Does anyone else feel frustrated with the lack of female directed FIM stuff?

[Snapdragon]

[snipped out the previous comments for length!-Snap]
I'm aware of all of this, I regularly stomp around and huff and puff about gender equality. Society gives those with matching chromosomes the short end of the stick, and it's a load of horseapples. But the contrary applies too, don't put me in a box and tell me I can't like ponies 'cause I have a Y chromosome, 'cause I sure as Shire talk wouldn't tell a woman they should do something based on their gender. It's not okay to say 'this is for boys, not for girls', screw that attitude. I extend my middle finger to that viewpoint just as readily as I extend to the attitude 'this is for girls, not for boys'. It goes both ways.

And I totally agree with you. If people want to watch ponies, they should watch it regardless of their gender, and enjoy for what it is. It's a brightly coloured sugary sweet show about ponies whose goal is to be awesome to each other (not to mention it has incredibly awesome gender equality undertones). If you like it for that, embrace it, don't stand behind a label, just say you like ponies! Ain't nothin' wrong with that, ponies are awesome!

I honestly feel bad for both of us, for this conversation. 'Cause I feel like we're both arguing about the same thing, on the same side, on the same page, and we're somehow not seeing eye to eye. Part of that's 'cause while I am a proponent of gender equality, I can never see it from the other side, I can do my best to empathize, and I do, but it's not my plight, so I'll never fully understand it.

Basically it sucks. The culture that tries to put both of our genders in boxes sucks. Fortunately it's changing, slowly, but it's changing.

Yeah, I think we’re arguing the same side of the issue here, LOL! I’m just saying, it is definitely unfair to see someone saying “men can’t like ponies!”, until you realize that Bronies (the most vocal, annoying ones at least) are kind of trying to wipe out the existence of female fans, too. I can understand the frustration UnicornTamer is feeling, because although they’re saying ‘ponies are for girls!’, well, it feels like a lot of the ‘new’ fandom right now is saying, ‘women need to get out of ponies, ponies are MEN’S things now!’  So it’s not okay to say that men can’t like ponies, but it’s coming from a place of frustrated reaction, where the opposite sentiment is being voiced in a very hateful, public manner.

I don’t want anyone on the Arena to feel unwelcome just because they’re dudes – we have tons of awesome dude collectors/fans, such as yourself! I’d love to have more guys who could treat others with the respect they’d like to receive, even if they are a different gender/like different things/etc. We all like ponies, that should be the focus of the fandom, not how ‘manly’ it is.

DoctorMon and Snapdragon - I love you both right now. As a female engineer who loves video games, action movies, dolls, and ponies....you guys make me feel accepted here

Aww, I’m so glad! I love that we have such a wide variety of collectors here!

I saw some really awesome shirts on WeLoveFine and couldn't get them because they only come in mens sizes... I was kind of upset. I mean, I don't care that much, it's just a T-shirt, but guys, pegasisters exist too. We might be the minority of the FiM fanbase, but that doesn't make us nonexistent.

Actually, female fans are the majority – the Hub did a viewing survey on who was watching the new FiM show, and the majority of viewers were women and female children. Men were present, but they definitely lagged behind. Most of the ‘Bronies are the majority’ facts are pulled from pseudo-scientific surveys that were posted on Brony-only sites. Surprisingly, the majority of pony-fans who view Brony sites are male Bronies, who could have predicted that?

Wow. I don`t really like this thread. I`m a guy and my first ponies were Blossom and Medley. My entire life I was made fun of for liking girls toys. And what I am reading here is not really a t-shirt selection complaint, but a whole bunch of nasty backhanded hate.
 Like it or not the pony world has changed and i`m glad it has.
Oh and BTW try finding a men`s pony shirt made before 2010. They did not exist.

