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Ha-chan ([info]agent_hyatt) wrote in [info]unfunny_fandom,
@ 2012-02-26 16:49:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Lessons from bronies: Removing ableist stereotypes is intolerant!
Remember the backlash when an episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic portrayed fan-favorite Ditzy/"Derpy" as "humorously" mentally challenged? Well, the concerns were heard, and the voice changed!

Aaaaand now some bronies are crying "ruined FOREVER!". To the tune of "not liking our insensitivity is intolerant!"

So, everyone who can now watch the clip without cringeing, you're harshing someone's squee, and that's terrible.

(Post a new comment)


[info]anarchicq
2012-02-26 11:13 pm UTC (link)
Not a brony, not particularly a fan of the show, but having seen both versions, I personally find the erasure of a disability more ablest than anything.

I watched both clips side by side and yes, they fixed her eyes up in some shots as well.

Now she's just like everyone else.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]agent_hyatt
2012-02-26 11:18 pm UTC (link)
The problem with the original is that she wasn't meant to have an actual disability, just conform to the joking idea of one.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-26 11:32 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]agent_hyatt, 2012-02-26 11:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-26 11:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]agent_hyatt, 2012-02-26 11:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 12:03 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]agent_hyatt, 2012-02-27 12:14 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-27 02:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]iamnotyourmuse, 2012-02-27 03:56 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2012-03-01 04:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mneiai, 2012-02-26 11:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 12:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]seiberwing, 2012-02-27 05:52 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ecchaniz0r, 2012-02-27 07:32 pm UTC
Here, have a big glass of STFU
[info]sandglass
2012-02-27 12:12 am UTC (link)
1. "Derpy" is an ableist name and throughout the MLP:FIM fandom many disabled people have made it clear that they have had derpy used as an insult to them because of their disability.

2. The brony version of the Derpy character has been incredibly ableist from the start based just on her eyes. They've slung every ableist slur at her while claiming that they like her--because clearly the feelings of the disabled don't count.

3. Derpy only shows up to screw up hugely and be yelled at by a main character. How is that a positive portrayal? And don't forget this is a didactic show where if someone does something wrong it's pretty much always as part of a lesson, so not correcting this ableist bullying is basically saying it's okay.

4. Most people were asking just for a name change and for a positive portrayal, not for her disability to be erased. Hasbro did that on their own.

5. Her voice is very stereotypically disabled--even though her original disability (if you consider strabismus a disability) isn't necessarily connected to any speaking problems.

6. MLP:FIM already has a shaky track record with ableism after an episode that made a joke of a character having a panic attack, so people are hardly to blame for assuming that they didn't mean well.

7. All of this has been dealt with already, but thanks for expecting people to rehash it for you.


Fuck the idea that now it's so horrible that she's just like everyone else when the only time a (physically) disabled pony has been featured in the show has been to screw up and be yelled at without any display that yelling at someone with a disability is wrong. The whole point of her character has been to laugh at disability, but it's somehow ableist to get rid of that? No, it is NOT better to have an ableist portrayal than no portrayal at all. I'd rather be ignored than have someone throw sand in my face, thank you very much.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 12:29 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 12:49 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 12:51 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-27 02:41 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 03:36 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]ecchaniz0r, 2012-02-27 07:33 pm UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 05:44 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]roachspit, 2012-02-28 06:50 am UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU - [info]sadisticferret, 2012-02-27 09:14 pm UTC

[info]ekaterinv
2012-02-27 03:17 am UTC (link)
Her entire characterization was that she had some unspecified "disability", and they gave her a name that is an ableist slur, and made fun of her, and that was IT.

She was a caricature. To be laughed at. Because it's funny to laugh at disabled people, and disabled people are their disability and nothing else.

The idea that the writers who created that caricature would have cared to make her a character is naive in the extreme.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]bwthree
2012-02-27 06:51 am UTC (link)
I can't speak for any other PWD, but if my only choices are "disabled characters existing solely to be the butt of hateful jokes" and "no disabled characters at all", I think I'd prefer erasure. It doesn't help, but at the very least it's not doing active harm.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]eleutheria, 2012-02-27 01:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]zellieh, 2012-02-29 12:30 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2012-03-01 04:42 pm UTC
Re: Here, have a big glass of STFU
[info]sepiamagpie
2012-02-27 07:26 am UTC (link)
If 'everyone else' means not being named with a slur, that's okay with me.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]chikane
2012-02-27 08:48 am UTC (link)
I personally find the erasure of a disability more ablest than anything.

