An Openly Gay Character on MLP

[Mrain901 216]

My opinion of the show would be lessened honestly.

If this does happen, I would at best become very so-so about watching the show.

Hmph. And why would that be? 

[KokuraiNoSenshi 3,463]

I love it! ...But I am not sure how well it would go over for the majority... Let's face it, Derpy's little spotlight moment had this exact same problem; Great set up, great showing of how someone who was a bit clumsy & had a lazy eye, comedy that was not directed towards hating Derpy... And yet people ripped Hasbro a new one, so damn badly she got censored like mad in every way possible. I want them to do it, I really really do, & now that I am a part of this fandom if they did it while I'm here they would have my full support... But I am afraid of these characters getting the same treatment as Derpy.

 

I am just going to say this; Censoring a character is worse than accepting a character, because by censoring it you treat it as something wrong & disgusting, however a lot of people do not agree with this/take advantage of this & use things like Derpy against this (yeah I know it sounds backwards, but somehow they do it, in their own really, really annoying/blinded way) further their own agenda. Hasbro, you would gain so much respect if you allowed this to happen, but I also understand why you wouldn't want to from both a business & PR view, some people just can't seem to process the fact a man & a man can love each other, it fries their brain somehow 

Edited August 28, 2014 by KokuraiNoSenshi

[toonbat 28]

At this point, I'd care more about how it was handled than about whether it was handled at all.  I'm still thinking about the "What Was Missing" episode in Adventure Time, when it kinda-except-not-really subtly hinted that Marceline and Bubblegum might have had a romantic relationship in the past.  Normally I would have been very happy with the idea, but I hated the episode itself.  Marceline had always been sort of a jerk, but it had always been depicted as part of her greater-than-life persona where she loves things that are edgy and in-your-face.  But in the "What Was Missing" episode, she was just horribly hostile for no reason, and self-victimizing too.  Willing to dish it out, but not to take it, so that she just came off as completely unlikeable.  Definitely not an episode that would make me want to cheer for a relationship between her and anybody else, male or female.  So yeah.  If MLP ever tackled the issue of homosexuality, I hope it's better than that trainwreck.

[Flytee 237]

I'd support it completely. Homosexuals exist and the sooner children learn about them the better...plus ya know, hooray for diversity and all that jazz.

[Justin_Case001 4,921]

I'd love it.  I would support this idea 100%.  And I think the perfect way to do it would be as the OP said--not flaunting it or making a big deal about it.  It just it what it is and that's enough.  This would be a great message for children.

[PE Brony 1,712]

My opinion of the show would be lessened honestly.

If this does happen, I would at best become very so-so about watching the show.

I seem to be the only one who agrees with you so far...

 

I'll give my full response after I get back from classes.

[Scrubbed user 3,417]

A bigger question would be "How much of a field day would Fox News have?".

 

As far as a openly homosexual character, I doubt it would ever happen. Besides, any new characters or even background characters get shipped within 5 minutes of any kind screen time anyway.

[MilesTheLunar 67]

Definitely.

I think introducing kids to the idea of homosexuality at an early age is a good idea. That way, when they're old enough to actually notice homosexuality in real life, they'll be so jaded to it that they'll just leave them to their business. Homosexuality will be as normal to them as heterosexuality.

If they were to add such a character, they should also probably acknowledge that a gay person can't change their sexuality or otherwise decide to not be gay. It's just something you can't alter.

[Envy 6,304]

It's about time we start seeing these, I say.

 

MLP:FiM was made to show girls that there are several ways to be a girl and none of them are wrong, right? Well, being lesbian/bisexual is most certainly a way in which our children need to learn is not wrong.

 

I know the target audience for the show is probably too young to really know their sexuality, but I say this not just for the sake of those who might be questioning what their sexuality is, but as just sending a general message that homosexuality is there and there's nothing wrong with it.

 

I can not stress this nearly enough... Not allowing same-sex couples in children's media is NOT neutrality, it is harmful. It is exactly what the bigots want. They want to keep homosexuality branded as inherently immoral and sexual. They want it to be seen differently, and they want it to stay this way in children's media so the kids will grow up thinking that homosexuality is something different, and wrong. They merely want homosexuality to be shamed, they don't care about stopping "sexuality in children's media". As long as it's heterosexual it's "acceptable" sexuality in their minds.

