My Little Pony Media Over reaction????

[cleverLC]

I don't get this weird idea that parents aren't supposed to sit down with their kids and talk to them.  "Those dolls are fun, but real people don't look like that," can be all some kids need to understand that their self-worth should not be tied up in whether or not they look like a super-skinny toy.

[mlpkatie]

I really don't have much to say, personally I do not like the new look as dolls. Ponies are awesome! Not all little girls like dolls, but a majority (in my opinion and perspective) love ponies! The EQ dolls do look creepy, and they shouldn't make them so girly. Little girls shouldn't be worried about how the dolls look, or expect themselves to look like in the future from the "influence" the dolls give off. To be honest, I don't even know if that last sentence even made sense.

[cadance89]

I don't think it's a bad thing that they've changed. All brands evolve and the kids now aren't the kids of the 80s - I think today's designs are anime influenced etc and Hasbro just responds to these trends, plus I think the large eyes Faust gave G4 allows for a lot of expression in the cartoon. If only these critics would watch the show and see how good it is for little girls! 

[Binny]

I don't even see why this is an issue to begin with. To be honest it bothers me more that many of the complainers seem to equate clothing and even body types with being promiscuous or shallow. That sends a much worse message than anything else in my opinion.

[Private_Bubbles]

You know, I'm really tired of reading all the negative backlash surround girl's toys.  I have 3 daughters, ages 8, 7 and 2, so I have lots of experience with girls and what they want and this ain't it:
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Every time something new comes out aimed at girls, we have the conservative groups who believe it will turn our daughters into promiscuous women.  Children are molded by their parents, not Clawdeen Wolf or Rainbow Dash.  My daughters see these dolls as pretty girls with cool clothes, not as what they aspire to be when they grow up.  My job as their mother is to keep them on the straight and narrow; to grow up with dreams and ambitions.  If they turn out poorly, that's on me not Hasbro. 

Exactly, it's almost like people are just looking to blame others for their lazy parenting. This is just an over-reaction, the media doing what they are best at and trying to create controversy where there is none.
Besides, I think Rainbow Dash looks pretty fierce as a doll, not as ultra-feminine as this article seems to suggest

[Sky_Rocket_Sammie]

Here we go again. I say that because I remember one of my aunties getting upset, in the mid 80s. Over Barbie being "bad" for my cousins (girls). Granted the lack of poc/Native is another discussion. The thing was, myself and my cousins where taught that we knew the difference. Barbie, GI Joe or heck even Hot Wheels. They are toys, it was up to our parents/care givers to teach us (and they did) that toys where just toys. Not how real people looked or even having Hot Wheels didn't equal the real thing.

If and when I have a kid(s), I'll be taking the same approach. The parents not the toy makers drive the discussion. And if you were wondering, none of us thought we looked like Barbie or Joe. Even at age ten I thought my auntie, well I told her. In a polite way, that I understood the difference.

[Al-1701]

They wouldn't even necessarily have to do that.  They could simply make a show that has more adventure and longer story arcs and more complex story telling.  Just because you are a teenager doesn't mean that you have to actually see teenagers (in high school, no less) to identify with the characters.  Or maybe that was just me.

Very true.  Transformers made Rescue Bots to appeal to younger kids with more lighthearted antics while Transformers Prime appealed to older kids and young adults with a darker and more action-oriented story.

They could do the same with MLP.  Friendship is Magic can stay the lighthearted slice of life show and a spinoff could be more about action and adventure.  It would give more ponies focus so they could sell more toys.  It would also attract older kids who would be more interested in the action and more complex stories.

[lonewolf]

The Huff Post is a toilet website. Often they twist stuff around in their articles for shock value or to start controversy (I think some of their stuff was completely made up) .

[hathorcat]

Opinions are always interesting - no matter the side of the line they fall on.

I have worked in media, marketing and advertising for over a decade, the key to remember is that toys are created because of a demand, the toys don't create the demand - that is what marketing is all about.

And also...little girls wanted to be princesses and were attracted to romanticism for just about as long as history can remember - princess or pretty dolls fill that demand...they don't create it to start with.

[Al-1701]

The thing is, Hasbro has access to a very powerful tool to diagnose and even manipulate demand called media.  Just take a look at Megan from G1.  Megan was introduced as the token human character in Rescue at Midnight Castle and she was so popular Hasbro figured they could make a toy of her to go with the ponies.  They can use media to get older kids interested in ponies if they use it right.

[Marigold]

As long as they keep making ponies I don't care if they also do a doll line. 

[LadyPinwheel]

I personally don't like the new dolls. They aren't My Little Pony for me. I just don't see the point. It's a bad attempt to try and compete with the Monster High. And I think it's stupid, because ponies aren MH, so why try and be it?

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I possibly think the person who wrote this article on the Huffington post also knows the person who wrote this article on Barbie:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505145_162-57594425/barbie-fights-for-her-life/

They make a good point.  Hasbro wants a piece of the consumer pie, and they're trying all angles on this one...

[anthologia]

"Sexualized and self-objectifying?" Oh jeez, so much wrong with that.

[LilAlleyCat]

I think Huff is way off the mark on this one. As others have stated, as long as Hasbro keeps making ponies I don't care if they have this offshoot line of dolls. They are not as bad as Bratz in the least and it's not fair to compare them to that line. Bratz are all about being sexualized and having the cool sexy clothes and expensive accessories (cell phones, "bling", purses, cars etc etc). NOT the kind of example I think is healthy for anyone to model after, especially young girls.

The EQ girl line is, again as others have pointed out, just a manifestation of real girls who are cosplaying the characters in real life. They aren't overtly sexual, their clothing is reasonable in style (no belly shirts, hot pants), their accessories more innocent, their stories have morals and values.

I also think MH are at least more creative (and I admit , I think they are actually pretty cool/cute), being based in fantasy, not reality. Not fair comparison.

I think MH and EQ got their inspiration more from  Blythe dolls or anime dolls, following  their cues rather than the horrid Bratz line.