I wanted to adress the issue of nakedness in Equestria and how it is portrayed usually in the fanfics.

Usually in such fanfics, ponies can not understand why humans feel the need to cover their sexual organs. However, I think they would understand for two reasons.

1. Humans don't have fur to cover them, but this one is known by nearly everyone here.
2. Here is interesting thing, horses, along with most mammalian species, store their penis internally until erect. And what does this mean?

No dangly gonads, unless they get erection and I think that in pony society it would still not be okay to walk around while erect.

Discuss, let your opinions on this be known.

Mares in the show also have fairly long tails to cover their genitals as well.

What about the humans with the 'disease' whose Latin name literally means 'hair everywhere?'

Then again, that isn't mentioned on here, soo.....

Those furry humans would be allowed to walk naked provided they have the sufficient amount of fuzz.

1830831

I think when authors talk about this it's more about the cultural aspect rather than the practical one.

Cloths have become not only a status symbol, but a basic necessity. Ponies wouldn't understand the status part. I guess that the whole "genitals dangling about is not okay" is a factor and shouldn't be ignored, but the lack of some understanding makes sense.

People wear cloths because they're people. That's basically the reasoning.

1830831

Having recently spent time in a wild horse enclosure for the purposes of answering this very question, here's my observations:

On an IRL mare you can see everything unless she has her tail clamped.
On a stallion, you can see the 'beans' easily, but usually only the tip of the 'frank,'

Thus, in terms of concealment of genitiles, ranking from least to most obscured while nude:
1. Male human
2. Mare
3. Stallion
4. Female human

This is assuming that the ponies keep their tails down, as usually portrayed in the show, they're hiding nothing.:

1830831

Male puberty must be a bitch

1830831
Honestly, on most days I'd just be cold. Or sunburnt, considering the probable lack of sunscreen.

1830831
Then again ponies wouldn't see dangling genitalia unless the human undresses.

I remember reading a fic where a human undresses briefly to take a bath when AppleJack is around and upon seeing how exposed humans are becomes mildly embarrassed.

1830890

Cloths have become not only a status symbol, but a basic necessity. Ponies wouldn't understand the status part.

You're kidding, right? The only ones we've seen who wear clothing - particularly with any regularity - are nobles, celebrities and fashion designers.

1830831

You have just described in totality how every HiE addresses the issue. The ponies simply aren't prepared to consider the ramifications of the human body, so it either takes time to work out the issues or the issues are explained to them.

Are you kidding!?
If I was in Equestria I'd go naked until another human appeared... oh come on! You think that only one human would go? Because I'm pretty sure another WILL in fact follow.

1831013or people who just so happen to have a friend who's addicted to cloth

1830831 My take on it is that while ponies indeed walk around naked, they still understand the need for privacy. So, even though they wouldn't understand a human's need to stay clothed (until it was explained), they would understand a need for privacy if it was stated. I mean think about it: every sentient species on Earth is naked, save for humans. Even with that being the case, no animal purposefully exposes the sex organs unless it's planning to mate. Ponies would likely be the same in that respect, but would find it strange that a human always wears clothing...until it was explained.

1831262 That's going to be explained by my human protagonist when the ponies ask. They are going to have a lot of red faces while the human laughs at their expense.

1831187
You mean the Elements? The heroes of the realm?

1830831
Human Western culture also has us covering our butts, genitals (including females, whose sensitive parts are all inside) and females covering their breasts. It's not just a matter of practicality.

We use clothes to demonstrate:
Age, gender, sexual availability status, social status, economic status, base personality traits such as friendliness, and above all else, deference to other members of society to gain social acceptance (which at its most basic level seems to translate to: "No, don't worry. Just because I'm squatting in the bushes doesn't mean I'm going to spring out and rape you. See? My pants are still on and everything")

People become very attached clothes as a means of demonstrating one's identity, even if the need to show other humans your age, gender, sexual availability status, etc. are plain as day.

And to illustrate that the desire to be clothed, at least in part, is based on wanting to project your identity, imagine a situation where you have to cut a little girl's hair extreamly short and she's unhappy about it. Wouldn't you try to console her by saying "Don't worry, this doesn't make you a boy or anything. You're still a cute girl" ?

1831262

I mean think about it: every sentient species on Earth is naked, save for humans. Even with that being the case, no animal purposefully exposes the sex organs unless it's planning to mate.

To cite one example, what about female cats? They often enough go around with their tails up.