Are you one of those people that argue that a homophobic portrayal of a gay character (who of course ends up murdered for his gayness, which turns out is his fault) is totally ok and that complaining about it is somehow worse than having such a character because OMGERASURE?

Because that's what you're doing. That's the level your argument is on. Good job being a walking, breathing logical fallacy.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 09:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:22 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 09:45 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:48 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-27 11:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]wankaholic, 2012-02-28 03:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 03:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 05:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 05:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]roachspit, 2012-02-27 05:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 06:01 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 06:04 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]roachspit, 2012-02-28 02:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 06:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 06:03 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 10:39 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 09:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 05:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 10:32 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-27 10:51 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-27 11:05 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 12:06 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]kannaophelia, 2012-02-28 01:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mmanurere, 2012-02-28 03:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]derryderrydown, 2012-02-28 04:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 04:28 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ecchaniz0r, 2012-02-27 07:34 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 07:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mindset, 2012-02-27 08:17 pm UTC
... - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 08:22 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-28 12:43 am UTC
... - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-28 02:26 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]seiberwing, 2012-02-27 09:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 10:16 pm UTC
... - [info]spawn_of_kong, 2012-02-28 12:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-28 06:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]lied_ohne_worte, 2012-02-28 09:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sorchar, 2012-02-28 03:27 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]anarchicq, 2012-02-28 04:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]moljn, 2012-02-29 10:21 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]zellieh, 2012-02-29 12:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2012-03-06 01:38 pm UTC

[info]thoms
2012-02-28 12:43 am UTC (link)
Ungulata? Is that you?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-28 01:44 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]thoms, 2012-02-28 02:47 am UTC

[info]sandglass
2012-02-27 12:14 am UTC (link)
I am personally over the moon that they changed it. I posted the awful letter I got from one of the creators (I can't remember who because I'm too upset by it to go look it up again), and I've been terribly depressed about the whole thing. I'm so glad that they removed that they really did listen.

I love that now she sounds really sarcastic, like she's messing with Rainbow Dash. It makes Rainbow's bullying a lot less awful.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]agent_hyatt
2012-02-27 12:17 am UTC (link)
Especially after the initial, dismissive reactions. The voice could use a little more character, but the walking disaster area is always funny without the problematic elements. Plus now I'm thinking of her as "The Blonde Widow" /will anyone get the reference?

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]mneiai
2012-02-27 01:10 am UTC (link)
Omg, I think I remember that letter and it being absolutely horrific. Hopefully these people are learning their lesson.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 01:15 am UTC

[info]phosfate
2012-02-27 05:52 am UTC (link)
Wasn't it the voice actress, with her oozing New Age patronizing PUNCH HER IN THE FACE GOD I WANT TO PUNCH HER IN THE FACE WITH HER BULLSHIT I'm fine.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 05:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 06:00 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 09:19 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 02:53 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-27 09:03 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]tehrin, 2012-02-29 06:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ecchaniz0r, 2012-02-27 07:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]were_lemur, 2012-03-05 04:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]tehrin, 2012-02-29 06:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2012-03-02 05:32 pm UTC
TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness
[info]hobosocks
2012-02-27 12:52 am UTC (link)
(That is an awful lot of trigger warnings, and I'm still paranoid I forgot some. These people are vile.)

Don't forget the hate mail campaign they unleashed against a fanartist who spoke out against the ableist portrayal! Never you mind how one random artist on the internet could possibly influence a multimillion dollar company to change their minds about anything, she was totally behind it all! It's true because a stranger on the internet told me!

But they are totally loving and tolerant and just the poor victims here, you guys! It was those meany mean faces who complained who are the horrible people!

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-27 01:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]hobosocks, 2012-02-27 02:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-27 03:04 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 03:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 08:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 09:09 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:17 am UTC
... - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 09:27 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]hobosocks, 2012-02-27 04:00 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]miraba, 2012-02-27 04:09 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-27 04:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 07:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 08:51 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]hafl, 2012-02-27 03:26 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]varkias, 2012-02-27 03:48 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]varkias, 2012-02-27 03:47 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]hobosocks, 2012-02-27 04:05 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:06 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:50 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]hafl, 2012-02-27 03:19 pm UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]varkias, 2012-02-28 06:33 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]chikane, 2012-02-28 07:29 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]mmanurere, 2012-02-28 03:59 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]varkias, 2012-02-28 06:25 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]pantyless_angel, 2012-02-27 05:51 pm UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]edgyspice, 2012-02-27 09:09 pm UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-27 11:59 pm UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]edgyspice, 2012-02-28 02:03 am UTC
Re: TW: Transphobia, ableism, misogyny, suicide, bullying/harrassment, general vileness - [info]kannaophelia, 2012-02-28 01:33 am UTC

