Pony symbols and cutie marks in the future

[Taffeta]

In any case, I’m sorry if something I said offended you, or if I missed another point you were making (it was late when I posted). I just get a bit defensive of my pink and glitter. There are groups and individuals that are on this anti-girly kick, and berating parents about what they should or shouldn’t allow their daughters to play with. Not to mention all the negativity that brands like Disney Princess get from self-proclaimed “progressive” women.

“Girls who play with Barbie will grow up to believe they’re lesser than men—give them a Mrs. Potato Head instead!” (Real suggestion from researchers.) Umm... right. I’m definitely going to be thrilled with a potato when I asked for a glamorous fashion doll for my birthday. :/ Nothing wrong with the Potato Heads, mind you (I loved mine as a kid), but I played with them in a totally different way. They were not Barbie substitutes.

It's a valid frustration, I just don't appreciate it being taken out on me when I never said anything about it not being ok for girls to like those things or that it was in any way detrimental if girls did. I was entirely talking about the stereotype attitudes that fuel toy creation. The "girls should like this! attitude, as opposed to "this girl likes that" which is completely different.

 I am very much of the opinion all girls should like and be whatever and whoever they want to be and follow whatever interests them. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with Rarity being a fashion designer, but just that it's worth considering in context why fashion was chosen to be the medium.

I do have more problems with Rarity's image-obsessiveness, since I don't think it's helpful in the modern context to see a cartoon character fussing over her appearance or the appearance of others as much given how damaging social media and such can be on those exact themes. Rarity is not a bully, she's not a bad guy. But she is subtly reinforcing certain expectations that I'm not really a fan of.

As for the believing themselves inferior, there was a televised experiment at a school here that basically proved that stereotypes fed to girls, including about the kind of jobs they should or should not do, did have a direct influence on limiting their ambtion and increased their sense inferiority vis a vis men. I am not blaming glitter or pink for this, or Barbie. I am blaming the overwhelming and limited drive to gender girls into certain roles and likes/dislikes at an early age, while rarely providing for those kids who might NOT want to go down that line.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09202jz

But this is now off topic, so let's drop it and get back to symbols.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

I've always wondered how the parents in FiM were able to so accurately name their children when their gluteal tats hadn't shown up yet to tell the world just who/what they were. 

Like, what if Rainbow Dash's tat had been a bee with a flower?  Would she have applied for a name change or just been okay with it?

At least in G1 they were born with their tats so their parents had an idea of what name might match up.   

[Ponyfan]

I've always wondered how the parents in FiM were able to so accurately name their children when their gluteal tats hadn't shown up yet to tell the world just who/what they were. 

Like, what if Rainbow Dash's tat had been a bee with a flower?  Would she have applied for a name change or just been okay with it?

I’ve wondered that too especially with ponies like Spoiled Rich.  I think her name before was Spoiled Milk.  Who would name their baby pony that?

I would like to see the term cutie mark go away.  It bothers me when someone refers to G1 symbols as cutie marks. 

I like the term Pony Prints for cutie marks.   I’d like to see the cutie mark being tied to the pony’s destiny go away in G5. 

I also agree that Breezies and hippogriffs should have symbols.

Ponyfan

[Nemesis]

But this is now off topic, so let's drop it and get back to symbols.

Yes, agreed. I apologize for not understanding your original statement. You referred to the cutesy language and cutie mark terminology as patronizing, and I thought you were talking about “girly” themes in general (like fashion and parties). I still disagree about the cutesy language being patronizing (I always found it cute and charming), but I understand now that that’s that’s all you meant to say.

I overreacted a bit, and I’m sorry about that.

gluteal tats

I think we’ve found Hasbro a new trademark! =D

[Taffeta]

@Nemesis

If it gives you context, I'm writing this post surrounded by a bunch of plushes, one of which is pink, all of whom are technically 'cute'. Cute is fine, so long as it's cute by choice, not by cultural expectation.

...I think gluteal tats is a bit close to the glue factory >.>xD

[Ponybookworm]

They better be on both sides!

Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!

[Pokeyonekenobie]

They better be on both sides!

Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!

Now, what if they were born with one marking (in order to give their parents an idea of what to name them) but then they magically earned a second marking on the other side depicting their skills/talents?  That might make for new mix-em-up that hasn't been done yet.

[Nemesis]

They better be on both sides!

Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!

Now, what if they were born with one marking (in order to give their parents an idea of what to name them) but then they magically earned a second marking on the other side depicting their skills/talents?  That might make for new mix-em-up that hasn't been done yet.

That would actually... be a really cool design idea! I always loved the Hero/Villain (aka Two Face) SDCC pony from G3. That’s on the extreme side, but I love the idea of not making the marks symmetrical.

[Sunset]

They better be on both sides!

Ha! It’s so interesting how so many of us forgot to mention this.

[SunPony]

They better be on both sides!

Could
Not
Agree
MORE!!!

Now, what if they were born with one marking (in order to give their parents an idea of what to name them) but then they magically earned a second marking on the other side depicting their skills/talents?  That might make for new mix-em-up that hasn't been done yet.

Huh, never thought of that.  Sounds like a cool idea!   

[Taffeta]

TBH I'd rather have the same symbol on both sides than a variation. I'm thinking of the toy line before any kind of media incarnation, here, but how annoying if you want to pose a pony to show a particular symbol but can only do that if they're a particular way around?

Yes to 2 symbols returning. No to variation between them imo.

(Also no to any kind of heat sensitive/changing symbol - Magic Message ponies are a good enough lesson why that's a problematic toy concept)

[dragglereeka]

I guess I also want G5 to be a lot more of a magical realm and a lot less of a slice of life thing though. And that is also probably worth taking into consideration when thinking what symbols may be going forward.

Agreed, more fantasy, magic and mystery :3

[Wardah]

(Also no to any kind of heat sensitive/changing symbol - Magic Message ponies are a good enough lesson why that's a problematic toy concept)

I think that toy technology has come a long way since then. There have been much more successful implementations of color changing since.

[Nemesis]

(Also no to any kind of heat sensitive/changing symbol - Magic Message ponies are a good enough lesson why that's a problematic toy concept)

I think that toy technology has come a long way since then. There have been much more successful implementations of color changing since.

I’ve never noticed any problems with my Magic Message ponies... What issues are they known for?

[Taffeta]

The symbols damage easily and, if you're careless when washing them, they can come right off.

Colour changing tech has come on, true, but you still end up with the problem that things can get 'stuck'.

I'm not a huge fan of the gimmick in symbols (not for the Nurse ponies either) tbh.