Defining a "Brony"

[Virgil 685]

So my question is thus, "How do you define a Brony?"

 

I'm rather curious to hear what people who define themselves as such think what it means to be a Brony. I have a couple thoughts/ questions on the subject myself but I think I'll wait a bit to say them ( others might beat me to the punch anyway ).

[Syannax the Changeling 101]

In my own oppinion, the term brony is just for fans of the show for both genders, pegasisters is the same term with the same meaning, just used for the females who would like to use that term on themselves. Otherwise, its just a term that the fandom uses to define one another from the rest of the fandoms.

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

Fan of the tv show; My little pony: Friendship Is magic.

For such a simple fandom, that really isn't too rooted in reality or world changing political events I think any definition more than that just seems like a waste of resources.

Edited July 1, 2014 by M'aiq the Liar

[Discordian 6,013]

Liking the show is really all it takes to be a brony. In most cases, even if you don't like to be labeled as a brony you will be grouped in with the whole whether you like it or not. You're a brony by proxy just by enjoying the show.

 

I guess you could say a brony needs to be someone who specifically has an invested interest in MLP though. Someone who just watches cartoons and find it to be an enjoyable show but puts no special significance on it probably doesn't qualify so much for the title.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Discordian

[RavenholmZombie 1,329]

I define a Brony as "A person, usually an adult / teenage man or woman, who enjoys the cartoon show 'My Little Pony; Friendship is Magic."

 

As for your questions, Please feel free to ask me anything, I'll try my best to answer them.

[Dark Qiviut 22,193]

A brony is ANY fan of Friendship Is Magic regardless of age, sex, gender, culture, ideology, or passion. A brony could be a fan of the professional product altogether or just one sector, like the comics or toys. Bronies aren't confined to a specific degree of passion, either. A brony can be heavily invested to the whole product as well as the fandom itself or simply watch the show on his or her free time whenever he or she chooses.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Celli 4,335]

I personally think of anybody, that not only watches the show, but participates in the fandom, e.g. discussing the show, attending meetups/cons, etc, or creating fan content. I think if you just watch the show, you're just a fan.

[RainbowPastel 185]

My definition:

Brony (n); Anyone outside of the target audience of little girls who likes My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I think of it as girls aged 12+ and any male.

 

I personally hate the term pegasister but anypony who wants to refer themselves or wants me to refer them as that is fine with me.

All I can say is that I am a brony and nopony tell me shit like "Bronies are only supposed to be guys".

[Clod 8,293]

A brony is any fan of the TV show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that also wants to be labeled as one.

I don't think really participating in the fandom is a requirement. I would just be considered a fan, then.

[Virgil 685]

Thank you everyone who has answered so far . To further the discussion let us consider the following scenario: A female child age 10 identifies themselves as a "Brony". They like the show and own a little MLP merch; however, given certain things they have said it is unlikely they will ever bother with interacting with the fandom. Can they properly fit the definition of the term Brony, in your mind? Why or why not?

[11111111111111111111 146]

A brony is someone 14 or older who likes MLP:FIM. we are just fans of a show. 

Edited July 1, 2014 by Eldwain

[Lume WMj 228]

I think that the term "Brony" was created by the first members of this fandom (who most likely were the 4chan users) simply to have a shortened term to describe themselves: brother + pony, meaning that they enjoy the TV show, My Little Pony.

 

That said, I don't think that someone who only watches the show and doesn't directly interact with its community can be called a Brony. Furthermore, I also don't think that this title is obligatory for the members of this fandom. You can choose whether or not you want to be called a Brony, since it is just a term used to make it easier for the people around the internet to identify fellow fans. Just like Beliebers, Trekkies, Twihards, and all of the other nicknames of the main fan communities over the world, it's like a name tag you can pin to your shirt in order to easily find the group you belong to.

 

That's my definition of Brony. :3

[Syannax the Changeling 101]

*snip*

Well, If she is just a fan of the show and doesn't think about interacting with the fandom, she is still a brony. Then again, the show was meant for little girls, or so thought Hasbro...

[I used to be a stranger 7,989]

I think a brony is any self-proclaimed fan of My Little Pony, usually pertaining to G4 "Friendship is Magic". May be synonymous with "pegasister" in application to females however this is not ubiquitous. "Bronies" or "brony" or "bronydom" (the fans-dom of bronies) I do not believe necessitate nor have the dignity of the honorific equal to that of national demonyms and therefore should be capitalized no different from any other nouns. I am a Canadian brony, not a Brony who is also canadian.

 

 

 

A female child age 10 identifies themselves as a "Brony". They like the show and own a little MLP merch; however, given certain things they have said it is unlikely they will ever bother with interacting with the fandom. Can they properly fit the definition of the term Brony, in your mind? Why or why not?