[info]the__ivorytower
2012-02-27 03:53 am UTC (link)
I'm glad. I haven't watched that episode, and I think that may be the episode that stopped me cold. They did a terrible, cruel thing with Ditzy, and I think it really signaled some of the more and more heartless things that have been coming up in the show. I still don't think I feel comfortable watching it any more, but at least helps.

...I did like the clip I heard of her voice, though. It was sort of rough and soothing (if that makes any sense), and I think that if there hadn't been shit piled on top of shit, it would have been a really neat contrast to the peppy voices of the rest of the cast. It wasn't, though, it was the icing on the goddamn failcake.

(Reply to this)


[info]sepiamagpie
2012-02-27 07:23 am UTC (link)
Well, I liked her with the out of sync eyes, but I did not like her being insulted/mocked.

Remember when the bronies kept going on about how ponies had taught them how to love? Yeah.

In happier news, I found a torrent of the original cartoons! Complete with first comment by a brony demanding it get burned, but fuck 'em

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 07:48 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 07:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]notjo, 2012-02-27 08:24 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 08:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]glossing2, 2012-02-27 02:43 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 03:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]glossing2, 2012-02-27 03:22 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 12:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]kannaophelia, 2012-02-28 01:43 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]hafl, 2012-02-27 08:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 08:48 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]hafl, 2012-02-27 03:10 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 03:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 08:44 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 08:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:13 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:24 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:29 am UTC
... - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:33 am UTC
... - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-27 09:36 am UTC
... - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:38 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:38 am UTC
... - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:40 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:43 am UTC
... - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 09:45 am UTC
... - [info]nursewretched, 2012-02-28 02:31 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-28 08:31 am UTC
... - [info]nursewretched, 2012-02-29 04:43 pm UTC
... - [info]hafl, 2012-02-27 03:14 pm UTC
... - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 12:19 am UTC
... - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-27 03:23 pm UTC
... - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 03:25 pm UTC
... - [info]roachspit, 2012-02-27 06:09 pm UTC
... - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-27 06:10 pm UTC
... - [info]taktuk, 2012-02-28 12:43 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]wallflower, 2012-02-27 08:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 08:59 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:09 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 09:30 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:35 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 09:41 am UTC
... - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:45 am UTC
... - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-27 09:49 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-27 09:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-27 09:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]eleutheria, 2012-02-27 01:47 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]taktuk, 2012-02-28 01:06 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]wankaholic, 2012-02-28 03:00 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-28 01:44 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-28 01:44 pm UTC

[info]dottiness
2012-02-27 11:26 am UTC (link)
If this gets bronies to actually quit the show and stop acting like they're the only audience that matters, I will do a triple backflip of joy.

Of course, despite all their claims that now they're QUITTING FOREVER and Hasbro is TOTALLY going to go under without the TRUE FANS!!!, I doubt any of them will actually quit. They'll stick around being homophobic, misogynist, and ableist for a good while longer.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]ook, 2012-02-27 03:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-27 09:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-27 10:14 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mneiai, 2012-02-28 12:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]chibikaijuu, 2012-02-28 01:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2012-03-03 04:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]dottiness, 2012-03-03 05:13 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2012-03-03 05:33 am UTC

[info]taktuk
2012-02-28 01:04 am UTC (link)
I'm very much in the "this is offensive" camp but Bald Dumbo Rat, one of the people who recorded a lot of fan voice stuff aired her views here. It made me cry. A lot.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-28 01:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]taktuk, 2012-02-28 01:28 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-28 01:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]taktuk, 2012-02-28 01:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mad_teacup, 2012-02-28 02:42 am UTC

[info]pantyless_angel
2012-02-28 02:07 am UTC (link)
I think the thing that angers me most about this is that people are denying there was ever anything ableist about Derpy, when before she had any characterization on the show at all they called her Derpy solely because she appeared to have a disability.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]kannaophelia, 2012-02-28 02:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2012-03-01 04:56 pm UTC

