Rainbow Dash's Gender

[Varrack 1,080]

Although Dashie is technically a female, I don't think of her as being very female at all. Her willingness to compete, do things that are cool, and the natural rejection she has towards things that are "girly" just don't fit the gender given her. I thought of Rainbow as being non-binary before I even knew for sure she was a female. I think Dashie fits in as somewhat male-leaning or just free of gender all together. What do you think?

Edited September 7, 2015 by Varrack

[Scootaloodle 1,622]

I think she's just a tom-boy, which some girls are without having some ambiguous gender thing.

[Rawzy 1,302]

Yea she is a bit of a tomboy, but she has a feminine side, she just doesn't show it that often....but it's kinda cute when she does <3

[Megas 27,563]

Her willingness to compete, do things that are cool

While I's true that these traits are more common with male characters, it's not mutually exclusive to them. There are other female characters that do the same

 

 

and the natural rejection she has towards things that are "girly" just don't fit the gender given her.

I heavily disagree with this. I only recall one moment in the show where she every rejected anything girly, and that seemed more like she hated the spa than anything(and maaaaybe her dream sequence, but again, that was probably more along the lines of "this is for babies" than "this is so girly"). Otherwise, we've seen her willingly dress up in pretty outfits, have fun with fashion shows, get all "d'awww" for parasprites, and etc. Just because someone wants to be cool doesn't mean they can't like what  some may consider "girly"

 

In the end, she's a tomboy, but not one to reject "girly things", which I feel is a common misconception among fans

Edited September 7, 2015 by Gattai

[SteveMorison 404]

Scootaloo is the one I have to be reminded is a girl. Not only is she a tom-boy but she almost looks and sounds like a boy.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,309]

I disagree heavily with this. The only reason it might seem odd at first about what RD is into is because of how our society loves to portray females and how it tries to make them think. That girls don't compete or this or that, it is a bunch of problems. Rainbow Dash is just a female with her own interests, nothing more. Your gender does not define what you like or who you are. 

[Varrack 1,080]

While I's true that these traits are more common with male characters, it's not mutually exclusive to them. There are other female characters that do the same

 

 

I heavily disagree with this. I only recall one moment in the show where she every rejected anything girly, and that seemed more like she hated the spa than anything(and maaaaybe her dream sequence, but again, that was probably more along the lines of "this is for babies" than "this is so girly"). Otherwise, we've seen her willingly dress up in pretty outfits, have fun with fashion shows, get all "d'awww" for parasprites, and etc. Just because someone wants to be cool doesn't mean they can't like what  some may consider "girly"

 

In the end, she's a tomboy, but not one to reject "girly things", which I feel many fans often mistake

She's rejected girly things more than once. There was that time in Equestria Girls where Rarity gave her a dress to out on and she really disliked it. I agree there have been some masculine/feminine instances with her but her character is focused on flying, being athletic, and trying to impress the Wonderbolts. It may just be my personal experience, but I don't think I've ever met a female who acts like her and the ways she does things does not fit my interpretation of what gender is. I mean, gender roles don't have to determine identity, but there's really not enough of a feminine side for me to think of her as very female. In contrast with the other five, if seems apparent to me.

 

The way I think of it is that if a character displays characteristics of gender X, there's no need to assign them as gender Y at all.

I'm not one to look too deeply into the characters, but RainbowDash comes off as an asexual to me.

So you mean agender? Asexual is a lack of attraction to others.

[Rawzy 1,302]

Scootaloo is the one I have to be reminded is a girl. Not only is she a tom-boy but she almost looks and sounds like a boy.

That's very true, first time I saw her I mistook her for a boy.

[Varrack 1,080]

Scootaloo is the one I have to be reminded is a girl. Not only is she a tom-boy but she almost looks and sounds like a boy.

Mm..maybe. She has a pink/purple mane and hangs out with two other females though, so I'm not sure I agree completely.

[Daring_Do 552]

I disagree heavily with this. The only reason it might seem odd at first about what RD is into is because of how our society loves to portray females and how it tries to make them think. That girls don't compete or this or that, it is a bunch of problems. Rainbow Dash is just a female with her own interests, nothing more. Your gender does not define what you like or who you are. 

Thank you, that was well said.

[MLPFanPony 380]

Well the show says she is a female (mare). But she is a tom boy. That's just who she is  

[SteveMorison 404]

Mm..maybe. She has a pink/purple mane and hangs out with two other females though, so I'm not sure I agree completely.