I think one thing a lot of people forget is that many animals are more scent-oriented than sight. To a stallion, seeing an unreceptive female is no big deal. In the wild, the stallion wanders around with the herd all the time, only performing when a mare gives off the right scent and the right signals.

While I think that any culture would have developed past that point--I certainly don't agree with the view that the ponies are sexaholics during their estrus--I think their culture might have evolved with less thought given to appearance.

1832204 Yes, but to cite your same example, there's a difference between a female cat walking normally with their tail held high, and "assuming the position". There's a large difference between common body language and actually exposing oneself. As far as mating behavior, most animals in the world are dangerous and unpredictable during mating season. Though a sapient species, Equestrian ponies could be expected to be the same, seeing as how they have strong ties to a more animal-like form and ancestry. This is just an observation though, and there is no right or wrong.

1830831 Wearing clothes even when it is not necessary for protection is a cultural thing

1830831 Horse balls are very obvious on real animals, and the sheath that hold the stallion penis is still visible, it is just held close to the body. I mean - you can tell at ten meters or more. It's all non-trivial, even if it is not erect.

The fact they don't show horse testicles on My Little Pony is due to the same reason they don't just up and say Celestia and Luna are local Greek or Roman style deities - the show is made in America.

America is a VERY Puritan-influenced nation. It is highly religious, and very influenced by Judeo-Christian attitudes. Nakedness is bad, sex organs are bad, there is only one god, ect. I mean, we're talking a nation where 46% of the population takes Creationism as fact. Only 39% believe that evolution is the cause for the diversity of species. Four in ten Americans honestly believe that "God created humans in present form within the last 10,000 years."

Consider that. That many people really think a magic talking snake in a magical garden got a woman magically made out of clay to eat a piece of enchanted fruit that taught her shame for her vagina.

This is their reality. Vagina shame. And the same magic fruit taught another golem - the first man - to be ashamed of his penis.

And because penis shame is the factual law of a real, magical super-wizard in the sky, and Americans really, actually believe this to be true, really true...

THAT is why humans cover up their 'naughty bits' - and call them 'naughty'.

But ponies... aren't Christian. They are magical creatures. They are animals. They have coats of hair. Animals, under Puritan thought, don't need clothing.

If this was not true, wouldn't all those insane Americans above dress all of their goats and chickens and horses and cows in full clothing? Of course they would.

So - the reason why ponies don't get human shame is because they are not insane. In their culture, they do not have a talking magical snake teaching shame to clay golem-men using enchanted fruit. To them - that story is bullshit.

Just as it is to me.

And, I hope with all of my heart, to you.

1832250

Yes, but to cite your same example, there's a difference between a female cat walking normally with their tail held high, and "assuming the position".

I totally agree; besides scent, mares also have mating behaviors to indicate whether or not they want some. That was instead a response to the "sapient species keep their genitles covered unless they're ready to mate" comment.

There's a large difference between common body language and actually exposing oneself. As far as mating behavior, most animals in the world are dangerous and unpredictable during mating season. Though a sapient species, Equestrian ponies could be expected to be the same, seeing as how they have strong ties to a more animal-like form and ancestry. This is just an observation though, and there is no right or wrong.

Again, in total agreement. I think that as an advance society, the ponies would have suppressed their baser instincts--not only in mating, but in other areas as well. I also think that as a nude society, they're likely to be more open about some (or all) bodily functions than Western society is, but that's just my own opinion.

In my opinion, they would recognize that the human wanted to wear clothes as a sign of status or because it was cold (sparse body hair) before they understood that it was an issue of the human exposing itself. But that's just my opinion.

1832740 I suppose it depends on the observer.

Let me put it like this, even the most backward, primitive tribes, in the hottest, wettest, nastiest locations on the planet, wear something to cover their lower neithers, -even if its just a hollow gourd. It is ingraned in all of humanity to cover "that" up.

Contrast that with IRL equines who's bits are mostly hidden, especially stallions who have full conscious control over when it pops out and back in. I'm sure Equestrians have the same control over theirs so unless somepony is being rude and showing off, it's not a problem.

Male humans are always on display when naked, and unlike IRL equines, we have no control over what it does. -And its RIGHT at pony eye level!
I'm sure 5 minutes of the human OC being stark naked and a stray thought of "Miss September" would be enough to convince Rarity that "Yes, these creatures DO need all the clothes I can heap upon them! and HURRY!"

1832713

Hold it for a second. Just, right there.

