Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty
| Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty | |
|---|---|
| My Little Pony characters | |
 Aunt Holiday (left) and Auntie Lofty (right) as they appear in "The Last Crusade" | |
| First appearance | "The Last Crusade" (2019) |
| Created by | Nicole Dubuc Michael Vogel |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Species |
|
| Spouse | Each other |
| Relatives | Snap Shutter (brother and brother-in-Law) Mane Allgood (sister-In-Law) Scootaloo (niece) |
| My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic |
|---|
 |
Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty are fictional characters who appear in the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony toyline and media franchise, specifically in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2010–2019). They are voiced by Jackie Blackmore and Saffron Henderson, respectively, and are Scootaloo's aunts and legal guardians. The characters are notable for being the first explicitly LGBT couple to appear in the series. Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty are depicted as a married couple of an anthropomorphic earth pony and pegasus who have taken responsibility for caring for Scootaloo.
Appearances
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2025) |
Fourth My Little Pony incarnation (2010–2019)
[edit]My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
[edit]Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty make their debut in the ninth-season episode "The Last Crusade", where they are revealed to be Scootaloo's aunts and primary caregivers.
Development
[edit]They’re just showing the love between these two ponies and declaring their life by representing it and just having it be normal. I like the way that they did it. I think that’s more powerful in the long run, because it is just about humans being humans and making their own choices and loving who they love. I think that’s how it should be represented more, so that we get used to it and it’s a more regular thing.
The inclusion of Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty as an LGBT couple was the result of collaboration between writer and producer Michael Vogel and showrunner Nicole Dubuc. According to Vogel, the characters first appeared in a book before their animated debut, and the development process began with getting them approved for that initial publication. Vogel told BuzzFeed News that he and Dubuc "thought this was a great opportunity to organically introduce an LGBTQ couple in the series," and they approached Hasbro, which approved the inclusion. The decision was particularly meaningful for Vogel, who is gay, as he felt it was important for the show to reflect the real world. Dubuc stated that the inclusion demonstrated "what truly defines a family is love," which she considered core to the My Little Pony message. The development team saw the characters as fitting naturally within the show's established themes, with Vogel noting that My Little Pony "has always been about friendship and accepting people (or ponies) that are different from you."[2]
The characters had previously appeared in the 2017 book Ponyville Mysteries: Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe, where Vogel—one of the authors of the book—first confirmed their relationship.[3] The episode resolved a long-standing mystery about Scootaloo's family situation, as the character had never mentioned her parents, aunts, or any other family members throughout the show's nine seasons.[4]
Reception
[edit]The announcement of Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty generated widespread media attention when writer Michael Vogel confirmed their romantic relationship on Twitter, calling them "a cute couple." According to CBS News, the inclusion followed the addition of a same-sex marriage in the children's show Arthur the previous month in the episode "Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone".[5]
According to Yahoo!, "many [...] have commended the show for its inclusivity."[6] Romper listed Friendship Is Magic one of the "20 Amazing Shows With LGBTQ+ Characters To Watch With Your Kids" because of Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty.[7] Similarly, The Globe and Mail featured the show as one of its parents' picks in "family programs that showcase LGBTQ+ representation".[8] According to Jackie Blackmore, who voices Aunt Holiday, she has received an "explosion of love" from fans, including being given artworks.[9]
The introduction of Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty generated controversy among conservative commentators. According to Australian LGBT online magazine OutInPerth, the episode's inclusion of a same-sex couple upset conservative voices, with Lyle Shelton, then spokesperson for the Australian Conservatives, claiming that the characters were proof that allowing same-sex marriage would lead to children being "indoctrinated."[10] On Twitter, he stated: "It's a brave new world folks & we need to push back while we can. Sitting outside politics is no longer an option for conservatives."[11][6] Kirralie Smith, head of anti-transgender organization Binary, posted images of the characters with the message "They are coming for your kids..." Despite the backlash, the series would later introduce additional LGBTQ characters in subsequent episodes (Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon).[10]
See also
[edit]
- List of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic characters
- LGBT representation in children's television
- My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fandom
References
[edit]- ^ "Vancouver's Jackie Blackmore on voicing a lesbian aunt in 'My Little Pony'". CityNews. 2019-06-19. Retrieved 2025-07-02.
- ^ Strapagiel, Lauren (2019-06-12). "There's Going To Be A Lesbian Couple On "My Little Pony"". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Payne, Ed (2019-06-12). "'My Little Pony' brings same-sex couple to latest episode". Valley News Live. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Wilhelm, Erin (2019-06-14). "In Honor of Pride Month, "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic" Introduces Scootaloo's Lesbian Aunts". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ O'Kane, Caitlin (2019-06-14). "There is going to be a same-sex couple in "My Little Pony"". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ a b Donnelly, Erin (June 13, 2019). "My Little Pony cartoon praised for introducing lesbian couple — but some critics call it 'sick'". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ Kenney, Jamie (June 5, 2021). "20 Amazing Shows With LGBTQ+ Characters To Watch With Your Kids". Romper. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ Bhandari, Aparita (July 6, 2021). "Parents' Picks: From Sesame Street to a sci-fi series, family programs that showcase LGBTQ+ representation". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ Ahearn, Victoria (June 19, 2019). "Vancouver's Jackie Blackmore on voicing a lesbian aunt in My Little Pony". CTV News. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
- ^ a b Watson, Graeme (2025-06-13). "On This Gay Day 'My Little Pony' introduced a same-sex couple". OutInPerth. Retrieved 2025-07-01.
- ^ Harmon, Steph (June 13, 2019). "My Little Pony brings lesbians to Equestria – just in time for pride week". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
