Is it really about "disabilities" with Derpy?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Orrrr...is it just her boy-like voice? Since Derpygate, we've gotten disabled characters in the show- Stellar Eclipse, in "Trade Ya", and of course, Scootaloo. Both of which have handicaps, and speaking roles. And as far as I know, no one's really made a fuss about these characters (and personally, I'd love to see Stellar show up more, along with Derpy). Derpy was seen being given more up front and center shots in season 4, and in the EQG2 movie, so I have a feeling things might change (as her eyes have already been Derped back to how they originally were), and if she shows up in season 5, she might regain her voice, if that wasn't the issue. But as far as I see, disabled ponies like Scoots and Stellar aren't causing any backlash- so Derpy shouldn't (have) either.

Season 5- Derpy, yay or neigh? Should Derpy, Stellar Eclipse, and Scootaloo  form their own little club and be seen more in episodes (like the CMC?)

[Nulln 755]

the other disabled ponies are just shown as normal ponies, while derpy is an obvious joke.  i guess they thought she was making fun of disabled people is why people had a problem with her.  but i do really like her, and i hope she gets a few speaking roles.

[Visual Spectrum 1,932]

Stellar Eclipse was the OC of someone who was disabled. I don't know much information on that, though. He got his OC as well as a speaking role in the show because of the Make a Wish Foundation. I don't even know if he's alive anymore or not. 

 

So Those three being in a club is extremely highly unlikely. 

 

The thing is, we don't know who is all disabled. Sure Twilight seems to have Asperger's and OCD, but until it's canon, there is no proof she is or isn't. Same with Maud being autistic. (Unless the writers said she wasn't.) There are more on the list. 

[EquestriaGuy 1,074]

Those who claimed she was disabled used offensive stereotypes about her characters to assert her disability, and then claimed those that loved her to be the bad guys here. I love our Derpy eyed pony, and see nothing wrong with her. It's those who label her based on her appearance, voice, and clumsiness who are wrong here. What happened was such a tragedy.

[BayoUni2847 528]

Just because a pony has a small eye problem doesn't mean we should label her as disabled.

[Andaasonsan 3,205]

I think her first speaking appearance was sort of a Perfect Storm of terrible ideas. Individually things like the crooked eyes, voice, clumsiness, name, and total uselessness would have been okay.

 

When you put them all together she's a bit over the top.

 

Personally I don't care that much, but I could see how she could have been considered offensive.

 

Then again I never understood why bronies like her so much in the first place.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Andaasonsan

[EquestriaGuy 1,074]

I think her first speaking appearance was sort of a Perfect Storm of terrible ideas. Individually things like the crooked eyes, voice, clumsiness, name, and total uselessness would have been okay.

 

When you put them all together she's a bit over the top.

 

Personally I don't care that much, but I could see how she could have been considered offensive.

 

Then again I never understood why bronies like her so much in the first place.

 

There's just something so fun and innocent about her, and when she spoke it was like the ultimate affirmation of how wonderful and goodhearted this background character is. It pissed me off to no end to see her ridiculed and labeled like she was after TLR aired. Seeing the edited version for the first time was as heartbreaking as you can get over a cartoon character. It sucked to see parts of her uniqueness erased, just to appease a few social justice warmongers. She deserves to have her eyes and voice intact. They were never anything to be ashamed of or hidden away.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

There's just something so fun and innocent about her, and when she spoke it was like the ultimate affirmation of how wonderful and goodhearted this background character is. It pissed me off to no end to see her ridiculed and labeled like she was after TLR aired. Seeing the edited version for the first time was as heartbreaking as you can get over a cartoon character. It sucked to see parts of her uniqueness erased, just to appease a few social justice warmongers. She deserves to have her eyes and voice intact. They were never anything to be ashamed of or hidden away.

