Rainbiw Dash-should she be a boy right from the start?

[NFM2013 29]

Rainbow Dash.We all love her(almostt, at least)

But I am wondering, should RD should be a boy right from the start of the show?

I mean, she's extremly sporty, her attitude felt like a boy, and her voice...ugghh...

What do you think?

[PROJECT: Simon 3,953]

No.... there are couple strong girls who act like a boy. Also, main 6. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack and Twilight are female, and it would be weird if one of them is a male. 

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Sounds like someone missed the whole point.

[Odyssey 5,713]

I seriously disagree. What makes MLP:FiM special is the diversity of characters. You have the party pony, the fashionista and of course, the sports pony. Just because Rainbow Dash has masculine traits doesn't mean she must be male. It also makes her stand out more, which is a good thing in character creation. In addition to this, Rainbow has shown her feminine side from time to time like in The Best Night Ever, which shows that she doesn't hate every feminine thing.

 

So no, Rainbow shouldn't be male from the start. I've always saw her as a female character, even before watching the show.

Edited January 25, 2015 by Odyssey

[Pinkamena Dianne Pie 465]

So what if a girl is sporty and spunky? Doesn't automatically mean they should be a boy. There are a lot of girls that are heavily sporty and very big tomboys. I knew a ffew and I honestly wouldn't want them to be male. That would be like saying that guys who have good fashion senses, are good at artsy fartsy stuff, and are in touch and respect there feminine side should be girls... Wait... Well? Guess I should be a girl then.

[Shanks 10,811]

There are plenty of girls who act a lot like Rainbow Dash, so no I think Rainbow Dash is perfectly fine being a mare instead of a stallion. And I might add that you could just as easily make the same case with Applejack, she dosen't have Rainbow Dash's raspy voice but like Rainbow Dash is an athlete, very competitive (though Applejack is better at reigning it in), has competed in some rodeos and is even stronger than most full grown stallions.

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

Girls are allowed to not be girly nowadays. It's called being a tomboy, and it's a thing. A double standard in society where tomboy girls are regarded as cool and effeminate guys are regarded as possibly gay, but it's a thing.

 

Also remember the target audience: Young girls. Us older fans are a byproduct, not the initial target audience. Young girls relate better to young girls.

[CC_Maud_Pie 6,431]

No. She's tomcoltish. You can't expect all fillys to act fillyish. You need diversity.

Edited January 25, 2015 by CC_Maud_Pie

[remove p l e a s e ? 800]

It's called being a tomboy, so no.

[Shanks 10,811]

Also remember the target audience: Young girls. Us older fans are a byproduct, not the initial target audience. Young girls relate better to young girls.

That is the general opinion of a lot of people but isn't the fact that so many teens and adults many of whom are male into a show where the characters are predominantly female proof that people are capable of relating to characters of the opposite gender is a rather significant way? This isn't nearly as huge as the brony phenomenon but as a long time Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan one thing I have noticed is that since the 2012 reboot that there are a lot of new fans coming in and many of them are young girls even though most of the main characters are in fact male.

[Sunny Fox 5,935]

No, because Lauren Faust specifically was looking to create six strong FEMALE characters that girls could look up to, and to show there are many ways girls can act and express themselves, and that they not have to conform to a society-imposed feminine stereotype. Having Rainbow Dash be a boy would be directly contradictory to that aim.

 

PS - Does anyone else think the very word "tomboy" is outdated and (hoo boy, controversial word in-coming) sexist? It pretty much implies that the sort of behaviour the label refers to is inherently male. That's like saying, "Oh, you behave like this, so you're pretty much a boy inside even though you're physically a girl."

[SilverStarApple 849]

The whole point of her character is that she's a guy pony who is not a guy. Also, self esteem issues and AppleDash/PinkieDash subtext. Making her a guy would make her a guy who acts like a guy, and the show would be boring. Dash would be the designated token guy instead of Spike, and the show would be lamer.

 

 

This is a joke, she's actually a much deeper character.

 

[Lektra Bolt 2,337]

 

That is the general opinion of a lot of people but isn't the fact that so many teens and adults many of whom are male into a show where the characters are predominantly female proof that people are capable of relating to characters of the opposite gender is a rather significant way? This isn't nearly as huge as the brony phenomenon but as a long time Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan one thing I have noticed is that since the 2012 reboot that there are a lot of new fans coming in and many of them are young girls even though most of the main characters are in fact male.

 

 

The fact remains that it's easier for the target audience to relate to. I didn't say they can't relate to a boy, just that it's easier. Please look at the target audience.