Where should I even start? Maybe with the fact that your facts are blatantly incorrect and not backed up. I don't know when you got these statistics, but if they were ever true then they must be at least fifty years old.

Look, I'm not religious, but I can see that you're just being ridiculous. I don't know if you decided to be one of those ardent atheists or whatever, but at least act like you know what you're talking about. I am an American, I've been to the deep south for a year, and though religion was more prevalent, these ideas that you think are represented, just... aren't. The fact of the matter is, saying something like this just makes you look more stupid than the people you're trying to tell me exist as forty percent of the population.

And what the do you even think the story of Adam and Eve was about? They disobeyed god, that has nothing to do with sexual organs. I think you may literally have made up your entire argument on the spot.

1833274 *is an airiest . Doesnt have any facts AND scews sonething he can not prove nor disprove .
Thinks MLP doesnt show and say stuff because of western culture and not BECAUSE ITS A SHOW LITTERLY FOR LITTLE GIRLS.....
Reply to you because "One does not simply reply to a post that has already been professionally berated "

1832713 No. Just, just no.

Yes, a great number of people in America are stupid. Its called being of average intelligence. This average level combined with those below it and the basic cultural norms of American society means that America does have a large number of dumb people...because we have more people living in one country than most of Europe combined.

Let's see what happens when we look at any population of comparable size. Oh, look at that, your country has a bunch of idiots too.

Your 'statistics' are either out of date or include 'believe creationism is a possibility among other more likely explanations' on one side but only 'convinced this is true and nothing else possibly explains everything' on the evolution side of the argument.

Your numbers are shaky at best. I work in a pharmacy and consider myself agnostic since I have seen some things I simply cannot explain but follow no religion. I see dumb people. I see lazy people. The stereotypes are true, your average American is either fat, stupid, or a complete ass. It is common enough for all three to be true, but not every American should be assumed to be as bad as the worst of us.

You lose! Good day sir!

We don't have fur, we get cold, we wear clothing.

Ponies have fur, they don't get cold, they don't wear clothing...except back a long time ago, it would seem.

1833612
Well good, you're just as bad as she is. Where she said that the average American was a creationist, you're just saying that they're either an asshole, lazy, or fat.

Good to know you solved a lot there.

1830946 Indeed it is. But we get 'bigger' so it all makes up for the hair.

1830831
Ponies are naked and have no body issues, resulting in them proudly keeping their tails erect. Furthermore, I tend to imagine ponies much more like real life quadrupeds than the sexless depictions from a children's cartoon. As such, mares have their sexes in plain view and stallions have their nuts there as well. Here, I clearly remember the case of Photo Finish: that horizontal bell dress of hers pretty much highlighted that her rump was still stark naked.
There could be all sorts of social taboos, though, such as having a visible erection in public (either a penis or a clit), waving their tails, looking at someone without turning their bodies around (which could result in strange behaviour where walking ponies would usually hold conversations without looking at each other), or for mares in heat to be outside.

And, by the way, horses don't 'store their penises internally' any more than we humans do. It's simply that horses, like most quadrupeds, have their foreskins largely or totally fused to the skin of their bellies, resulting in their penises pointing the same way as a human's: more or less forward. If a quadruped had a circumcision, their penises would droop, which would make them largely unable to copulate.

1832713

I mean, we're talking a nation where 46% of the population takes Creationism as fact. Only 39% believe that evolution is the cause for the diversity of species. Four in ten Americans honestly believe that "God created humans in present form within the last 10,000 years."

If that's not an exaggeration, then I feel even more terrified about the hicks who nearly voted that Mormon into the White House.

America is a VERY Puritan-influenced nation.

Curiously enough, I don't really see the problem emanating from there. I believe the real core of the issue is that the First Amendment of the US Constitution establishes no limitations, thus resulting in the people having taken it as a right to be wilfully stupid.

1832713
Chatty. Honey. People are idiots, willing to stagnate in the attempt to stay comfortable.
That being said. I prefer to put on some clothes. Mostly due to the fact that if I didn't wear clothes I would be sun burnt in places that should never be sun burnt. Also i enjoy the feeling of my clothes and my undies preventing me from accidentally sitting on my own junk, cuz that shit hurts. And most of the Nations across the pond are just as bad as America. I blame capitalism. Wealth over wisdom and all that shit.
Sometimes you just gotta think would you be happy nude all the time in whatever the predominant weather is? Or do you enjoy flaunting your wealth by wearing fancy clothes? Its a matter of psychological things.
I may disagree with some things religion says... Ok most things but sometimes you gotta think and ask what makes you feel as though you impacted the world. Just be a good person and good things should happen. Accept what happens because it does and that justification is another way of saying i have an excuse. Just live and things happen and then when you die things still happen. Dont blame clothes on god we are but animals that have lost our instinct and seek to distance ourselves with the fact we are animals and as things are shown, the worst kind of animals