I agree. Personally, she's just plain adorable, and for some- relateable. All of her unique characteristics should've stayed intact, and if Hasbro chooses to bring her back, brought back again, as that's just just Derpy, nothing offensive about her

 

If Disney can get away with it, with Goofy; the name, the clumsiness, and the voice, then hell, so can Hasbro with their Derpy little pony

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

I believe some people think that Derpy is offensive because she looks like a slur against retarded people. I still think she's freaking adorable though. I really wish they would do more with her than just screen cameos.

[Shadyshay 2]

I think her first speaking appearance was sort of a Perfect Storm of terrible ideas. Individually things like the crooked eyes, voice, clumsiness, name, and total uselessness would have been okay.

 

When you put them all together she's a bit over the top.

 

Personally I don't care that much, but I could see how she could have been considered offensive.

 

Then again I never understood why bronies like her so much in the first place.

how can she be offensive? i never understoodd it. there are tons cartoon characters that are clumsy, goofy, silly,dumb,crazy, etc and nobody say anything about them. I mean if you look at it this way shes almost like a clumsy pinkie pie. look at  pinkie pie characteristics:silly, goofy, clumsy at times,messy,dumb, random, and just plan crazy. people dont think shes retarded. 

Edited October 4, 2014 by Shadyshay

[Jeric 46,854]

The average parent would not research the origin of the character, nor should they be required to. Parents that engaged HUB and Hasbro upset at the portrayal of the character did have cause to do so. Was it just her voice? No, though that second line of dialog was a bit over the top. I would also like to point out that Tabby gave Derpy a sex change. That mistake and poor communication may have changed the course of the character's portrayal going forward. It also didn't help that one of the Mane Six didn't seem very found of Derpy's presence which was also a contributing factor to people taking the opinion that the scene and character came across as offensive. The second (corrected) voice given to Derpy may have mitigated the original reaction if Tabby was asked to go that direction first, but other aspects like downplaying Rainbow Dash's annoyance would have helped too. It wasn't just about having a character with mental disabilities that caused the issue, it was how said character was presented.

 

Bill Cosby sums it up better than me. Start at 2:12

 

http://youtu.be/QrRUXsDumrM?t=2m12s

 

 

Basically Derpy was delicious steak ... but they served her on a damn trashcan lid.

[Shanks 10,816]

The average parent would not research the origin of the character, nor should they be required to.

Really? Because I am under the impression that you should at least try to understand something before you jump to conclusions and condemn it but apparently those parents disagree. What kind of lesson are they teaching their kids with that? You could argue that the presentation could have been better and it could have but the fact that these parents ignorantly claimed to speak for the disabled while ignoring the millions of them that liked Derpy so for that reason and that they didn't even bother to make any suggestions other than "kill her with fire" they can all go fuck themselves. Why are their voices heard while mine is ignored? I am not mentally challenged but I have been called stupid and retarded for being on the Autism spectrum and thus being a bit different from others. I don't like being ignored and I don't like having people automatically assume that I would find something offensive just because they do.

 

 

I have said it a million times and will say it again, there is no confirmation one way or another that Derpy has any disability except for walled eyes and a clumsy, slightly child like nature which I don't think counts yet people still made that assumption. But a lot of people who are disabled or just seen as different for other reasons like and respond to her and she could make a great teaching tool for teaching that it is okay to be different. How would you feel if something was so personal to you and everyone ignored you while claiming to speak for you? It would piss you off wouldn't it? It sure pisses me off.

[Jeric 46,854]

 

 

Really? Because I am under the impression that you should at least try to understand something before you jump to conclusions and condemn it but apparently those parents disagree.

 

Really. And I actually speak from first impressions and experience on this exact topic. Speaking strictly as a parent thinking back to when my kids were in the target demographic's age bracket, we tend to not have as much time as the average fan to research all the nuances of the show what with actual parental responsibilities. It wasn't exactly jumping to conclusions. Derpy's original portrayal did look like someone was making a poor ass joke on people with mental disabilities. And past and present history does tell me that children's entertainment CAN be tainted this way by an uniformed staff when one person gets a little ... sneaky. More emphasis on character research should have been done by the actual show staff, and problem averted. The meaning of the name wasn't looked up by the writer who had a vested interest in not having the character seen as mentally disabled. The VA Director and VA had no idea Derpy was a mare. I mean ... bad research.

