Distubring Pony News

[PennLady]

Saw this on Slate.com.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_facto...little_ponies_into_sexy_human_characters.html

I am... trying not to think about it much, really. It's like Hasbro is catering to a pedo fetish... Maybe it *is* that, and not just like that.

 

[autoplot]

http://images.wikia.com/mlp/images/...3_character_models_and_background_cropped.jpg

Personally, I suspect Slate is overselling the "sexy" thing in an attempt to foment outrage. This doesn't look very egregious to me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I swear! These things are better than a Rorschach.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rorschach_test

Thermatic Apperception Test
https://www.google.com/search?q=the...mple-thematic-apperception-test-photo;305;400

 

[PennLady]

http://images.wikia.com/mlp/images/...3_character_models_and_background_cropped.jpg

Personally, I suspect Slate is overselling the "sexy" thing in an attempt to foment outrage. This doesn't look very egregious to me.

That's true to a point. Even without the "bronies" (ick) aspect, I don't like the idea of calling them "my little pony" but the ponies are really girls. That kind of equation doesn't sit well with me, although perhaps it'll be renamed a bit or something.

Honestly I just don't see why they need to change it. PennGirl enjoys the MLP show on TV and she likes that they are horses.

 

[sr71plt]

The "shelter and smother my--and everyone else's--kids from the world" lobby has to have something in the marketplace to feed its "disturb." Might as well be this until something else comes along. I'd say just not buying the stuff and bypassing the "disturbed" about it is better for the blood pressure.

Thank god I was raised (and I mostly got my kids raised) before political correctness became dominant, social media went hyper, and we were still permitted to play in the dirt and thereby establish immunities to the germs.

 

[PennLady]

The "shelter and smother my--and everyone else's--kids from the world" lobby has to have something in the marketplace to feed its "disturb." Might as well be this until something else comes along. I'd say just not buying the stuff and bypassing the "disturbed" about it is better for the blood pressure.

Thank god I was raised (and I mostly got my kids raised) before political correctness became dominant, social media went hyper, and we were still permitted to play in the dirt and thereby establish immunities to the germs.

I'm not particularly looking to shelter anybody from anything. I just think this is a little weird, in part b/c I've seen "pony girl" stories here on Lit. However, that is a grown up view of a kids' item. PennGirl may like the new stuff or may not, I don't know. I'm not telling anyone not to watch.

And I let my kids play in the dirt.

 

[johneb87]

Dear god, you'll already find those kind of images on DeviantART.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

That's true to a point. Even without the "bronies" (ick) aspect, I don't like the idea of calling them "my little pony" but the ponies are really girls. That kind of equation doesn't sit well with me, although perhaps it'll be renamed a bit or something.

Honestly I just don't see why they need to change it. PennGirl enjoys the MLP show on TV and she likes that they are horses.

As a brony myself, I'm just going to tell you that no one was more pissed off about the whole 'equestria girls' thing than the bronies.

(Technically I'm a pegasister, but whatevs)

There are always weirdos and fanart for every fandom, but most of the bronies I know just think it's a fun well-constructed show. And it's very freeing to be able to like a show that was meant for little girls. It's a slightly more acceptable (as in, plenty of others are doing it) way for men to show their feminine side.

 

[autoplot]

That's true to a point. Even without the "bronies" (ick) aspect, I don't like the idea of calling them "my little pony" but the ponies are really girls. That kind of equation doesn't sit well with me, although perhaps it'll be renamed a bit or something.

Honestly I just don't see why they need to change it. PennGirl enjoys the MLP show on TV and she likes that they are horses.

Mashups and such have become part of the popular culture, I don't think it harms the original product any to change it up a little.

 

[PennLady]

Mashups and such have become part of the popular culture, I don't think it harms the original product any to change it up a little.

No, it doesn't, although this isn't just changing color schemes -- they are making the ponies into people.

I think what is really squicky, if it is true, is that they are doing this with an eye towards keeping an audience of men who like pre-teen girls. Now if the men just like the actual My Little Ponies, fine. Introduce some new ponies, change up the shape or colors, whatever.