1833769
Actually, I agree with that description. I have been working in various tourism-oriented companies in Cancun for the last ten years and can say that:
1) If its obese and white, you can place 10:1 odds on being a Yankee.
2) While some 70 or 80% of tourists in Cancun are Yankees, adventure tours (...to other than theme parks and motor 'sports'...) cater to Europeans, Canadians and Yankees, in that order. (Mexicans don't use them because the low jungles and underground rivers around here are serious let-downs compared to most of Mexico.)
3) I have never been yelled at by any other than Yankees.
4) If I have come to consider a Yankee girl to be a sweetheart, odds are that she looks closer to a boiler than an hourglass. And if I have come to consider a Yankee girl to be as good as a turd, odds are that she's a serious piece of eye candy.

1831013

(Talking about humans here)

I reckon that the ponies would respond to humanity's intense desire to always wear clothes in public and then some with a sense of bewilderment but, upon learning about human anatomy one way or another, it would become somewhat clear, though they'd still puzzle over the need to be clothed in situations when no one should be watching as well as many humans' tendency to enrobe body parts that are of no consequence.

By-the-by, would this apply to women keeping their breasts covered up?

1832713 It's funny. Whenever I see a comment of yours it's always disliked into oblivion. It's probably the condescending attitude, though.

1834420
No you weren't. You said "Ponies wouldn't understand the status part". Unless you see "ponies" and "human" as interchangeable words, that is.

1836584
Personally, I think it's because I say things that people already know, but don't want to hear.

That and a fairly large, utterly ridiculous, online hate group.

And the only way to deal with such petty behavior, is to repeat oneself, don't you think?

1830831 Horse balls are very obvious on real animals, and the sheath that hold the stallion penis is still visible, it is just held close to the body. I mean - you can tell at ten meters or more. It's all non-trivial, even if it is not erect.

The fact they don't show horse testicles on My Little Pony is due to the same reason they don't just up and say Celestia and Luna are local Greek or Roman style deities - the show is made in America.

America is a VERY Puritan-influenced nation. It is highly religious, and very influenced by Judeo-Christian attitudes. Nakedness is bad, sex organs are bad, there is only one god, ect. I mean, we're talking a nation where 46% of the population takes Creationism as fact. Only 39% believe that evolution is the cause for the diversity of species. Four in ten Americans honestly believe that "God created humans in present form within the last 10,000 years."

Consider that. That many people really think a magic talking snake in a magical garden got a woman magically made out of clay to eat a piece of enchanted fruit that taught her shame for her vagina.

This is their reality. Vagina shame. And the same magic fruit taught another golem - the first man - to be ashamed of his penis.

And because penis shame is the factual law of a real, magical super-wizard in the sky, and Americans really, actually believe this to be true, really true...

THAT is why humans cover up their 'naughty bits' - and call them 'naughty'.

But ponies... aren't Christian. They are magical creatures. They are animals. They have coats of hair. Animals, under Puritan thought, don't need clothing.

If this was not true, wouldn't all those insane Americans above dress all of their goats and chickens and horses and cows in full clothing? Of course they would.

So - the reason why ponies don't get human shame is because they are not insane. In their culture, they do not have a talking magical snake teaching shame to clay golem-men using enchanted fruit. To them - that story is bullshit.

Just as it is to me.

And, I hope with all of my heart, to you.

It's for sure a source of friction in the US, but nudity taboos are way older than Judeochristianity, since society has a compelling interest in who is looking at whose genitals and maybe becoming aroused and maybe having children they can't take care of (or who would try to claim an inheritance) and inflaming the jealousies of powerful people who want their sexual relationships to be exclusive, up to and including even the gaze of others falling upon the nude bodies of people they claim exclusive rights to.
Even foraging peoples wear loin cloths or sheathes (or invert their penises) - It's boobs they're alright with, as there's been a movement in the West over the past several decades to liberate here as well, which they should be, for sound equal rights reasons, and not just because I'm a boob man.

