Is Applejack's Southern characterisation offensive?

[Pony.inc 38]

I asked a fellow Brony friend of mine from Texas what she thought of Applejack. He said she made him mad because of her depiction and personality. What do you thing?

[Panne 1,342]

He said she made him mad because of her depiction and personality. What do you thing?

Go to tumblr if you want to be offended about pointless stuff...

[Misty Rose 3,216]

Well....a brony from Texas wouldn't really be the best person to ask Texas for the most part has become more modern than country. However I have a friend from Kentucky and AJ's his favorite out of the Mane 6

 

Now I get how Applejack may display all the southern stereotypes, but I think most people who aren't completely country would take offense

[mars 4,863]

On the contrary, I've met many Southern bronies who adore Applejack. And honestly, why would someone feel offended over Applejack's personality? I can understand perhaps the accent might bug a few people, but her personality? She's wise, mature, loyal, helpful, considerate, loving, kind, and of course.. Honest. Why would anyone be offended over one of the best characters on the show?

[Kapitan zur See Hans (Daz) 883]

Applejack wasn't created to depict all southerners, southerners can be very diverse in their ways and people know that, it isn't like they think that all act just like AJ.

 

 

 

Well....a brony from Texas wouldn't really be the best person to ask Texas for the most part has become more modern than country. However I have a friend from Kentucky and AJ's his favorite out of the Mane 6

Now I get how Applejack may display all the southern stereotypes, but I think most people who aren't completely country would take offense

Also it depends where ya live in Ky Pink, if you are from Eastern, Western, Southern Ky you are most definitely a southerner, but in central or anywhere else in Ky, even if you are a farmer or anything you can't really be a true southerner as the city has an effect on those parts quite heavily. The only thing that I have going for me that is southern is the way I speak, it isn't a drawn out heavy accent, but it is slight with a lot of wording that makes it so.

[Jeric 46,867]

 

 

I know more than a handful of AJ fans on this site that are in 'southern' US States and they are not offended at all. 

[DormantAccount 308]

I'm from Texas and though I don't care for her disdain for mathematics in Applebuck Season, I wouldn't consider myself offended.

 

Since then, she has been nothing but positive. She's probably the most level headed, responsible and mature of the mane 6. As some have pointed out, she doesn't have a lot of flaws and on many occasions is the one teaching others. This results in making it difficult to put her as the focus of an episode. Her pride is her main flaw and it doesn't really come up very often. She is a very practical and hard working mare who many rely on.

 

In short, she's my favorite pony.

[Pony.inc 38]

I respect my buddy's opinion, but yes. I love Applejack.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

On the contrary, I've met many Southern bronies who adore Applejack. And honestly, why would someone feel offended over Applejack's personality? I can understand perhaps the accent might bug a few people, but her personality? She's wise, mature, loyal, helpful, considerate, loving, kind, and of course.. Honest. Why would anyone be offended over one of the best characters on the show?

 

This! Everything this lady said!

 

Seriously; what is there to be offended over? She's not my favorite, but of the six she's usually the most level-headed and mature of the bunch; not to mention having one of the cutest accents from an animated character. <3

[[NULL] 907]

I don't see what the big deal is. Sure one could argue that she's sort of a southern stereotype, but she's not one-dimensional. It's not like they're portraying her in a negative light, and there wasn't anything in the show that said "This is what all southerners are like!"

 

That's what the Honey Boo Boo show is for.

 

Edit: That's what the Honey Boo Boo show was for.

Edited January 7, 2015 by SpaceOnion

[Kapitan zur See Hans (Daz) 883]

 

 

That's what Honey Boo Boo is for.

Oh god, I wish you hadn't said that, been trying to forget that Honey Boo Boo was a thing lol

[Countess Noodle 607]

What's that?! Someone having their jimmies rustled cause of a cartoon. Me thinks your friend needs to stop taking things so personally and chillax.  :comeatus:

 

Is Applejack offending anyone? No one except your friend is offended. Makes you think doesn't it? 

Edited January 7, 2015 by CausticNoodleBrony

[Nit Pick 247]

I'm from Texas as well and she doesn't bother me at all.  In fact southern depictions in media don't bother me at all either.  However seeing real people being a real stereotype in real life somehow bothers me.  It shouldn't bother me but it does.

 

Like having a strong fake sounding southern twang, beehive haircut/ten gallon hat, and obsess over country music that isn't Johnny Cash and detest anyone who doesn't go to their church; would bother me.

 

Applejack's just a cute southern mare with a nice accent, a reasonable hat and a pretty mane with adorable freckles.  

 

On the contrary, I've met many Southern bronies who adore Applejack. And honestly, why would someone feel offended over Applejack's personality? I can understand perhaps the accent might bug a few people, but her personality? She's wise, mature, loyal, helpful, considerate, loving, kind, and of course.. Honest. Why would anyone be offended over one of the best characters on the show?

 

↑ That too ↑

[Sceethe 704]

because fluttershy offends introverted people.

also, rainbow dash offends tomboys.

 

i thought the main point of the show was to show these girl character archetypes and display them in a good light.

which they do, i don´t understand how anyone could be offended by that.

