholes who can't do anything for themselves. They depend on magic, like to change the seasons or weather. They are kinda like how English gentlemen were when they came to the new world.

[Hive King 2,001]

 

 

Minotaur's are constantly being called monsters? There was one time when Iron Will was called a monster that I could recall, and if he was a monster to everypony, why would hundreds of ponies give him their money to attend his seminar?

Well, think about it. If you want to turn into a badass, wouldn't a monster be the best way to do it? That aside, I remember Rarity calling him a monster several times. Granted, one time was justifiable(Fluttershy was acting insane) but not so much any other time 

[Abia 258]

I can understand initial racism against zebras: the ponies had never seen them before, and only Twilight knew that a zebra was in fact a sentient being. Racism against mules is not so bad, but it is disappointing how they've Equestria's go-to synonym for "ugly". I can understand, in part, why cows are controlled as they are: they easily get ahead of themselves and go on stampedes, causing chaos... but this is something normal ponies do (think "Luna Eclipsed"). Cows are nothing new in Equestria, they're on friendly terms with ponies and they're clearly intelligent. So why aren't they considered equal?

[GlitterdotSparkle 8]

Being a (triple) minority, racism is a heavy word... and there are many people who want to discourage people of color from watching the show.  To me, there is no racism, because the mane 6 are a variety of colors and I LOVE how beautiful and mysterious Zecora is portrayed. Take the show for what it is, a group of friends encountering a vast world of new and exciting creatures, all of whom may not be so easy to relate to and some who may be dangerous, and learning that ...well...friendship is magic!

[Hive King 2,001]

@@GlitterdotSparkle,

The problem is that ponies don't seem to discriminate on color, it's a whole random thing. What they discriminate on is other things, such as whether you're a pegasus, a unicorn, or an earth pony. And you can't deny that they acted like jerks to Zecora for no reason other than she looks scary.  

@,

What about the Minotaurs? Pinkie called him a monster for no reason

"I guess that monster's work shop really paid off" 

[Shanks 10,816]

It shows that the ponies like us have for the most part the same faults as us, the ponies are highly superstitious and cowardly and one way that shows in the examples of racism we have seen in the show. This is especially the case with how the ponies treated Zecora, they went so far as to cook up all these urban legends about her boiling up ponies into soups and eating them. Iron Will was called a monster quite a few times but it is very different than actually being accused of the things Zecora was. We also see hints of tribal racism with the pony races being racist toward each other in the past in the Hearts Warming Eve episode. Some of it survives with certain unicorns viewing earth ponies as inferior though this has been address far more in fanfics than actually in the show.

[GlitterdotSparkle 8]

@@GlitterdotSparkle,

The problem is that ponies don't seem to discriminate on color, it's a whole random thing. What they discriminate on is other things, such as whether you're a pegasus, a unicorn, or an earth pony. And you can't deny that they acted like jerks to Zecora for no reason other than she looks scary.  

 

 

Yes, they were scared of encountering someone new at first, but did they stay that way or  did they learn from their actions?  In the end, it takes true bravery to welcome someone/ something new and different.  To me, the ending is what made that episode great.

[Vixor 80]

It shows that the ponies like us have for the most part the same faults as us, the ponies are highly superstitious and cowardly and one way that shows in the examples of racism we have seen in the show. This is especially the case with how the ponies treated Zecora, they went so far as to cook up all these urban legends about her boiling up ponies into soups and eating them. Iron Will was called a monster quite a few times but it is very different than actually being accused of the things Zecora was. We also see hints of tribal racism with the pony races being racist toward each other in the past in the Hearts Warming Eve episode. Some of it survives with certain unicorns viewing earth ponies as inferior though this has been address far more in fanfics than actually in the show.

 

The thing with Zecora was not racism in the traditional sense, it was xenophobia, because she was something they did not understand and thus they were afraid. There's a big difference between xenophobia caused by fear of the unknown and actual racism, I'd say, and now that they know that she's not dangerous or anything, they treat her just fine.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Vixor

[Pastel 7,630]

This doesn't just apply to zebras, cows, and minotaurs, it applies to pretty much 90% of Canterlot Unicorns.

They are snobby characters anyway, and I for one like that because that makes them more realistic.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Blobulle

[Abia 258]

 

 

What about the Minotaurs? Pinkie called him a monster for no reason "I guess that monster's work shop really paid off" 

 

 

I don't think "monster" was a bad term in this situation. Pinkie said it nonchalantly; it was nothing against his character, especially since he was actually a decent guy at that point in the episode. It'd be like calling Discord a draconequus or Princess Luna an alicorn: it's just a species, and the title is in no way derogatory. Later, they do use the term as an insult, but I don't think it's worse than the racism involving mules: calling her "mule" reduced Rarity to tears, yet mules are still present in Equestrian society. I believe it's similar to how "gay" has been adopted by some as an insult. You can call someone "gay" and mean purely that they are happy and/or a homosexual, or you can call someone "gay" and severely offend them in the process.

Not that that makes it a good insult, or one that should be used at all--but it does have the joint purpose of being used both as an observation and a derogatory term.

 

By the way, I don't think "gay" is an appropriate insult, and personally only use it to refer kindly to people who are either happy or homosexual. But it was the first example I could think of, and fit the comparison fairly enough.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I think you could make the case that back in the day when the tribes were seperate that Equine racism was rampant but modern day Equestria does not seem too have this issue.

[Samurai Equine 52,538]

I really hesitate to use the word racism.

 

I think the show goes out of it's way to show that there can be misunderstands or a lack of understanding, but there is never any actual hate or bigotry. You can fix ignorance, you can't fix carelessness. And there is care here.

 

But I do have mixed feelings about words like "everypony". Is it REALLY necessary to say that? We know that Equestria is filled with more than just talking ponies.

[Hive King 2,001]

@@Samurai Equine,

Usually, when they say everypony, there are just ponies around.

 

Notably, when Twilight is talking to the buffalo, she says

"Anybody" 

[Abia 258]

I  do have mixed feelings about words like "everypony". Is it REALLY necessary to say that?

 

PONY.MOV makes a

of that. 

[Malinter 3,064]

The ponies of Canterlot seem to measure you by your clothes and wealth rather than race. So that might be elitism rather than racism. 

[Hive King 2,001]

The ponies of Canterlot seem to measure you by your clothes and wealth rather than race. So that might be elitism rather than racism. 

Didn't they mention something about Earth Ponies? I remember they did, might be a fanfic. 

[Malinter 3,064]

Didn't they mention something about Earth Ponies? I remember they did, might be a fanfic. 

 

Fancy Pants found all of them "quaint" but he was also including all of them

 

Tenderhooves almost has reverse-elitism. He thinks earth ponies do everything backwards but loves the crap out of them for it.

[Hive King 2,001]

@,

Trenderhooves is a massive hipster, that's why

[Orablanco Account 3,707]

I wouldn't call it racism, but there is totally a sense of elitism surrounding the unicorns, at least those who live in Canterlot. It's even subtle, either: "Sweet & Elite," "Simple Ways," and "Hearth's Warming Eve" heavily imply a lot unicorns look down on earth ponies like nobody's business.

Edited August 19, 2014 by CITRUS KING46

[DubWolf 17,385]

And mules are "very, very, ugly"  . I find it weird that other sentient species (cows) would be okay with being locked up by other sentient species (ponies). Is this slavery? Why don't the cows revolt? Are they getting paid for their services?