My Little Pony XIX: I Emptied Your Thread

[Zevox]

The tackle seems intentional. She then spends that whole time giggling at and playing with Twilight Sparkle. I personally find that scene to be the most feminine example of RD I've yet seen.

Yeah, that's not how that scene comes off to me at all. The tackle doesn't strike mas intentional, and the laughing just seems to be at the general situation and Twilight's reaction to it.

Every man I've ever seen in this scenario has verbally or physically assaulted their friend who was (un?)knowingly usurping their spotlight. Granted, I've known fewer women in that scenario, but they generally turn inward rather than lashing out at an actual or perceived cause of friction.

Strange, I'd never have expected a reaction like that. Of course Rainbow's problem wasn't someone usurping her spotlight (yes Rarity entered the competition, but well after Rainbow's fears of failure had become very strong), but her belief that she was going to fail and embarrass herself in front of a crowd.

That's true, but what I was getting at is that Rainbow Dash is fine looking cool or looking pretty, where I've never met a tomboy who was comfy being pretty. [...]

This hinges on how one defines tomboy, by the bye. *shrug*

Very much so it seems. I don't tend to think of tomboys as being necessarily uncomfortable with feminine things - though some can be of course, and that's part of what lead me to refer Applejack as "the other tomboyish member of the group" earlier - but simply as displaying a generally more masculine attitude and preferences than a stereotypically feminine girl. Which Rainbow's focus on athletics, arrogance, desire to look "cool," and so on definitely fits.

I give you as my evidence, any and every stereotypical cheerleader.

Again, I bring up cheerleaders. Often considered the most vicious and competitive example of being female.

We must be familiar with very different cheeleader stereotypes. "Competitive" is not a term I tend to associate with them.

One, assumptions of orientation directly tie into gender and sex. One can't be a lesbian without first being female.

Well duh, but we're not debating whether Rainbow is female or not. And whether her personality fits better with stereotypes of femininity or masculinity is independent of her sexuality.

Zevox