Edited January 7, 2015 by Sceethe

[Shanks 10,816]

There are some people who just love to find something to be offended by, I mean really. Most of the "stereotypes" that Applejack exhibits are positive ones, and if anything I have noticed a lot of people from the south, the midwest ect that like Applejack.

[Ziltoid the Omniscient 286]

Well, she is my least favorite mane 6.  But I dont find her to be an offensive stereotype. The people that take offense are too much like her, or want to be like her but can't because they're not honest enough.

[#1FluttershyFan 206]

I don't see why people would be offended by Applejack. I get that she does display some stereotypes but her good qualities outweigh her bads. She's almost too loyal and dependable if that's possible because she will work until she literally cant go on from tiredness and won't accept help because she feels the need to always take her responsibility. I think she's actually a very good role model for all kids (including southern children).

[King Sejong 859]

   I am a Texas and a up-state South Carolina brony, I adore Applejack, and some of us have some in common with Applejack, like agriculture, a close family and good work ethic, that makes up the south. Besides, the worst southern stereotypes are Honey Boo Boo, Larry the Cable Guy and Duck Dynasty, and those are real people, maybe they are a caricature of the south, but these people are real, and they have been a detritus to the south, along with those in participation with, just like Jersey Shore did for New Jersey, despite the fact none of the cast were natives of the area,   

Edited January 7, 2015 by Emperor Peter

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 3,017]

O why must there always be people who are offended by things that are clearly not at all intended to insult them?

[Virgil 685]

I'm from Texas, and while she isn't my favorite character on the show, I still very much like her character. Heck, I have a Great Aunt that is very much like AJ in terms of personality. Grew up during the Depression to a family of farmers, was the first in her family to get a college degree, taught high school English until she retired; although she remained incredibly active even during retirement, and while she is a few years shy of 100 she still has it together more so than many who are half her age. So yeah AJ doesn't offend me...

 

The type of person who gets offended by AJ is the type of person who I suspect isn't aware of their own cultural atmosphere; which, while hard, isn't impossible ( it's a little like hearing your own voice, you basically have to listen to a recording of yourself, and you are generally shocked by the sound at first).

[KiwiPony 125]

Well I've never been to southern America (I'm from a very farming intensive country of that helps?) But even though I still can't see any merit to anyone being offended by AJ, even if she is designed to depict Southeners. Plus if I was them I'd be greatful, one of the first American shows I've seen that doesn't mock the South. I do think some people are too quick to believe something is offensive, plus come on, AJ is probably the most hardworking, down to earth charactor... Anyone should be proud to be like her

[[NULL] 907]

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Edited September 4, 2017 by [NULL]

[TenorSounds 832]

"I'm offended because this is kind of like me/my culture" without actually pointing out how that is bad is about as useful of a criticism as "I don't like this because I've seen it done somewhere else before". It has no weight in a discussion, it's lazy. Now if Applejack was some terrible, offensive stereotype then yeah I could see the problem but she has a "southern" accent. Are characters not allowed to have southern accents? Is the offensive part that it's implying all southerners are farmers? It's a stretch to say the least.

 

Did you friend give any specific reason, or just "it's offensive because"?

Edited January 7, 2015 by TenorSounds

[Eloquence 2,076]

Basically agreeing with everyone else here, there's nothing to be offended by. I would be honored to be compared to Applejack. As for her voice, it does take some getting used to for some (for example my partner hated it when he first heard it), but I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I think her accent is especially thick just to give her a unique voice, because all of the ponies have very unique voices. It's part of what makes them so memorable.

 

 

because fluttershy offends introverted people.

also, rainbow dash offends tomboys.

 

As for this, I am quite honestly shocked!! I may think it would be silly to be offended by AJ or RD, but Fluttershy is just downright nonsense! I myself am very introverted and have anxiety like Fluttershy does, and seeing her depicted in such a surprisingly realistic light was a saving grace for me, it made me feel like for once the media was treating me like a real person.

 

Perhaps there are introverts who don't like that Fluttershy also has anxiety because they think it supports the strereotype that all introverts are frightened by social situations. Hmmm....

[Thrashy 2,800]

I think...your friend may be just a tad oversensitive. Suffice it to say, there are loads of Southerners who aren't offended by AJ's mannerisms in the slightest. This forum alone seems to bear a surprising amount of Texans, I've noticed, and I've heard nothing but neutral or favorable opinions from them concerning AJ.

 

But to be entirely fair to your friend, could you maybe ask him what specifically he finds objectionable about her? Her Southern drawl, her appearance, or the fact that she's a farmer? If it's any of those, well...I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Southerners do have a distinct vernacular; the deep South is heavy into agriculture; "cowboy" hats often are the headwear of choice for farmers and ranchers (which is equally true of farmers here in CA, not just the South). In short, people like AJ do exist in the South, and I don't think that merely acknowledging their existence is insensitive in any way as long as they're painted in a positive light.

 

And if he objects to her personality traits such as being hardworking, full of integrity, and all about the family...well, those are all positive personality traits, so I can't see how those would offend a soul.

 

Now, if AJ's character were based on negative Southern stereotypes - uneducated, anti-science, xenophobic, had a family member whose legal name is Lawnmower Mark, etc. - then I could fully understand why she might be found offensive. But really, the only somewhat-negative "Southern" personality trait she seems to display is stubbornness, which is less of a "Southern" quality and more of a...well, human quality.