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Published: 2019-07-21 17:51:48 +0000 UTC; Views: 155413; Favourites: 4065; Downloads: 0
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these were originally gonna be part of a larger doodle dump on Vogue but i figure it's better as it's own post
1.) Meet Raduga. She's a griffon from mountain country (which I imagine is some birdy wordplay on "Russia"....Clutchia? Moscaw?) Pls don't be dissuaded by her habit of swallowing dead rodents and eating bones, equines have such delicate sensibilities, goodness. Is only natural, darlings!
Equestria has been undergoing a massive culture shift in recent decades. After the establishment of Twilight's University of Friendship, the kingdom has begun mingling with other nations, resulting in ponies traveling and settling down in faraway lands, and other creatures immigrating to Equestria, causing unprecedented growth in previously minority populations. In academic circles like Twilight's, there's even been a push for more inclusive language, ie: "everycreature" in lieu of "everypony". The reigning princesses are very proud of the growing success of their diversity initiative.
Of course, these changes haven't been met with universal acclaim. The show has given us many examples of pony xenophobia. Some ponies fear the population growth of griffons, hippogriffs, changelings, yaks, dragons, etc. Their cultures are foreign and different, and many ponies shrink away from that difference. These new citizens of Equestria are sometimes pushed into isolated little pockets, out of pony schools, away from pony jobs, and especially away from pony wealth.
Canterlot is the capital of Equestria, simultaneously the richest and most conservative city. Some of the rich elite obtained their wealth through innovation and noble intentions, but the truth is that trillions of golden bits were plundered from the exploited working class. Rather than part with a single coin, the Canterlot uppercrust have turned to political fear-mongering, encouraging xenophobic attitudes toward other species. Griffins are often stereotyped as cruel, disloyal, violent, and moneygrubbing- which is a very helpful idea to push when you'd rather not let griffons build businesses that could threaten your own.
Raduga seeks to challenge these attitudes and demand an end to non-pony discrimination.
2.) Vogue and Raduga, serving a night in jail for leading a peaceful protest.
Raduga is a good friend of Vogue. She'd grown up eagerly collecting pony fashion magazines and devouring book after book on fashion design. She finally managed to save up enough bits to move to Canterlot bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, dead-set on becoming one of the next top minds in fashion, a model. But every modelling agency she applied to always went cold after the first interview. Was it her broken Equuish? Raduga studied to improve it. It certainly couldn't have been her sleek, mud-dyed plumage- why, it was the envy of every griff back home!Β
It isn't until she overhears a photographer whispering to an agent- "ugly overgrown vulture"- that she begins to understand. There are no griffon beauty models in Equestria.
Raduga refuses to give up, eventually ending up at a modelling agency owned by one Lady Vogue. As expected, a few minutes into the interview, Vogue politely tries to explain that Raduga just isn't what the agency is looking for at this time. Frustrated, Raduga simply asks if it's because she's a griffon. Vogue tries to deflect, but Raduga presses the issue. Is it because she is not baby-faced little horsey? Because she have teeth, talon, beak? She is beautiful in her home country! As beautiful as any creature! And if she can appreciate beauty and art and talent of tiny horses, then why not can tiny horses appreciate Raduga?
Vogue gets defensive, a shouting match occurs, and she has the griffon escorted from the building. The nerve of that....that vulture! To suggest that Vogue couldn't look past someone's species? There's nothing discriminatory about it- ugly is ugly!
Vogue is so red-faced and angry she has to excuse herself from work for the rest of the day. The griffons words keep popping back into her mind, at unexpected moments. She brings it up to her best friend Zee, seeking comfort, but Zee points out "Actually, I always thought it was kinda funny......your agency doesn't have a single mule model." And slowly......Vogue realizes her agency doesn't have any griffon models. Or mules, or hippogriffs, or changelings, or dragons, or any creature. Just ponies......just thin, pretty, identical unicorns.
......Maybe something does need to change.