You actually pose a good question, if RD and Scootaloo are tomboys why is it they don't hang out with boys more often?

[Violet Storm 126]

I have to say Tom-boy. She definitely has a feminine side, which comes out and peeks from behind the clouds every once in a while.

[Attack of the Pwns 894]

You actually pose a good question, if RD and Scootaloo are tomboys why is it they don't hang out with boys more often?

How many males their age are there really to hang out with? O.K., so Scootaloo has a few choices, like Button Mash or Rumble, but other than Big Mac and possibly Dr. hooves, I can't think of any stallions Rainbow's age that live in Ponyville. (I guess Bulk Biceps? ) Also, Rainbow Dash is an element of Harmony, so I makes sense she hangs out with the other elements, and Scootaloo's probably still in that "colts have cooties" stage. :scoots:

 

Besides, just because they're tomboys dosen't dictate who they hang out with. Way took much stereotyping ITT.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Attack of the Pwns

[Varrack 1,080]

I disagree heavily with this. The only reason it might seem odd at first about what RD is into is because of how our society loves to portray females and how it tries to make them think. That girls don't compete or this or that, it is a bunch of problems. Rainbow Dash is just a female with her own interests, nothing more. Your gender does not define what you like or who you are.

 

I understand where you're headed, but I don't view it the same way. My personal experience with girls is far different from what RD is like, and I doubt I've ever met anyone who is similar to her in that regard. With this being a TV show and not real, I think it's appropriate to analyze the gender of characters who don't seem to match the one that they were originally assigned. If I were talking about humans in real life and their genders, it would probably come off as more odd. I think that if a character acts much different from real life stereotypes, there's no reason to have made them male or female in the first place.

[Odyssey 5,716]

I don't think so. I mean, I'm a complete tomboy myself, I have more friends that are male and don't think about girly things that often, but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy with my gender. Same could be said with Rainbow Dash. She may prefer sports and whatnot, but she is willing to wear dresses and do other things with her friends. She is also quite the motherly figure to Scootaloo and is more than happy to help children in general. Like I said, just because Dash doesn't like girly things too much doesn't automatically mean she wishes to be male.

 

That's what I love most about Dash. She is her own person and isn't ashamed to do things that are unlike her gender. There was never a time where she wishes to be male, so I find this assumption a little silly, especially how you're judging her based on her interests only.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Odyssey

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,309]

I understand where you're headed, but I don't view it the same way. My personal experience with girls is far different from what RD is like, and I doubt I've ever met anyone who is similar to her in that regard. With this being a TV show and not real, I think it's appropriate to analyze the gender of characters who don't seem to match the one that they were originally assigned. If I were talking about humans in real life and their genders, it would probably come off as more odd. I think that if a character acts much different from real life stereotypes, there's no reason to have made them male or female in the first place.

Why would it come off as odd though? I will tell you why: Because that is what a lot of societies have tried to hammer into our brains. That girls should play with dolls, that girls should love fashion, that girls should love the color pink, etc. etc. etc. Society is still so stuck on this stigma that it might seem odd for a girl to have the same personality as Rainbow Dash, but that is because a lot of this 'girly' stuff is pre-conditioned by society in the first place. Are you saying that if a girl was into all the stuff RD is, you would consider them weird or something? That doesn't make sense. I've already laid out why. I just heavily dislike genders being portrayed in purely stereotyped means.

[Varrack 1,080]

I don't think so myself. I mean, I'm a complete tomboy myself, I have more friends that are male and don't think about girly things that often, but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy with my gender. Same could be said with Rainbow Dash. She may prefer sports and whatnot, but she is willing to wear dresses and do other things with her friends. She is also quite the motherly figure to Scootaloo and is more than happy to help children in general. Like I said, just because Dash doesn't like girly things too much doesn't automatically mean she wishes to be male.

 

That's what I love most about Dash. She is her own person. There wasn't even a time where she wishes to be male, so I find this assumption a little silly, especially how your judging her based on solely her interests.

I'm not saying she should wish to be male. My post was exploring the idea of her being female when she displays several male characteristics. I understand the "females can be completely masculine and still be females" objection, but the question I am trying to reach is why she was made female in the first place.

[Kiri 7,288]

While I's true that these traits are more common with male characters, it's not mutually exclusive to them. There are other female characters that do the same.