Perhaps the article is wrong or exaggerating different points. But the impression it leaves you with is kind of gross.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I offer a prediction: As the market tires of the same-o, same-o there will be more and more material with young girls, its inevitable. The generations coming up will have no problem with it, and the Supremes will toss out all the pedophile laws. Those who don't like it will be called judgmental.

 

[Stella_Omega]

There's a pretty large audience that doesn't want to watch human characters... They are why Mickey Mouse etc are still so popular.

 

[sr71plt]

So? That's a pretty idiotic statement. There are lots of TV channels. Everyone (or even most people) doesn't have to watch the same thing. You don't want to watch something or buy some, just don't. It came with your "I am now an adult" papers. The papers didn't come with "everyone else has to do what I want to do" card. You should have given that notion up when you got the adult papers to begin with.

 

[Bramblethorn]

No, it doesn't, although this isn't just changing color schemes -- they are making the ponies into people.

I think what is really squicky, if it is true, is that they are doing this with an eye towards keeping an audience of men who like pre-teen girls. Now if the men just like the actual My Little Ponies, fine. Introduce some new ponies, change up the shape or colors, whatever.

Perhaps the article is wrong or exaggerating different points. But the impression it leaves you with is kind of gross.

I know a few bronies (partner's kid and his friends) and I've never seen evidence of an unwholesome interest in young girls. They're pretty typical teens/twenties as far as sexual matters go. Watching a "girly" TV show doesn't mean they're attracted to girls, any more than an interest in embroidery makes a man gay.

So far their reaction to this has mostly been "don't mess with it, it was good the way it was".

As in any fandom, Rule 34 does apply, but then I've heard people do sexually explicit "Golden Girls" fanfic...

 

[PennLady]

I know a few bronies (partner's kid and his friends) and I've never seen evidence of an unwholesome interest in young girls. They're pretty typical teens/twenties as far as sexual matters go. Watching a "girly" TV show doesn't mean they're attracted to girls, any more than an interest in embroidery makes a man gay.

So far their reaction to this has mostly been "don't mess with it, it was good the way it was".

As in any fandom, Rule 34 does apply, but then I've heard people do sexually explicit "Golden Girls" fanfic...

That's good to know. So let's hope that the article was just a bit of hit-mongering. (At Slate? Nah. )

And I'm not questioning rule 34 (which rule is the furry one, or does that matter in this case?), or the men who enjoy the show. Actually I misspoke in my earlier post. I should not have said or implied that men who watch the show were interested in pre-teen or teen girls.

And I apologize for not analyzing the article a bit more.

Leaving that aside, I still think this is an unnecessary move.

 

[TE999]

All this hype can only help Hasbro sell products. Next we'll have 'My Little Pony' transformers from horse to girl and back to horse. deviantArt, Tumblr and other sites have pony porn galore (Google it and see) and this is before the new girl human 'ponies' are even in the stores.

Disney character porn has been around since, like forever. Who remembers the 'Mickey Rat' and 'Darnold Duck' underground comics in the 60's? Mickey and Minnie and Donald and Daisy fucking and using dope ... hilarious.

As far as the pedo angle of these toys, IMO this is mild compared to those pre-teen 'beauty contests' that are so popular. Talk about a squick factor... ugh!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Next we'll have 'My Little Pony' transformers from horse to girl and back to horse.

Dammit, TE999!

If that toy doesn't exist, I'm going to have to make one..

 

[TE999]

Dammit, TE999!

If that toy doesn't exist, I'm going to have to make one..

You go, girl! Build it, patent it, sell it to Hasbro for a ton of cash and buy yourself a tropical island to relax on.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Yuck, the way the article describes the 'bronies' was gross, but I feel reassured by Cruel's and Bramblethorn's accounts of their brony friends. I think (I hope!) the article made the brony thing sound much more than it is.
We don't get the show here, we just have a few plastic ponies with long hair but they have been superseded by Barbie (although sadly the imitation Barbie who is christened Assassin - no influence from me, I promise, has lost her head. Literally. . I'm very fond of Assassin so I'm really trying to figure out how to stick it back on.)

 

[Bramblethorn]

And I'm not questioning rule 34 (which rule is the furry one, or does that matter in this case?),

I think that's rule 88 combined with 34.

Leaving that aside, I still think this is an unnecessary move.

