Rainbow Dash and the LGBT fan perception

[Scootalove 10,689]

She is more of a tomboy because, of her personality and that she has moments where she acts tough while at the same time she has her girly moments.

 

Stereotypes and assumptions just love coming out just to prove a point, a bad point too.

[GrimCW 658]

No.. Just no.. And while I support the LGBT community and their fight for equality, I absolutely DESPISE their use of the rainbow as their symbol.

 

Its unoriginal (they didn't create it, they just took a common beautiful thing and used it. While the message is clear, its also obscured by their lack of willingness to create their own), shows no real common ground, and it ostracizes the use of the rainbow for anything not LGBT related by making people think that anyone that has anything with multiple colors lined up as direct support for something they may hardly even know of.

 

That is the only thing I down right hate about what they've done...

[Moonlight 7,286]

Rainbow colors and a tomboyish attitude does not automatically equal being a lesbian. Until Rainbow Dash or any other pony starts mouth slobbering another girl, I refuse to acknowledge them as any sexual orientation unless canon. 

[Dr. Mechano 630]

I'm all for LGBT characters in more media (They are criminally underrepresented), but I dislike the assumption that Dash is gay because it's purely based on external stereotypes. Rainbows and supposedly "masculine" attributes don't mean a woman is attracted to the same sex anymore than supposedly "feminine" attributes mean that a man is. People - no matter their sexuality - are complex and don't easily fall into easy-to-identify stereotypes.

 

At this point, if anyone on the show was LGBT, I'd want it to be anyone but her, just to do something really progressive and not fall on stereotypical expectations.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Artemis
Deleted quote from removed post.

['Fluttershy' 52]

Rainbow colors and a tomboyish attitude does not automatically equal being a lesbian. Until Rainbow Dash or any other pony starts mouth slobbering another girl, I refuse to acknowledge them as any sexual orientation unless canon. 

lol'd. I agree about the "starts mouth slobbering another girl" but that will never happen IMO because its for little girls mainly, and they wouldn't put that in I don't think for a show for young people. People who think she's gay because of her mane, is the most stupidest thing I've heard. Its just colors, how does a color or colors make you gay whatsoever. 

[zev_zev The outcast 415]

lol'd. I agree about the "starts mouth slobbering another girl" but that will never happen IMO because its for little girls mainly, and they wouldn't put that in I don't think for a show for young people. People who think she's gay because of her mane, is the most stupidest thing I've heard. Its just colors, how does a color or colors make you gay whatsoever. 

 

Agree, besides, she wouldn't so awesome as she is, without her rainbow colored mane.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

I wouldnt care, but I hate the presumptions made to that conclusion.

[Bright Honor 2,671]

What has Rainbow Dash done on the show to imply this? lol.

[Thrashy 2,800]

I don't think so. A girl acting "boyish" has absolutely nothing to do with her sexuality. And while the LGBT community makes heavy use of the rainbow, they do not have a monopoly on all things rainbow. Unless Faust or someone else confirms otherwise, I'm going to continue to believe that Rainbow Dash is simply a rough n' tumble chick with an awesome mane - nothing more, nothing less.

[Cygnus 60]

I think Rainbow Dash is just meant to be another alternative way for a little girl to be. The main audience is children, so they're just saying, "Look! This one has pretty rainbows! But she likes sports and is tough!"

 

It's possible that she is a nod to the community - it would be hard to call out - but we're looking at two traits here: she's not girly and she has rainbows. That's not much to go off of. Cartoon characters often have exaggerated personalities for entertainment purposes.

 

I don't think a stereotype would be the best nod to the community, either, even if some lesbians are masculine and like sports. The ones I've been close to were artsy, sweet, and not very sporty. One of them was a massage therapist and enjoyed aromatherapy.

 

It doesn't feel good to be different and see television, movies, books, and more representing you with stereotypes who are nothing like you, thinking they understand and are helping you gain acceptance. When I was 14, had my first girlfriend and liked her much better than my first boyfriend, and was wondering whether I was a bisexual or a lesbian, I was afraid because I didn't fit any of the images of lesbians I'd been given. I wasn't a Rainbow Dash and I wasn't a Rarity. Not a butch and not a femme. I didn't know and hadn't seen any other ways for a lesbian to be and was totally confused about how to act (somehow, heterosexual relationships seemed obvious) or what to expect in a homosexual relationship.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Cygnus

[zev_zev The outcast 415]

What has Rainbow Dash done on the show to imply this? lol.