I’m sorry that you feel unwelcome, but I don’t think that’s what’s being said in this thread at all. Just about every post I’ve seen here has been prefaced with ‘I don’t have a problem with most Bronies, but” and then they complain about the lack of shirts for women, which is a valid complaint. A lot of women/girls were made fun of for liking ponies before it became ‘popular’ also, so you’re definitely not alone in your suffering there. And now a lot of us are facing that same hate, merely for being female/liking the older gens. No one wants to make you feel unwelcome – we’re just frustrated by the poor treatment we’ve been receiving, lately.

[Elisto]

To answer the question of the post, yes and no...on the one hand, I don't really buy t-shirts advertising cartoons anymore because whenever I wear them, people think I'm a teenager, and I'm definitely not, plus, I find the cut of women's t-shirts to be uncomfortable especially the almost non-existent sleeves, even though I'm small, and I do consider men's t-shirts to be kind of generic/gender neutral. On the other hand, I do think it's weird and frustrating that when I did buy t-shirts like these, I could rarely find them in women's sizes or small men's sizes, only juniors or men's medium and up, and it's especially weird that for ponies, which Hasbro has been so marketing towards females, to not have many women's shirts.

I think it's awesome that men can find shirts with ponies, both for guys and those of us girls who prefer that style, but I do wish they'd acknowledge the adult women pony fan's desire for merchandise too. It's just so bizarre that they seem to I guess not think there's a market for that? I'm not sure why else they wouldn't sell it.

[banditpony]

Ok. As mentioned before WLF is not the only place making MLP shirts, There is also this : http://www.zazzle.com/mylittlepony

O_o; there are 6 pages of women's shirts on WLF (10 for men). So I dunno, the topic is that there is lack of female directed FiM stuff. Well, there is a basic tee-- so it is "lack of tank tops". So in reality, we have more choices then men, because we also have zazzle :3 

But I say make a ruckus to WLF. Cuz ya know, if there is a BIG ENOUGH want for it, they are gunna sell it, because they like to make money.

[CrystalCrown]

i know! its kinda a disappointment for most, but for me, i dont mind wearing a shirt in a guys cut at all

[Skeen]

I don't mind wearing men's shirts.  I'm curvy enough to make them look like women's anyway, and my husband and I wear the same size now so I can raid his drawer if I don't feel like doing laundry. 

[BigBrotherPony]

OMG!!!!
 
Now look what has happened , I was about to post a reply and then i was distracted by the zazzle website (which i had never visited before) and now i want to spend a gazzillion dollars on pony binders and envelopes and stuff that i will never use!
 
Anyway back on topic.
 
I think what 'welovefine' should really do is have a set up where they have a selection of T-shirts in all sizes, in several styles, for both genders in a range of colours, and a selection of transfer prints. You make an order saying I want Print A, on T-shirt B, Colour Blue, Size-medium and then they heat press it there and then and ship it out!
 
Then Boys, Girls, Women,Men,Grannies,Grandpa's and anyone in between could kit themselves out in a vast array of pony fashions and the whole world would be a much prettier, colourful place and we would all live happily ever after!
 
The End
 
 

[Malicieuse]

Ok. As mentioned before WLF is not the only place making MLP shirts, There is also this : http://www.zazzle.com/mylittlepony

O_o; there are 6 pages of women's shirts on WLF (10 for men). So I dunno, the topic is that there is lack of female directed FiM stuff. Well, there is a basic tee-- so it is "lack of tank tops". So in reality, we have more choices then men, because we also have zazzle :3 

But I say make a ruckus to WLF. Cuz ya know, if there is a BIG ENOUGH want for it, they are gunna sell it, because they like to make money.

From what i have heared the quality of zazzle is hit or miss. For example, their black t-shirt printing is not very good. (If the reviews are correct.)
If i pay that much for a shirt i want to be sure the quality is decent.

[banditpony]

WLF is terrible too, if you are speaking of that. That is something I am extremely picky about. (Someone gifted me a WLF shirt).  I wouldn't buy shirts from either company. 

