Bronies defying gender roles.... A bunch of nonsense?

[ToastedScone 395]

Honestly, I don't see watching a pony show as defying anything except maybe society's standards for adults (meaning that you SHOULD like gore and more mature media, I suppose? I don't know, I've luckily never really been subject to these). Maybe it's because I'm a girl and can't see it from a male standpoint, but I REALLY don't think just watching a show for girls is defying gender roles; if guys were dressing in pink and frills and cutesy stuff BECAUSE of the show then yes, that's a defiance of gender roles, but just watching the show by itself is just that, watching a show.

The early fandom in particular though really was desperate to still be seen as manly despite liking the show, and it got to a point where the "hurr durr ponies don't make me gay! I'm not gay!" spiel started to feel...kind of vaguely homophobic instead of defying of gender stereotypes? I don't know how else to put it really, but again, it's just watching a show. That in itself isn't a huge defiance!

[Paleopony 701]

My Little Pony is for girls but I really am not into most other feminine things myself. I don't see why I need to make MLP into something it is not. I just like what I like, that's it.