[info]sadisticferret
2012-02-28 02:25 am UTC (link)
While I'm glad that Hasbro is taking a step in the right direction, some of the brony reactions I've been seeing all over the internet are giving me a serious case of rage-itis. The only cure is Cadbury Cream Eggs, but there just ain't enough in the world.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]ook, 2012-02-28 02:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]kannaophelia, 2012-02-28 02:40 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sadisticferret, 2012-02-28 05:04 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 03:02 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sadisticferret, 2012-02-28 05:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 11:44 pm UTC

[info]ook
2012-02-28 10:24 am UTC (link)
Some fans are now referring to the changing of Derpy as censorship: http://xkappax.deviantart.com/#/d4r5wz3

Bronies fight back to save the older version of Derpy. Link to petition drive:
http://cathead232.tumblr.com/post/18388382153/so-derpy

(Reply to this)


[info]bishounenhideto
2012-02-28 11:34 am UTC (link)
I'm just wondering why nobody is going after the Simpsons for the clearly dis/differently-abled Ralph Wiggum and all the jokes about him, or the blunt racism of Apu, despite the few moments he's lent some dignity now and then? Seems sort of hypocritical, especially since the Simpsons is still airing just like MLP.

Also, how do people feel about dis/differently-abled people saying they liked the character as she was and felt she was a symbol for them in the fact that despite her being different, she was a MLP all the same and loved equally by all the other ponies, that "fixing" her was erasing their identity and saying people who are dis/differently-abled shouldn't be seen, let alone heard?

How many people in this fight are personally dis/differently-abled or personally have dis/differently-abled relatives who expressed a negative opinion of the character's original nature/look versus being white hats out to save people who, as many seem to have posted, don't feel they need or want saving of this kind?

For the record, I'm neither a brony nor have I seen a single episode of the show. I'm just trying to understand all sides of this. No straw men or ad hominem arguments, please.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-28 12:03 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]roachspit, 2012-02-28 06:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 05:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]staroverthebay, 2012-02-29 06:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]roachspit, 2012-03-01 12:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]roachspit, 2012-03-01 12:19 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]roachspit, 2012-03-01 12:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-03-01 02:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2012-02-28 05:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 06:18 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-28 05:46 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 05:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-29 06:05 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 06:24 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-29 06:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 06:47 am UTC
... - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-29 06:57 am UTC
... - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 07:07 am UTC
... - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-29 07:11 am UTC
... - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 07:22 am UTC
... - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-29 07:25 am UTC
... - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 07:38 am UTC
... - [info]sandglass, 2012-02-29 07:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]felinephoenix, 2012-03-01 04:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]chikane, 2012-02-28 06:30 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]bwthree, 2012-02-28 08:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2012-02-28 09:18 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 11:18 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-29 12:45 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]miraba, 2012-02-29 03:26 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 11:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-28 09:16 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-28 10:48 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-28 11:13 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-29 12:46 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bishounenhideto, 2012-02-29 06:05 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]staroverthebay, 2012-02-29 06:52 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekaterinv, 2012-02-29 09:36 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2012-02-29 02:42 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]cyndra_falin, 2012-02-29 07:13 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2012-03-06 01:51 pm UTC

[info]bwthree
2012-02-28 08:56 pm UTC (link)
...And on an only partially-related tangent, is anyone else having problems with Tumblr right now?

As of yesterday, my block function seems to have stopped working and now I have people in some of my fandomy tags who I'd prefer to have continued not seeing.

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Yamino and Derpy
[info]ook
2012-02-28 10:06 pm UTC (link)
More fallout regarding Derpy. It seems that a popular fan artist named Yamino dared to make a few comments that she didn't care for Derpy at all.

One of Yamino's anti-Derpy tumblr posts that got the Bronies riled up - from 7 months ago:
[trigger warning for abelist bigotry] http://yamino.tumblr.com/post/8147491487/re-derpy-and-abelism

Lots of posts still being made to Yamino's DeviantArt journal (scroll down to bottom right corner) and keep going back in the posts. You'll see where Yamino started deleting comments. Is she actually getting death threats? http://yamino.deviantart.com/

Journal post from Yamino explaining the situation:
http://yamino.deviantart.com/journal/So-much-love-and-tolerance-in-the-air-right-now-283013711

Ye Gods! This has been going on for OVER A MONTH???
http://forum.deviantart.com/community/complaints/1694364/

An overview of the situation involving Yamino (includes more links):
http://mlp-is-crap.deviantart.com/journal/Occupy-Yamino-287025248

You can also search for Tumblr tags for Yamino. There's a lot of posts about her.