[TwistedWindSox]

  i really cant fit in the mens.  im a petite girl who has to order small in womens.   and if i order a small in mens there is no room for chest area.  if i order bigger i look like a box LOL

Thisss. A small men's shirt on me squeezes my chest, and a medium is too big. D:
I wish they would make more girls' shirts on WLF. A lot of the best designs only come in men's. And if they are printed to order, it shouldn't be a big deal to grab a girl's shirt instead. :/

[josiekat]

Personally, I like wearing mens T's, so it's not an issue for me, but I can see your frustration.

[STLGusty]

I think it's great that WLF is making men's wear, but I do see where it is aggrivating that it appears a lot of those tops are geared TOWARDS men (or at least those who are willing to wear men's tops).  As someone mentioned earlier, I think the company does bank on women who are willing to wear men's shirts vs. men willing to wear women's shirts.  They see a market (males) and they cater to it.  I don't see why they wouldn't try to capitalize on a seemingly equal (if not greater?) amount of female fans wanting shirts...but I'm sure they have reason.

In my opinion, many of the males in the fandom may eventually die out as the years progress, leaving the hardcore, true pony guys left.  I think after awhile this will happen, and when it does...the merchandise will turn more towards the remaining female fans (or it may vanish all together).

[Dragonflitter]

Have you tried doing a search on cafepress.com?

A lot of items on cafepress.com are fan-made rather than 'official' (if you want to call Zazzle and WLF official). But you will get WAY more variety. Heck you can get stuff on coffee mugs, mouse pads, and baseball caps! And they have a lot of women's apparal as well as men's.

I've ordered T-shirts from cafepress before and I think the quality and price is comparable to other t-shirt websites.

[Stormy31685]

Urgh, don't even get me started. So sick of guys completely taking over MLP.

LOL!!!!!  I *never* thought I would read that in a million years.  My how the times have changed!

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I don't buy any of the t-shirts or anything, but it still makes me mad. MLP was and is meant for girls. GIRLS, people!

MLP was not "made and meant" for girls.  Please note that we have many male collectors here... 

MLP is a children's toy meant to enhance and enrich the imagination.  Any attempt to pigeon-hole a gender stereotype is just that, and not a true statement about MLP at all.

I think the amount of girls' merchandise is due to a few factors...

1) We don't complain/encourage the merchandisers - we've been ignored too many years to feel our voices are properly heard.  OR we complain TOO much and the licensers are tired of trying to please us.

2) We typically make our own merchandise if we get the inclination. 

3) We complain about the price/quality IF it is released, and then don't buy it.

4) Girls' clothing requires more labor to construct and sometimes more fabric.  They also generally make them in multiple sizes.  Guys' shirts and hoodies are lower labor-intensive and guys don't typically need as many sizes as girls do, so they are cheaper to make. 
 
Not to mention that since G1, nearly all the wearable merchandise has been for females.  Regardless if it was children's clothing or NOT.  So let's give the guys a chance to have a freakin' t-shirt for the first time in practically 30 years for goodness sakes without being all, "Where's my tank top!? RAWR Male Bronies hate us and the industry is AGAINST us, oh Noooooooo..."  It's a t-shirt.  Really.  Calm down.
 
Or... make your own! 

[Elisto]

I don't buy any of the t-shirts or anything, but it still makes me mad. MLP was and is meant for girls. GIRLS, people!

MLP was not "made and meant" for girls.  Please note that we have many male collectors here... 

MLP is a children's toy meant to enhance and enrich the imagination.  Any attempt to pigeon-hole a gender stereotype is just that, and not a true statement about MLP at all.

As much as I agree with your sentiment that of course it should be open to everyone, regardless of gender, and restricting it to just girls should in no way be the attitude here, I can't quite agree that MLP as a commercial product isn't intended for girls. I don't *like* that fact, but that is how the show/toys are marketed by Hasbro (after all, didn't they say the reason we had pink Celestia was because "little girls like pink"?). I don't really see why things can't be marketed for both guys and girls, but I don't think that's what Hasbro themselves are doing. Hopefully this is changing with the release of the newest toys. As for websites selling mostly men's shirts, maybe they have more male customers than female to begin with?

Also, I don't think women's shirts usually use more fabric...to me, they are always too short or don't have enough of a sleeve.