Maybe because of her little shippig with Daring Do? But it was so awwwwwwwwwwww moment for me

[Static Electricity 729]

Okay, there's a difference between over-analyzing for headcanon/fun, and over-analyzing to find some sort of secret subliminal message.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

Also, I'll point out it would be kindve great to have a pony representing LGBT, because it gives it a fairly positive image.

[Dr. Mechano 630]

Also, I'll point out it would be kindve great to have a pony representing LGBT, because it gives it a fairly positive image.

I agree. I think it would be very progressive to have an LGBT character on the show.

 

I wouldn't want it to be Rainbow Dash though. I think it would be more beneficial to the LGBT community for it to be someone who doesn't fit the media's stereotypical picture of gay people, just to further drive home that they're normal people like everyone else.

[~Silver Essence~ 2,625]

Heh, no.

 

I always assumed people just label her like that because of her color and attitude, but she's just a tomboy is all.

[GrimCW 658]

 

 

The main audience is children

 

 

I'd still like to see proof of this.. TBH I really don't believe the main audience is in fact children at this point in the game. I really think the kids have been surpassed by the teen to adult fans.

 

Granted the series was pointed at the kids, but corporations don't generally like to believe they missed their target audience (at least not in the case of Hasbro, whom still are reluctant to fully acknowledge the "brony" fandom as far as the writers have)

 

 

 

Maybe because of her little shippig with Daring Do?

 

 

.. In what way was she "shipped" with Daring Do? Just because she had hero worship and made friends with the one pony she admires more than herself and the wonderbolts?

Hardly makes for a "ship" any more than when she's been at odds with Applejack or any other character.

[slumberparty101 21]

The best message is that the whole thing is irrelevant. Plus, all talk of LGBT and "agendas" etc implies that it would be an issue to depict - as if a same-sex romance would be wrong for children to see in a cartoon. Why exactly?
As for Rainbow Dash, she's a tomboy and the rest is undetermined. It's the fans that have corrupted everything and demand that every character is potentially shipping every other - which is essentially complete emotional projection. In my search for decent MLP concept art, you have to wade through the endless same-sex shipping pictures and Rainbow Dash gets a truckload of it.

 

I wouldn't have an issue either way if the writers wanted to expand and make a storyline out of it. The irritating thing would be the battle-cry from fans who would demand RD is straight because it's a personal issue for them.

[Unity 332]

Hey, so I have just been wondering?

Is Rainbow Dash Lesbian? I have seen episodes where she has kissed Fluttershy but some people say "it was just a friendly peck" but I was wondering  what you guys thought or knew.

[Prospekt 11,018]

I don't ever remember Rainbow Dash giving Fluttershy a friendly peck. Only hugs. Which episode are you referring to?

And I think speculation about Rainbow's sexuality is just a result of, well, the rainbow, you know? As well as the fact that she's not as "feminine" as the rest of the Mane 6. It's not confirmed to be canon. Just a fan interpretation of her character.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Prospekt

[Unity 332]

Just now, Prospekt said:

I don't ever remember Rainbow Dash giving Fluttershy a friendly peck. Only hugs. Which episode are you referring to?

And I think speculation about Rainbow's sexuality is just a result of, well, the rainbow, you know? As well as the fact that she's not as "feminine" as the rest of the Mane 6. It's not confirmed to be canon. Just a fan interpretation of her character.

 It' the episode when the changelings are first introduced, Rainbow Dash saves Fluttershy from a horde of then and then they kiss a little

[Prospekt 11,018]

Just now, donttellmum said:

 It' the episode when the changelings are first introduced, Rainbow Dash saves Fluttershy from a horde of then and then they kiss a little

Hmm. I'll take a look at that scene.

[Jeric 46,851]

This is the scene he means. Just double checked in Netflix, the sound is present there too, so it wasn't added by the uploader. Of course, this doesn't confirm orientation, but who am I to judge how people want to theory craft?

 

 

[Prospekt 11,018]

Just now, Jeric said:

This is the scene he means. Just double checked in Netflix, the sound is present there too, so it wasn't added by the uploader. Of course, this doesn't confirm orientation, but who am I to judge how people want to theory craft?

 

 

Bingo. You beat me to it.

It's strange. Looks like they don't actually kiss, yet the sound effect certainly sounds like a smooch. Huh.

[Sparklefan1234 170,845]

Just now, Jeric said:

This is the scene he means. Just double checked in Netflix, the sound is present there too, so it wasn't added by the uploader. Of course, this doesn't confirm orientation, but who am I to judge how people want to theory craft?

 

 

 

What an odd sound effect choice. 

[Unity 332]

Just now, Sparklefan1234 said:

 

What an odd sound effect choice. 

It is a kiss sound, but an awfully loud one at that