Kamil

If you want to create something without needing to go through that long and difficult stage where the number of people who know about you, there is a shortcut. It's called doing exactly the same thing somebody everybody knows already did. I have 36 subscribers on YouTube, and every one of them is because a known Minecrafter posted something and then I posted a few videos of the same thing done bigger and better and he mentioned it in later videos. 36 isn't all that much, but considering that I went from 0 to there in a total of 6 videos all on one project and getting over 200 views on some of them, that's a big step that I could have built on if I wanted to be another guy who uploads a bunch of videos about building redstone stuff in Minecraft. I have to admit that it felt good getting all that attention, but I'm not a very good content creator and I'm not all that into Minecraft anymore either. The point is, if you do something that's already popular and link it to something that's already well known, you get an immediate sense of accomplishment, immediate support, and instant motivation to start on the next thing. If you make what you want to make, something that's never been done before, then nobody knows unless you tell them, and not everybody who finds it will be interested. If you keep on making things anyway, and put just as much effort into making others take notice as you do making your creation worthy of notice, then eventually you'll become the popular one everybody knows, and then YOU get to be the one surrounded by people begging for you to keep doing exactly what's now already popular and already known. It's very hard to start original, and it's very hard to stay original. This applies to everything if your goal is to become popular.

I personally don't wear anything that prominently displays my interests of any kind. It just doesn't seem really relevant to share with people who aren't also interested, and there are plenty of other ways to connect with those who are. If they're not only uninterested but also heavily disapproving, then I get the added benefit of avoiding that confrontation; I don't care what they think so they have no business knowing what I think anyway.

Well if you're posting here there's no way you'll get an unbiased opinion. In fact posting here pretty much means you already know what you want to do and are just looking for democratic support that the decision is right. Not that the decision is wrong, but if you weren't aware that's what you seem to be doing. Anyways, I would say respect your parent's wishes. Respect, that is, in the same way I respect religion, which is by acknowledging that that particular way of looking at things is valid, but not the same as my way of looking at things and certainly not relevant to what I will do most of the time. They can't control what you do, but when they push against you the best option isn't always to just push harder. If your dad specifically said "I don't approve of this unless your friends are also doing it" (A very strange thing to say, but there are all kinds of people...) then find some friends that are also Bronies. As far as I can tell we're everywhere and growing, and you already have at least one thing in common with each and every one. Try to understand specifically what your parents disapprove of. If they think it's too girly for you, or too childish, maybe they just need a demonstration. If they think you're spending too much time on this one thing and it's affecting "more important" things like nonsense schoolwork you'll never use in real life, then prove them wrong. If they refuse to listen to you, then you can refuse to listen to them, but say so or you may end up making your life awkward and difficult for far longer than you need to. Also of note, I didn't read the other responses. Feel free to ignore advice you've already tried.

I dislike reading fanfiction in general, but I don't disapprove of it or shipping. I usually don't consider pairings on my own unless the original work is already romance-centric in a way that canon pairings aren't 100% clear.

I didn't get anything relevant, though a couple of my once-removed cousins got Pinkie Pie dolls. I don't think anybody else in the room actually knew her name though.

Is there any reason Spike can't just be a dragon? It would be uncommon for a Player Character in a traditional game, but the rules do exist and since the others are already ponies some things would have to be slightly altered anyway.