@Background Pony #D278  
Then again, other than the Mane 6 + Spike and the CMC, we don’t really get to see many other characters in action that often. Even characters like Celestia and Luna have quite a small amount of screentime in comparison.

@Ertinax  
Eh, Celestia said that Starswirl “didn’t understand friendship” or something along those lines. I always assumed that’s why he didn’t become an alicorn. He accomplished a lot of great stuff, but apparently having an intimate understanding of friendship is also vital. Just being a powerful magic user doesn’t isn’t the only requirement.
 
The specifics of the requirements ultimately elude us, but it seems to be a matter of merit. Someone with a sort of chaotic evil disposition like Sombra likely wouldn’t be able to become an alicorn, and Shining Armor, while surely a capable and benevolent leader, doesn’t seem to have lived up to the requirements just yet, especially considering how much it took for Twilight to earn hers, with the help of her friends. Though, we don’t really get to see Shining Armor in action that much, huh?

@Background Pony #D278
 
I agree, generally.
 
But you must admit it is odd that - if alicorn ascension comes from achievement of some sort - that it is odd that Cadance, at least, is an alicorn while (say) Starswirl the Bearded is not. Nor can it simply be a matter of power, as both Starswirl and Sombra were very powerful unicorns, and Shining Armor is potent within his area of expertise as well.
 
Of course, we the meta-readers and observers know that this is due to marketing. Alicorns as Princesses sell toys. Alicorns as Princes would be a less worthwhile investment given the target demographic.
 
But in-universe it does seem like a strange double standard. It would help if we at least heard of one male alicorn in passing. Oh well… I guess there’s always LEON!!!
 
Anyway, the difference is one of interpretation. Myself and others see no male alicorns and default to “they can’t be one until we’re shown otherwise” and you and others interpret it as “they can be, but just haven’t yet.” Half-full vs half-empty, perhaps.

@Ertinax  
A perfectly fair point that we don’t really have much in the way of comprehensive information, especially given that the show just isn’t built to provide information on that kind of stuff, but I still think there’s far more evidence for their society being gender-egalitarian. It may not be a huge amount to go by, but it’s there, and it’s far more prevalent than any potential evidence for a matriarchal society, of which I think there’s little to none. Keep in mind that I’m separating the concept of a matriarchal society, and matriarchal government. I have a much stronger argument against the former.
 
Anyway, again, their government could be considered matriarchal in practice, like you said, at least at the top levels, because we know next to nothing about what exists beneath the alicorns. On the other hand, their society appears to be a different story, because as I said before, you can see plenty of successful ponies of both genders, and no indication of one gender being particularly advantaged over the other. I can’t really say much about their government, because we don’t know much about that, but we’ve had a whole series to observe ponies of both genders doing all sorts of stuff, and I’ve seen no reason to believe either dominates the other socially or economically in their society.
 
I do disagree on the notion of gender being relevant to who can become an alicorn. It’s silly to think that they’d care about the gender of a pony who’s capable and worthy enough to ascend to that. It just seems extremely unlikely that gender would matter at the point. I don’t really expect to see a male alicorn in the show as long as Hasbro wants to focus on princesses, but I don’t buy the idea that they can’t exist either.

@Background Pony #D278
 
We know next to nothing about government or society in canon Equestria. We have elected (probably) Mayors and “appointed by divine coincidence” Princesses. And divine coincidence has decided that all Princesses are female alicorns. Also coincidentally, none of the past lore in-verse indicates male alicorns are a thing, even though it gives us mythical alicorns in the past and now in the present besides Luna/Celly.
 
It may not be matriarchy by design, or even matriarchy by intent, but it is matriarchy in practice. The oddity of it all could be more easily explained away back in S1 when it was assumed only Celestia and Luna were ever alicorns. Not so much anymore.
 
Point is, saying Equestria is egalitarian is built on assumptions, too. We’re all forces to assume a lot since we’re not given a lot to work with.

@TheAntiCat  
Which would necessarily be inherently sexist, just like a patriarchy. You could say that they are two sides of the same coin.
 
Fortunately, and contrary to some peoples headcanons, there is literally no indication in the canon of one gender being advantaged over the other, socially or economically, and there are plenty of ponies of both genders who seem quite successful. With that in mind, Equestria certainly seems pretty gender-egalitarian, rather than matriarchal or patriarchal.
 
You could probably argue that they have a matriarchal government at the top levels, in a sort of technicality due to the circumstances of the current alicorns in power being female, but their society? Nah. Honestly, I think there’s little to no real evidence to support the notion of Equestria being a matriarchal society. Again, Equestria in the canon seems gender-egalitarian.

@Starswirl
 
Still doesn’t mean that there aren’t male alicorns.

@Background Pony #D278  
Well… the prince from the Love Poison myth also didn’t have wings, while they depicted the princess as an Alicorn…

@Background Pony #F325  
It’s called a “Matriarchy.” Shut up.

Oh, screw you

@Ertinax  
Heh.

@Background Pony #2BBC
 
You can’t ascend if you can’t sell toys.  
FACT.

@Background Pony #C99B  
>while males are stuck being regular ol’ unicorns.
 
Just because we haven’t seen a male alicorn doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t exist. The two princes we do have haven’t earned their title in the same way Twilight and Cadence did.
 
I think it’d be ridiculous if you couldn’t ascend because you have a penis. And I really don’t think sexism would be a big thing in Equestria.

She kinda reminds me of rarity

she is kinda cute

@Background Pony #C99B  
@PonyPon  
Actually, Blueblood’s existence implies that there are non-alicorn princesses, as well (and thus in the r63 universe, the reverse is true). It should, theoretically, also be possible for a male to be an alicorn in the normal universe, and vice-versa, because alicorns are created, not born; it’s just that it’s really rare in the first place.

@Background Pony #C99B  
In her universe, all the alicorns are guys.

If she were a princess, wouldn’t she be an alicorn? Equestria is really sexist. Females are dominant. Female royalty get to have both a horn AND wings, while males are stuck being regular ol’ unicorns.