 

I am not sure why the question needs asking. If the child does not fit the distinction of "brony" then there must be a qualification in the word brony which will fail ten year old females. If that is so, why are those qualifications there? What purpose is served in generating this age gap or distinction? No other fandom has one (apart from the incongruity of a child being a fan of Hannibal for example) and it works by preference and reasonability rather than any kind of physical restriction. This is what differentiates the fluid nonstandard forms of fandoms from rule-orientations found in clubs.

Edited July 1, 2014 by Blue

[Silver Letter 1,830]

This question is asked a lot. It should be defined as "any person that watches MLP and enjoys doing so and is not part of the core audience".

[WunderWaffen_ 165]

Hate to be a drag, but why do we even need to ask this question in the first place?

 

 

We all promote pure acceptance and tolerance, through the show and through the acts that are inspired by the show. So why do we even need to have a set classification for what a brony is, when our very existence is fighting against set labels and classifications? 

 

Seems a tad hypocritical to me...

 

But then again, is brony a title that is given or earned? It all depends on how each persons individual views of the title, perceives it. If you think that you must work and be part of the fandom, then you earn it. If you actively support the show, but say for example, are shy and unwilling to come out into the public eye, then you have been given the title.

 

But then again...

 

Who is in-charge of saying who is a brony and who isn't? 

 

No-one. We are in-charge of ourselves! Especially within this fandom. 

Edited July 3, 2014 by WunderWaffen

[Espurr 449]

Bronies are us. We are the ones who just happen to spend out time liking ponies. We are bronies.

[Deathstroke 1,564]

My definition of a brony: male&mlp 

[Jeric 46,836]

A brony is someone 14 or older who likes MLP:FIM. we are just fans of a show.

Really? Why that specific age?

[Miles 2,512]

You're a brony by proxy just by enjoying the show.

While I totally laughed when reading that, I do agree.

 

 

 

Bronies are us.

Bronies'R'Us - what IF... I mean, that'd be one awesome store, am I right?

[11111111111111111111 146]

Really? Why that specific age?

Because, in my experience, Any person under the age of 14 that enjoys MLP does not consider themselves a brony. I conducted a few surveys on this actually, some on this site, some not, but in almost all cases any person under the age of 14 either does not like it, Or they are a very young girl who likes it (meaning girls who the show was actually intended for). I know there maybe be a few 13 year olds out there who consider themselves bronies, but the very few I have met ( 3 actually)  did not watch the show and where only interested in it because of an older sibling. I bet that was a little longer than you where expecting, sorry. I tend to ramble. 

[Envy 6,012]

Wait, since I'm not a 'Brony' I can't answer? o.O Oh well, I'm still answering, as a fan of the show.

 

A 'Brony' is a fan of the show who decides to label themselves as such. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Although it can't go without mentioning that when one chooses to apply a fandom label to themselves, they are pretty much letting their liking of the show define them. That's why, even if 'Brony' was truly gender-neutral, I still wouldn't apply the label to myself.

 

Most importantly, somebody who doesn't identify as a 'Brony' is NOT a 'Brony'. I clarify again because this community really doesn't seem to get it. You don't get to make up a fandom title for fun and then randomly define it in such a way that is supposed to apply to everyone regardless of whether they'd call themselves so or not. Fandom titles are for fun, and should be left as so.

Edited July 2, 2014 by Envy

[Clod 8,293]

Because, in my experience, Any person under the age of 14 that enjoys MLP does not consider themselves a brony. I conducted a few surveys on this actually, some on this site, some not, but in almost all cases any person under the age of 14 either does not like it, Or they are a very young girl who likes it (meaning girls who the show was actually intended for). I know there maybe be a few 13 year olds out there who consider themselves bronies, but the very few I have met ( 3 actually)  did not watch the show and where only interested in it because of an older sibling. I bet that was a little longer than you where expecting, sorry. I tend to ramble.

 

I'm 13 though.

Stupid character minimum.

[11111111111111111111 146]

I'm 13 though.

Stupid character minimum.

Ha, Well then you break my rule!  Like I said this was just in my experience and in most cases. No matter what you are talking about in life there is always an exception to the rule. Keep calm and Brony on my friend. 

[Clod 8,293]

Ha, Well then you break my rule!  Like I said this was just in my experience and in most cases. No matter what you are talking about in life there is always an exception to the rule. Keep calm and Brony on my friend.

 

At least you aren't like "no mah rool iz rite u dum" because (not here) I've seen people like that. The funny part is I started watching out of boredom when I was 12. I'm just destroying your rule. I'm almost 14 though now. So soon, I will fit your original rule.