This. ^

 

Just because a girl doesn't like things that are associated with "being girly", it does not automatically mean that she is non-binary, or identifies as anything else. I know plenty of girls who dislike makeup and jewelry, and they don't identify as anything different. Simply put, girls have a variety of interests and traits, and Rainbow Dash's character just happens to include some aspects that are not always associated with "being a girl", according to the stereotypes. I for one don't like dresses or shopping, and I don't identify as anything else but a girl.

but the question I am trying to reach is why she was made female in the first place.

Most likely, Dash's character is the way it is to show girls that girls come in all types, and that they don't have to subscribe to the gender stereotype in order to be considered one. Also, she's the way she is to exemplify what it means to be 20% cooler! Edited September 8, 2015 by Quartz Aegis

[Odyssey 5,716]

I'm not saying she should wish to be male. My post was exploring the idea of her being female when she displays several male characteristics. I understand the "females can be completely masculine and still be females" objection, but the question I am trying to reach is why she was made female in the first place.

 

It's because to invoke the pro-feminism elements of MLP:FiM. Lauren Faust herself is a devoted feminist, but she always wanted to have six main characters for the audience (female watchers especially) to admire and relate to. The six main characters were designed to be diverse. We have the nerdy Twilight who loves to read, we have the gorgeous Rarity who loves to make dresses and we have the no-nonsense Applejack who is a workaholic, but still is a motherly figure to her little sister. Dash is designed to imply that there is no one way to act like a girl, and as such, as many fans of both genders. Then again, same goes for the rest of the main characters.

 

If Dash was male instead, it would not only lose the pro-feminisim elements that Faust is aiming for, but it's also very distracting from a designing point of view. If one of them was male in a group of five females, then we would probably remember them more than the actual main character of the show, Twilight Sparkle. I'm not much of a feminist, but what do I know?

Edited September 8, 2015 by Odyssey

[SteveMorison 404]

How many males their age are there really to hang out with? O.K., so Scootaloo has a few choices, like Button Mash or Rumble, but other than Big Mac and possibly Dr. hooves, I can't think of any stallions Rainbow's age that live in Ponyville. (I guess Bulk Biceps? ) Also, Rainbow Dash is an element of Harmony, so I makes sense she hangs out with the other elements, and Scootaloo's probably still in that "colts have cooties" stage. :scoots:

 

Besides, just because they're tomboys dosen't dictate who they hang out with. Way took much stereotyping ITT.

Is Ponyville's population really heavily female? Or do we just percieve it that way because MLP is still largely targeted at a young female audience?

[Durandal 623]

There are justifications for her being a lesbian, agender, non-binary, genderqueer, transgender, or a simple tomboy. The problem is that the show touches on none of that, so from a canon perspective it's all speculation and inferences. The only thing that the canon backs up is her being a tomboy.

 

but the question I am trying to reach is why she was made female in the first place.

 

That is a very different question from the one posed in the beginning.

 

Anyways, the reason why she's an atypical female is the same reason for why she's the show's mascot. She's a tomboy who lives how she wants to, not how she's expected to. She embodies Faust's challenging of gender roles that is ever present throughout the show. She's just as much a character as she is a statement.

Edited September 8, 2015 by Durandal

[Ochre_Dust 329]

Did you know that having a uterus does not dictate that a person must behave a certain way? You can wear jeans, ride motorcycles and serve in an army, all while lacking a Y chromosome. You can drive a truck, watch superhero movies and listen to Metallica, all while having a set of ovaries. And guess what, you can do all that while still identifying as female, because we have the great luxury (for now) to live in a society where we understand that a person's behaviour shouldn't be chained to things like what set of reproductive organs you have.

 

Ultimately, what you choose to do in life is just that, your choice.

[DND 2,355]

I don't think social constructs matter so much to sex/gender. Social constructs are influences that try to shape a demographic in to something considered "normal" or "right". This is completely disregarding diversity in personalities and general life pursuits and drives of course.

 

Rainbow Dash doesn't mind being a girl at all and her personality shouldn't make her  out to be "more suited to be a boy because she's competitive and athletic". It's silly to think that she can't really "act like a girl" or she "shouldn't be a girl" if she's passionate and talented about said things. I wouldn't see Rainbow Dash as anything else but what she identifies.

Edited September 8, 2015 by IncognitoKiwoy

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

I'm not saying she should wish to be male. My post was exploring the idea of her being female when she displays several male characteristics. I understand the "females can be completely masculine and still be females" objection, but the question I am trying to reach is why she was made female in the first place.

The reason she was made female is because that's what the show creators and hasbro wanted.