 

The parents did what they are supposed to do, watch the program with their kids or ahead of time. I mean, if all these upset parents actually Googled Derpy MLP ... do you really think that it would have helped things? It may have made things MUCH worse.

 

Summary: it's the creative team that should be held accountable for how they package something, not the consumer in their reasonable first impression or interpretation.

[Shanks 10,816]

Really. And I actually speak from first impressions and experience on this exact topic. Speaking strictly as a parent thinking back to when my kids were in the target demographic's age bracket, we tend to not have as much time as the average fan to research all the nuances of the show what with actual parental responsibilities.

That would have been understandable had this happened before the internet age but it takes what 5 maybe 10 minutes thanks to the internet so that is not going to get much sympathy from me. Can you explain why parents opinions matter so much more than the people the ones that complained claimed to speak for? I have been shut out of a very important conversation here thanks to them and is it so wrong to want the next generation to have things a little easier than I did? If you really are one of them though than I suppose I have nothing more to say to you.

[Singe 2,111]

The only main thing that was the hair trigger is the way Derpy spoke. Cartoons have made fun of the mentally disabled, but they generally been guys with normal voices without any hint of impediment. Then after that, a guy's voice tends to be deeper and can easily mask the impediment as normal.

 

It's very abnormal for a female character to speak irregularity like Derpy and sticks out more compared to male characters. Then the next is finding a way to establish Derpy as not the mentally disable stereotype joke.

 

The last thing parents might want is their kids imitating the way Derpy speaks.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Singe

[ManaMinori 4,145]

The only main thing that was the hair trigger is the way Derpy spoke. Cartoons have made fun of the mentally disabled, but they generally been guys with normal voices without any hint of impediment. Then after that, a guy's voice tends to be deeper and can easily mask the impediment as normal.

 

The last thing parents might want is their kids imitating the way Derpy speaks.

what about Goofy? or that Down syndrome girl that Chris dated, on Family guy ?

[Singe 2,111]

what about Goofy? or that Down syndrome girl that Chris dated, on Family guy ?

 

Goofy is a male character from 1934 and has been shown to speak at various pitches from his high pitches yelps to his low tone gosh line.

 

The down syndrome girl episode had controversy. However, FG has mocked male mentally handicap characters and I don't recall any controversy from that.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Singe

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

I'd second that it was over her voice, though some really serious SJWs did some digging and found that some people actually use "derp" as a de facto insult towards the mentally disabled.

 

Tabitha just overdid Derpy's voice because she for some reason thought that Derpy was male, thus she had to be redubbed in a more feminine voice. There are enough videos on the Internet that give Derpy a much more appropriate voice, but I don't think Tabitha was active enough on the Internet at the time to have sought that out.

 

The fact that Derpy gets censored while the arguably more offensive Snips and Snails get a pass is beyond me, however.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Wind Chaser

[Jeric 46,854]

 

 

If you really are one of them though than I suppose I have nothing more to say to you.

 

Nope, I never engaged in a letter writing campaign and was not a fan of MLP at the time this was aired. My children were at the far end of the target audience when that episode aired so they also saw what I saw. My daughter, who's BP is Derpy prefers the edited scene. I understand the parents' point of view on this, and I hold DHX more accountable for the fiasco that any other group as they are stewards of the show.

 

I'm not going to comment on anything else you said.

 

 

or that Down syndrome girl that Chris dated, on Family guy ?

 

Family Guy actually intends and sets out to create offensive humor. That 'Down Syndrome' girl was a depiction of a real life person. Bad example.

 

I sure don't expect 5 years old's to be watching Family Guy

[Singe 2,111]

I'd second that it was over her voice, though some really serious SJWs did some digging and found that some people actually use "derp" as a de facto insult towards the mentally disabled.

 

Tabitha just overdid Derpy's voice because she for some reason thought that Derpy was male, thus she had to be redubbed in a more feminine voice. There are enough videos on the Internet that give Derpy a much more appropriate voice, but I don't think Tabitha was active enough on the Internet at the time to have sought that out.

