I get the basic idea, and I understand the frustration of the submissiveness in a HIE story, but can someone give me specific details/examples? Because my interpretation of this is that the human has the capacity to say "no" to the residents of the Equestria, not immediately agreeing and doing what they ask, and can stand up for themselves when they are being wronged in some way, but it would help if I could get a solid definition of what this group considers a human to be a 'doormat'. I'm trying to avoid that frustrating submissiveness I see in HIE stories in my fic, because seeing the human geting walked all over is the main reason why I stop reading certain HIE fics.

A 'Doormat' is a person who submits meekly to domination or mistreatment by others.

doormat

See also: door-mat

Etymology

door +‎ mat

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɔː(ɹ)ˌmæt/

Noun

doormat (plural doormats)

1. A coarse mat at the entrance to a house, upon which one wipes one's shoes.
   Wipe your shoes on the doormat before you start plodding around in the house.
2. (figuratively) Someone who is overly submissive to others' wishes.
   He's such a doormat, he lets everyone walk all over him.

7282431
If the group has a solid definition beyond the dictionary one, I've not seen it. Your description is pretty much it, so just keep doing what you're doing and it should work out fine.