Agreed, and I doubt it'll be popular with the bronies. A lot of the appeal for them is that it has creative storylines that aren't limited to buying clothes and looking pretty. (Yeah, there's Rarity, but she's only one of six.)

 

[Cruel2BKind]

All this hype can only help Hasbro sell products. Next we'll have 'My Little Pony' transformers from horse to girl and back to horse. deviantArt, Tumblr and other sites have pony porn galore (Google it and see) and this is before the new girl human 'ponies' are even in the stores.

Disney character porn has been around since, like forever. Who remembers the 'Mickey Rat' and 'Darnold Duck' underground comics in the 60's? Mickey and Minnie and Donald and Daisy fucking and using dope ... hilarious.

As far as the pedo angle of these toys, IMO this is mild compared to those pre-teen 'beauty contests' that are so popular. Talk about a squick factor... ugh!

If you're talking about toys, most bronies hate the level of the toys made by hasbro. The really funny thing, is that the bronies are a huge consumer base that would love to buy the toys... but this is the level of the toys sold by hasbro.

http://www.timetoplaymag.com/media/...asbro/hasbro_mylittleponyprincesscelestia.jpg

What the show looks like....

http://t0.***********/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR-TYfdMucW6rX7iF6fNCelEG1vlSX0eYHGcSSIcrzIrTaZevGhzQ

And HERE is the level of the fanmade stuff.

http://th01.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2012/323/b/4/princess_celestia_by_groovebird-d5kk0ly.png

To add another twist... these are all representations of the SAME DAMN CHARACTER. So which toy actually looks like princess celestia? If hasbro actually wanted to make money, all they'd have to do is put in an iota of effort to make their toys actually look like the damn show.

I think that's rule 88 combined with 34.

Agreed, and I doubt it'll be popular with the bronies. A lot of the appeal for them is that it has creative storylines that aren't limited to buying clothes and looking pretty. (Yeah, there's Rarity, but she's only one of six.)

I like rarity. Part of the misogyny in our culture is praising little girls who are tomboys because boy stuff is wonderful, and condemning anything girly. In any other girl's show, Rarity would be a bad guy. The petty fashion-obsessed bitch who tries to stop the main girls at every turn. A lot of young girls do love fashion, so rarity speaks to them.

Also, if you still don't like her. Rarity was Hasbro's fault. Lauren didn't want her to be a fashionista per se. Hasbro insisted on some changes, like making Rarity more superficial, and having Celestia, Cadence, and Luna be 'Princesses' instead of Queens.

 

[NaokoSmith]

The most hilarious part of this will be if the bronies aren't taken in by Hasbro's machinations; they are not actually paedos looking for the ponies to be turned into little girls! I really hope we hear more about this. If anyone has access to reports on how the venture goes, I would love to find out.

I all bronies for your innocent adherence to girly fun.

It's true that I pushed Piglet to go to Cub Scouts instead of Brownies because I wanted her to do fighting, er I mean orienteering, instead of getting her bedmaking badge . However there is a lot of girliness going on here - she lives in a space known as the Domain of Pinkness and is getting very excited because she is nearly the same shoe size as me and imagines that means she's going to be allowed to wear my shoes. (In your dreams, Piglet!)

 

[Bramblethorn]

I like rarity. Part of the misogyny in our culture is praising little girls who are tomboys because boy stuff is wonderful, and condemning anything girly. In any other girl's show, Rarity would be a bad guy. The petty fashion-obsessed bitch who tries to stop the main girls at every turn. A lot of young girls do love fashion, so rarity speaks to them.

I don't have a problem with Rarity, because the show isn't telling girls they must be into pretty clothes. It tells them that friends can have different aptitudes & interests and still be friends, which is a pretty decent lesson.

...and now, enough ponies! Time to write Lovecraftian smut.

 

[autoplot]

FWIW, the only time I've seen the "unhealthy interest in young girls" thing regarding bronies is from people (and the media) criticizing bronies, because obviously any man interested in non-manly things must be a pedophile -- said accusation being the easiest way to try to shame people back into their gender roles, I suppose.

NB: I have no real interest in the show myself.

 

[sr71plt]

Wow, there seems to be a whole world out there that I don't know . . . or care . . . about.