 

The fact that Derpy gets censored while the arguably more offensive Snips and Snails get a pass is beyond me, however.

 

For Snips and Snails, I would say it's a gender bias way of thinking. It's easier to be offended by female characters vs. male characters.

 

A difference of thinking for example, a male character with ripped clothes and chained up vs a female character with ripped clothes and chained up.

[newfrickinshow 100]

I see that it has already been brought up once but I tend to agree with the original point concerning Snips and Snails.  Is the rule of thumb that handicapped people/ponies can only be portrayed as long as they've got no redeeming values?  At least Derpy was friendly while S&S have shown a tendency to side up with and suck up to baddies without much hesitation.

 

I don't expect it to happen but honestly I'd like to see the writers double down on Derpy, give his eye issues and clumsiness a backstory.  Maybe we find out what the Buckaneer Blitz is and that something bad happened while Dash was perfecting it.  My idea is that Rainbow one day realized that she can kick a cloud to create lightning and she can go inside clouds.  If only she could figure out a way to kick said cloud from the inside and use all 4 hooves, her head, and maybe her tail to create lightning simultaneously...  Unfortunately she tried this before she had really perfected her control of which way the lighting goes.  Rainbow feels guilty about what happened to a previously spectacular flyer so she drops out of flight school and brings Derpy along.

 

The name Derpy is a nickname that came from her foal in the form of one of those weird, random nicknames or words that babies sometimes give to things. 

[Fractured 2,684]

Wait- Derpy is disabled?  
I don't understand. A little eccentric, clumsy, but disabled? That doesn't make sense. Just running through the list:

 

Awkward eyes: is...this a thing with disabled people? My experience is a little shallow, to be honest, but do disabled people regularly have eye issues like this? Is there a specific mental defect that leads to that kind of condition?

 

Clumsy: Again, is this something that disabled people are prone to? It's not something I hear about a lot.

 

Speech: Maybe this is what people are most up in arms about. I don't see it though; if they were going for offensive, they failed at it. She doesn't stutter or struggle to form words, and she articulates perfectly. Her accentuation is somewhat unique, if that's what people are talking about. It's not really any different from speaking with a Canadian tongue in that sense, though.

 

In the end, I think this was a little of everyone's fault. The parent's saw her and assumed something that was completely illogical. Bronies rushed in to defend it, thereby confirming an idea that was false. Show creators cut her out, basically signalling to everybody that their thoughts were correct, even though they don't make sense in the first place.

 

I think this was just one of the larger and more perfect example's of Murphy's Law; everything went wrong at exactly the right time.

[Singe 2,111]

Derpy's scene was done for the purpose of comedy. Rainbow Dash is putting up with Derpy's antics and is chewing her out. The scene makes fun of both Rainbow Dash and Derpy. Rainbow Dash has been established as a direct harsh critic.

 

There isn't much difference in the elements compared to Family Guy's "Lewis and Clark and the guy who rips up maps."

[Fractured 2,684]

Maud shows almost every single sign common in an autistic person. If you took her in to a psychiatrist, they would agree she is autistic. I'd say that's proof enough.

Not particularly. Sometimes things line up with unerring accuracy, but that doesn't mean you can assume things. If someone was walking around with their hair stuck up, burns on their body, a limp, and a slight twitch, you could conclude they got struck by lightning, but that doesn't mean they did. A doctor would have to examine them before you could make a prognosis, not the other way around. Obviously, that's something that's impossible for Maud.

[Jeric 46,854]

 

 

You all seem a bit dusty on your Derpy history. You see, some politically-correct mother looked up "Derpy" on the Internet and found some BS definition saying it was slang for "retarded."

 

Please provide a source for a definitive statement such as that. South Park and BASEketball own the etymology of the word, which was more akin to 'stupid' or mentally deficient ... yes. 

 

 

Maud shows almost every single sign common in an autistic person.

 

'Common' signs of ASD? I have to ask, where are you getting this information?