[King Sejong 858]

   I like Rainbow Dash as a female character, tomboy characters are nothing new, the nineties had many tomboys, one example was Ashley Spinelli from Disney's Recess, curiously, it also a effeminate character too, Mickey Bloomburg, who was in ballet and had an innocent youthfulness. In real life we have a multitude of female characteristics, my younger sister is a tomboy, she likes camping and marksmanship, she is very active and athletic, so females with masculine qualities do occur, and will continue to exist and rise with modernity, for it was those very qualities that made me a staunch Rainbow Dash fan, she is resilient yet gentle, she likes to read and dress up in formal dress, Rainbow Dash is a wonderful female character, she does not have to male, in fact she reminds us, that females have the ability to keep up males, someday we might have a strong male character with feminine qualities, also Applejack has a masculine side, she works outside and does not mind getting dirty, plus both Rainbow Dash and Applejack are voiced by Ashleigh Ball, it's food for thought, just keep watching.  

Edited January 25, 2015 by King Charles

[Gearbox10mm 794]

You've missed the point entirely. The show was meant to follow 6 female characters with personalities that span the gamut from the extreamly girly, shy FS to the athletic, outgoing RD. Changing any of the main characters genders would completely defeat the original purpose of the show.

 

You could replace Pinky with Cheese Sandwich for example. The comedy and story line would probably still work but the whole dynamic of the show would change.  

Edited January 25, 2015 by Gearbox10mm

[NFM2013 29]

OK, I get it.RD is a tomboy(I never know that word before).But her voice, her freakingly male-ish voice.We all know voice can't be changed because we want to.

[Sunny Fox 5,935]

OK, I get it.RD is a tomboy(I never know that word before).But her voice, her freakingly male-ish voice.We all know voice can't be changed because we want to.

Her voice is neither freakish nor male-ish, in my opinion. 

[Odyssey 5,713]

OK, I get it.RD is a tomboy(I never know that word before).But her voice, her freakingly male-ish voice.We all know voice can't be changed because we want to.

 

I don't want it changed, personally. If anything, her voice is another unique trait of her's that makes her stand out, as it fits her gutsy personality. And in my opinion, it sounds both masculine and feminine. If you find her voice jarring, then that's fine. I think that it's not.

[mars 4,861]

Rainbow Dash.We all love her(almostt, at least)

But I am wondering, should RD should be a boy right from the start of the show?

I mean, she's extremly sporty, her attitude felt like a boy, and her voice...ugghh...

What do you think?

Absolutely not. Just because she acts a bit masculine doesn't mean that she should be a boy. In fact, why do you really consider those traits to be masculine? Why is being sporty and being a bit proud of yourself male traits?

[Gearbox10mm 794]

I think in an interview Ashleigh Ball mentioned she partially based Rainbow Dashes voice on Demi Moore. That's G.I.Jane in case you didn't know.

[Megas 27,095]

I actually think turning her into a boy would take away a lot of why so many people(including me) like her so much. It's really nice to see a character who can embrace both masculine and feminine traits

[sweetolebob18 724]

I'm an old guy & I was babysitting a niece & watched an episode (Cutie Mark Chronicles), which was weird enough to pique my interest.  I thought Dash WAS a boy (also Scootaloo (the haircuts)) & was informed in no uncertain terms how wrong I was (You haven't lived until you've been patronized by a 6 year old KMN)

 

But, 2 of my 3 sisters were tomboys (as a teenager, 1 got in more bar fights than any 2 guys I know outside of Texas (she grew up to be an insurance adjuster)), so it never struck me as odd for 1 or 2 ponies to be Jocks.

[Red Cedar 1,407]

I have a daughter. One of the strengths of this version of MLP from my perspective is that it shows quite clearly that there are all different types of girls, that there is no one female stereotype, and that common ground can be found between them. Thus, it's okay to be a girl who is a book worm. It's okay to be a girl who is an introvert. It's okay to be a girl who's an extrovert. It's okay to be a girl who enjoys dressing fancy. It's okay to be a girl from a rural background rather than an urban one. And, it's okay to be a girl who doesn't act at all like a girl.

 

I like Rainbow Dash exactly as she is.

[Foliha 395]

Rainbow Dash.We all love her(almostt, at least)

But I am wondering, should RD should be a boy right from the start of the show?

I mean, she's extremly sporty, her attitude felt like a boy, and her voice...ugghh...

What do you think?

So do you have to be male to be a Brony?  I don't think so...  One of the best things about the MLP fandom is the acceptace of people as they are.  Can we not extend the same courtesy to ponies?  RD is assertive, competitive and sometimes even aggressive and she's a she.  Welcome to the 21st century... 

[RainbowTashie 378]

Absolutely not! Lauren Faust did a great job swaying from the girly stereotypes and shows there is more than one way to be a girl. But we still have Rarity to fill in the feminine quota