 

It's obvious how messed up this all is when you think about it for even one second... MLP:FiM has had several episodes about heterosexuality. It's all over the place. However, the idea of a same-sex couple is torn down because "we shouldn't have sexuality in children's media." HELLO, heterosexuality is present all over the place in children's media. It is jammed right into our faces as children (and so many people complain about homosexuality being forced on them. Please.). Anybody who's making this argument is saying that homosexuality is inherently sexual, but somehow heterosexuality is... not at all sexual? There is no consistency there... It's just homophobic, and if we think that these mindsets are not harmful to our children, we are wrong.

 

Plus, LGBT children matter. LGBT children who have nobody like them to relate to in media will also feel excluded. It's not "forcing" to represent a significant minority that you know, exists.

 

This is important for so many reasons. It's just wrong to keep on pandering to the homophobes under the guise of "neutrality" and "keeping sexuality out of children's media". It's harmful for children. All children... The straight children who meet somebody who is gay and have had no exposure whatsoever to the concept at all and likely won't be able to accept it like heterosexuality (at least not for some time), alongside the LGBT children who sometimes don't even know what they actually are or if it's a real thing, if it's okay, because parents and media are so afraid to tell them that what they are exists and that it's okay.

[Henny Penny Benny 936]

Quite frankly, I'd just stop watching and leave the fandom. I have neither the desire nor the ability to force my views into the show, but if it goes in that direction, I'll simply not want to watch it any more.

 

There is one possibility, though, that would keep me from leaving. If they can also present a character who is adamantly against homosexuality without actually hating homosexuals, and such a character is presented as reasonable and not the butt of jokes and is given comparable screen time to that of the gay character, I may stay.

 

But neither seems terribly likely. 

[Mrain901 216]

I seem to be the only one who agrees with you so far...

 

I'll give my full response after I get back from classes.

 

Quite frankly, I'd just stop watching and leave the fandom. I have neither the desire nor the ability to force my views into the show, but if it goes in that direction, I'll simply not want to watch it any more.

 

There is one possibility, though, that would keep me from leaving. If they can also present a character who is adamantly against homosexuality without actually hating homosexuals, and such a character is presented as reasonable and not the butt of jokes and is given comparable screen time to that of the gay character, I may stay.

 

But neither seems terribly likely. 

Again, to the both of you, why would that be?

[Shadowking58 1,137]

It sounds good in theory, but let's not forget that MLP is a children's show and relationships aren't really explored that much.

As for an openly gay character... I think not. Societal norms. Got to love em'!

C'mon man, our entire fandom defies social norms.

Which I personally think is bullshit. Social Norms are bullshit.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Shadowking58

[The Crimson Cross 7,532]

C'mon man, our entire fandom defies social norms.

Which I personally think is bullshit. Social Norms are bullshit.

 

Oh I have no doubt of this of course. The fandom truly does defy social norms! And I completely agree.

I too think it's a load of rubbish, but as for the show itself. The brony fandom aren't the only viewers, it's up to the discretion of the writers/developers to decide the direction of the show, I mean just have a look at what happened to Derpy. I can just imagine the outrage.

[Tao 8,600]

I think a Gay Pony would be a good thing in

given how well being gay is now becoming a ok

norm and not a outlandish standing as it might

have been some years ago.  Yet there would be

no doubt  that HASBRO would never do it

but we can dream and talk about it and such things

which also shows how well more evolved this fanfom

is in wanting to have a openly gay pony on

the show!

[Henny Penny Benny 936]

Again, to the both of you, why would that be?

For me, it's because I cannot and will not condone homosexuality, actively or passively, due to my Christian faith. I've long since come to realize that people will continue to engage in homosexual lifestyles, and while I wish for their sakes that they wouldn't, there's little to nothing I can do to change it. And it's not for me to change, anyway.

 

However, I also have come to realize that my thoughts and beliefs can be heavily influenced by entertainment, so I'd rather steer clear of entertainment that will push values that fly in the face of what I choose to believe. Plus the fact that, again, my faith will not allow me even to passively condone homosexuality, yet that's what I'd be doing if I continued to watch MLP after it introduced an openly gay character.

[Darker 1,352]

I'm already pissed about all the adult references they put in both the show and the comics. I don't think it makes any good.

 

But a gay character? Eh... I don't know, he probably would be the second most obvious gay animated character of all time. *cough,cough* He-Man*cough,cough* (I had to make such joke, trust me)

 

No, I don't think they would even introduce it because it would cause a lot of controversy. And even if it was introduced, I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't care, overall, because homosexuality is harmless. Except in a kids cartoon. Younger audiences might get a bit confused.

[Adachi 772]

I would be ok with it, but knowing the soccer moms...

 

I think their kids have a lot more maturity than they do.