I think ponies go nekkid because even though they're theoretically facing the same issues, they're just, you know, cool about that sort of thing. We're heading in that same direction as well, to people's eternal protest. It doesn't always look that way in the States, at least in the short term, but the US alone is not civilization.
By example, I spent the first six years of my life in Belgium, and my parents routinely took me to a nudity-friendly beach, but while I remember the porkswords and lunchmeats, all that sticks out in my mind now is trying not to step on all the jellyfish that regularly washed up. Bodies are harmless, and people are slowly coming to realize it.

1840161

is to repeat oneself,

Isn't that the definition of insanity?

1842001
Not even close, actually. You are probably thinking of "The definition of insanity is to do the same thing, over and over, and expect a different result." It's a facetious little saying that has little to do with actual insanity, but it is popular because it is cute and trite and easy to understand.

What I am doing is refusing to be silenced, refusing to be bullied, refusing to be treated like shit for petty reasons. This would fit in the class of "standing up to bullies" or "fighting oppression".

Rather than insane, it is generally considered heroic to refuse to be minimized or silenced by oppressing, ignorant jerks acting from petty meanness. Nobody should have to put up with such things, and by fighting it myself, I work against a situation that permits it.

1842715
You think you're informing the world of something great here? That you're indispensable to the human race?

Just a moment, seeing as you've completely ignored the comment that I used to reply to yours. You aren't fighting oppression. You aren't struggling to get the word out. Well, maybe think you are, but you can't start an argument based on fundamentally faulty evidence. You may be thinking that what you said was true, and that I am simply another part of the 'hate group' that is out to debunk everything you say.

Well, I think you wouldn't be met with so much hatred if you didn't go and insult the world's largest religion, as well as the population of the world's most powerful and rich country on information that is flimsy at best.

It would be heroism if you were standing up for women's rights, or against racism in the face of a large number of opponents. Of course, saying that all people are equal would be a correct statement, while your arguments just... aren't. I don't mean to employ the logical fallacy and immediately say that I'm right, but you clearly don't have the information to start this argument, and I know that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Maybe people have a reason to be so annoyed by you, and maybe your 'bullying' starts because of how you make yourself look. Maybe you're the one that's the problem, and complaining about that fact won't help your situation in the slightest. Try to use your brain before you post things, that's all I'm saying. You could be some benevolent person, but based on what I'm reading you just look like someone that has nothing better to do than insult people.

Also, showing genitals in a children's show... Why would you think that that would be okay? There may not be erotic undertones, but these are still minors that are being shown pornography. That's somewhat illegal, and immoral either way. It has nothing to do with America.

1842715
....
Good for you!

I came here expecting an interesting discussion but I instead stumble upon a religious and cultural debate.

Bailing out.

You know why I don't walk around naked?
I don't want to get the ladies dehydrated.

1842715
I'm not seeing any bullying here. Am I missing something?

1843045
Imagine that every post you make, anywhere, is instantly downvoted, because someone wants you gone. Some of your posts are just obliterated - made invisible, because there is a hate group that has been out for your hide for two years already. They were punished for attacking you in the real world, so now they just downvote endlessly online and try to erase your words when then can.

If that happened to you, what would you call it? How would you feel?

That is my situation.

1842881

Also, showing genitals in a children's show... Why would you think that that would be okay? There may not be erotic undertones, but these are still minors that are being shown pornography. That's somewhat illegal, and immoral either way. It has nothing to do with America.

It has everything to do with America and Puritanism.

Japan is not a Christian nation. Mostly Shinto with some Buddhism. Their cartoons often show genitalia, because genitals are a natural part of the body, and they don't have the religious shame associated with them.

One example, just off the top of my head is 'Crayon Shin-Chan'. This Japanese 'Bart Simpson' is a young boy who likes to pretend his penis and testicles are an elephant. The penis is the trunk, and the testicles are the elephant's ears. He is forever - because he is a young, silly child - taking off his pants and doing 'the elephant dance' much to the embarrassment of his parents. It's a big comedy element.

This is shown. It's censored in the version for America, of course. But in Japan, no big deal.

I stand by my statements, because they are based on knowledge.

Your words, are not.

1844620
Fair enough; you sure do have a truckload of downvotes on your initial post, but I figured that was more from touchy religious folk than anything else. Maybe I have a faulty perspective because I'm coming into your situation rather late, but all I was seeing in this thread was disagreement, not bullying.

Anyway, as Dennis Miller used to say (back when he was funny), "Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong."

1845058

but I figured that was more from touchy religious folk than anything else.

That would actually be interesting, because it would effectively prove my point for me by direct example.