It takes time, but Raduga and Vogue end up forming a powerful, life-long friendship. Vogue and Raduga (and Zee) become prominent voices in Canterlot pushing for inclusion for all species. Though their efforts are mocked at at first, and their protests snuffed out, the aristocrats stop finding things so funny when Fancy Pants (and his spending power) is drawn into the girls' cause, as well as international supermodel Fleur de Lis, and popular musicians Sapphire Shores and Coloratura. Even Duke Blueblood seems supportive.....
Vogue uses her position to give the griffon a social leg up, and Raduga goes on to become the first griffon model in Canterlot, and the very first griffon fashion designer. Vogue's modelling agency is the first to open its doors to all creatures, and now boasts a colorful and gorgeous array of talented ladies from all around the world.
3.) Vogue's special talent is fashion photography (she apprenticed under Photo Finish), but she likes to dip a hoof into photojournalism on occasion. She can be a little shy about her passions, fortunately Raduga is the best burdy friend a pony could ask for.
~~~~~~~~~~
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Comments: 313
Legacy-Galaxy In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 18:04:47 +0000 UTC]
Give tea to Russian baby?
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CursedGraveDigger In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 18:03:14 +0000 UTC]
oh how cute Raduga can mean rainbow in russian!
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drawingshady In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 18:02:59 +0000 UTC]
I fucking love that you used a bearded vulture as bird base for Raduga oml
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Quincydragon In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 18:02:56 +0000 UTC]
I love Raduga so much already! and I love her bird/cat combination!
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Green-Night-Studios In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 18:02:19 +0000 UTC]
Russia bird wordplays you say?
Russhia (based on either a wren-like rushbird, or Rush-Tyrant bird)
Moscrow (Moscow)
Anyways, nice designs!
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Hispanoamericano2000 In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 18:01:47 +0000 UTC]
Great illustration!Β Β Β
Work onΒ feathers and facial expressions, I loved them!Β Β
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Ch3rry-C0ke In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 17:58:40 +0000 UTC]
I really like that other creatures are integrating into society, it reminds me of when the black people were first freed, white people had a hard time accepting that at first. If all goes well one day race will be overlooked.
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Lopoddity In reply to Ch3rry-C0ke [2019-07-21 18:10:54 +0000 UTC]
"we"
pls don't assume my dude, I'm black
i think it's a smidge insulting to reduce hundreds of years of slave trade, emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the push for equality in all quadrants of life (which continues to this very day....it hasn't ended) down to "had a hard time accepting it a first". I get you meant no harm, but it's no bueno to approach complex issues with reductionist viewpointssss
Race should be overlooked when it comes to hiring practices, housing loans, and other areas where discrimination is rife, but culturally, our differences should be celebrated, no obscured or overlooked. All of us are different in so many ways, every human brings something new to the table. :>
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Ch3rry-C0ke In reply to Lopoddity [2019-07-21 18:18:29 +0000 UTC]
Shoot I'm so sorry I hadn't really thought about it. I agree with you though it's really not ok to reduce it to 'we had a hard time adjusting'. Honestly the founding fathers should never have worked slavery into the new country. Unfortunately though it does take a bit for everyone to adjust to the new circumstances. Like even after apartheid was ended in South Africa segregation still happens because it was social conduct for so long. Like on one hand I can see how it can be hard to change but on the other there shouldn't be need to change in the first place.
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Lopoddity In reply to Ch3rry-C0ke [2019-07-21 18:22:04 +0000 UTC]
Oh don't worry! It's cool, nobody's born with perfect viewpoints or perspectives on tricky topics. I mess up all the time! What matters is your willingness to listen (which I appreciate you doing, I'm used to people getting defensive and snappy).
Yes, progress is often slow-going. There are many who oppose it, who set out to maintain the status quo, and must be dragged kicking and screaming into a better, kinder future.
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welsh-witch In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 17:58:24 +0000 UTC]
what utterly gorgeous plumage Raduga has...so fluffy looking...
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JollyLulu585 In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 17:56:01 +0000 UTC]
I like
What would her family think... what would phoniex think?
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Wildkratts35 [2019-07-21 17:53:33 +0000 UTC]
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owl--star In reply to ??? [2019-07-21 17:53:21 +0000 UTC]
BEARDED VULTURE.....SHE'S SO GOOD
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