[MONO 204]

Hmph. And why would that be? 

basically the same thing that Henny Penny Said.

not to mention that honestly i just don't need it nor do I find it entertaining.

[LongGoneGr 1,305]

I, personally, don't agree with homosexuality but they're ponies and the rule God made about homosexuality goes to humans.

 

Also the show is friggin fake.

 

But, do you remember that Good Luck Charlie riot that happened cuz they had an openly gay couple on there. It was a massacre too terrible to speak of on the internet. 

 

I, personally, don't want to see it cuz we have enough fanfiction of that.

 

Pretty much the Good Luck Charlie thing was what I was gonna say.

 

I know I wouldn't let my kids (if I was an adult) watch it if it did that, and neither would I (probably) - that's just more "shove it down their throat" mentality. Everyone is entitled to their own views and instilling young kids with that at such a young age is like brainwashing them to support it.

[Arctic Night 884]

As has been said already, this shouldn't even be a question. Homosexuality is something that everyone, if they are to think at all, should be completely indifferent towards. No one is arguing that we shouldn't have "heterosexuality" in the show, or that the show should not have included a marriage between a male and a female.

 

I wouldn't care if a gay character was added, because I believe that it's important for children viewing MLP to be taught rational, moral lessons. What this means is teaching them to accept anyone, even if they were born with a different sexual orientation.

[Buck Testa 5,505]

Pretty much the Good Luck Charlie thing was what I was gonna say.

 

I know I wouldn't let my kids (if I was an adult) watch it if it did that, and neither would I (probably) - that's just more "shove it down their throat" mentality. Everyone is entitled to their own views and instilling young kids with that at such a young age is like brainwashing them to support it.

I see where you are coming from with that I do. At the same time though if the kid IS gay, which trust me is a thing whether or not you instill your beliefs to the kid, do you want he or she to grow up thinking they are bad or evil for feeling the way they do? Cause thats exactly what happens when you shut out something like this as an Opinion.

[LongGoneGr 1,305]

It's not shutting it out; they'll find out about it eventually. It's postponing them so they can form an opinion when the time is right.

[Fractured 2,684]

Someone help me out here. Why is it that whenever somebody talks about homosexuality in children's media, people act like we're showing sex to kids?

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

The issue with making a character gay is that you are doing it solely to make a point. It's not like in real life, where one's preferences are dictated by their background, life experience, etc. In fiction, a character's appearance, traits, and even preferences are dictated entirely by the author. And homosexuality, being a massively overexaggerated hot-button issue these days, is something that everyone wants to make a point on. What exactly that point is, and how well it's handled, however, heavily depend on the writer.

 

BioWare, for instance, has become rather infamous for putting gay/bi characters everywhere they possibly can in their games, to the point that even the most progressive of players were pissed off that there wasn't a single straight romance option in DA2. Russel T. Davies, the madman behind the first few seasons of the Doctor Who reboot (which itself seemed to have gay characters just for the point of having them), later created the orientational clusterfuck that is Torchwood.

 

All of this is well and good, though, when you consider context. BioWare makes mature-rated video games for grown-ups. If a grown-up can't handle having homosexuality in a video game (as long as it doesn't get ridiculous), then there is no hope for them. Doctor Who, while a family show at face, is a show with an adult nerd culture that dwarfs even our own, and the writing reflects that. Well, most of the time, at least.

 

MLP fanfiction, even, is also written for adults. If you write a fanfic about Twilight and Applejack getting together, then that fanfic was written for a grown-up audience, and so you can cover whatever issues you want in said fanfic.

 

But MLP the show, a cartoon which has already been criticized for even the most minute of nods to the brony community, a show that plays things so safe that a grey horse got censored because she "looked retarded," a show in which every single episode to air thus far has been rated TV-Y (which is the lowest possible television rating in the United States, and second lowest out of all US ratings next to the seldom-used "ec" rating on video games), really SHOULD NOT become a battleground for adult politics.

 

There is a time and a place to make a point. A children's TV show about talking ponies is neither. There are issues I'd like to see covered in fiction, too, but I concede that Rainbow Dash suddenly spitting out a ranty diatribe about media sensationalism would be more than a little ridiculous.

 

Let some things just be for fun without having a political message behind them. Even if it's an agreeable, or even harmless message, it has no place in the canon Ponyverse.

[chirox the pony 1,336]

Someone help me out here. Why is it that whenever somebody talks about homosexuality in children's media, people act like we're showing sex to kids?

Because whenever it's brought up the first thing people(usually homophobes)think about is the sex, gee I wonder why, I mean it's not like they secretly wanna take part in it or anything :->.