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Re: Yamino and Derpy - [info]chikane, 2012-02-29 07:31 pm UTC

[info]sandglass
2012-02-29 03:24 am UTC (link)
"The 'My Little Pony Friendship is Magic' series has always been about acceptance and inclusion, and the series strives to convey that through the playful antics of a diverse cast of characters," Hasbro spokeswoman Nicole Angello told us over email. "Some viewers felt that aspects of the episode 'The Last Roundup' did not stay true to the core message of friendship which is the heart and soul of the series. Hasbro Studios decided to make slight audio alterations to this single episode."
(source, but warning, it's Gawker and the article contains quoted slurs and the comments are probably horrific)

GO HASBRO!

Also I love how Gawker didn't bother at all covering their hostility and disapproval of bronies.

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(no subject) - [info]taktuk, 2012-02-29 10:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]cmdr_zoom, 2012-02-29 04:12 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]shadwing, 2012-02-29 05:23 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]taktuk, 2012-02-29 06:24 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]napalmnacey, 2012-03-03 05:04 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sepiamagpie, 2012-02-29 05:37 pm UTC
response from original episode's writer
[info]mistal
2012-03-01 06:40 am UTC (link)
Amy Keating Rogers (episode's writer) response on one of the "Save Derpy" website, it was copied on Equestria Daily. Since it's on Equestria Daily, probably don't want to read the comments...

http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/02/amy-keating-rogers-response-to-derpy.html#more

copy/paste for those who do not want to go on EqD

Whew, this controversy has been overwhelming and exhausting!

I actually had no idea that fans were really upset about the "Derpy Change" until your email. And I didn't actually know about the change until I got an email last week from a fan telling me about it!

Let me try and put some rumors at rest and calm the fans. And to do that, let's go back to the beginning.

When I first wrote this episode, the character under such harsh scrutiny was named Ditzy Doo. We had already established in previous episodes that she was clumsy (she is not the pony you want on your moving crew). And we named her Ditzy Doo thinking of her as a being a bit dingy.

The scene I wrote was originally longer and had a flashback explaining exactly what Ditzy Doo had done to damage Town Hall. She and Rainbow Dash were "Bucking Bolts" out of the clouds during a storm. Ditzy Doo was bucking too close to Ponyville central. Rainbow kept trying to yell over the noisy bucking for Ditzy to move away from town. But Ditzy could not hear her and thought that Rainbow was complimenting her for her great buck bolting. Ditzy then hit Town Hall with a bolt. And, thus, the damage.

For the second draft, I was asked to change Ditzy's name to Derpy as a "tip of the hat" to the fans. So, not knowing that Derpy meant anything beyond klutzy and clumsy, I did as requested And then I was finished with this episode.

I had nothing to do with the original voice casting. In my mind, she was ditzy, as her original name implied. But that's not anything I was ever involved with MLP. The scene was made shorter because the script was too long and because the story wasn't about Ditzy/Derpy. It was about Applejack.

When this episode first aired, I did not see it until after I started getting emails either thanking me or berating me for Derpy's portrayal. The angry emails really freaked me out because I knew that I had not written a scene that could possibly be interpreted as being insensitive to people with disabilities.

So, when I got home, I watched the episode. I saw that the scene was shorter, which did not surprise me. That happens all the time. I listened to her voice and it was deeper than I expected. However, I was not offended by any part of the scene in any way.

But I got about 10 emails saying how offended folks were. People labeled me an "ableist" (a word I'd never heard of) and said that I was being insensitive to the disabled by calling this character "derpy." I then did a search on what derpy meant and the first things that came up were "embarrassing" and "awkward" which is what I thought. But then when I did more in-depth searches, I discovered that one definition is "retarded."

Now, you have to realize that reading that made my heart sink. My son Soren (of Soarin' fame) is severely disabled. We do not use the word "retarded" in our house because it really has become an offensive slur. And while I knew that it was only a minority of people that defined "derpy" this way, it still upset me that I was the writer that put that name out there. It was painfully ironic and goes against the fact that I'm an advocate for the disabled.

I also want to note here that while I got 10 negative emails, I also got about 200 positive ones! I knew that the majority of fans were not offended. I got emails from fans with siblings with disabilities and parents of kids with disabilities and fans who had disabilities themselves and none of them were offended. At first, I tried to answer all these emails, but then I just became too overwhelmed. Still, I want to thank you all for your support!

*split into two comments due to length*

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Re: response from original episode's writer part 2 - [info]mistal, 2012-03-01 06:41 am UTC

  
   
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