Increase in negative attention while wearing Brony merch?

[I Bring Da LULZ 131]

Is it just me or has the social stigma and negative attention garnered when wearing anything MLP-related increased even more than from 2012-13? I've been wearing this around today and though I wasn't harassed, the looks I've gotten from people weren't the friendliest either.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,730]

I am unsure if it has gotten worse offline, but online it sure has since then. It is very difficult to have even just a pony avatar without some person dehumanizing you for it. As for the real life stigma, I get looks a lot if I am decked out in pony stuff. I notice it . I don't think that stigma is any different though. It has pretty much always been the same. 

[Mobley 113]

I'm surprised that most people would actually recognise that as MLP merch. It's not like it's over-the-top or anything either. Sorry you're getting flak for it :/

 

I suppose maybe non-bronies migh be of the opinion that MLP has been going for so long that bronies should have grown out of it by now...so the ones left are the weirdest of the weird. That's my hypothesis at the moment as to why the stigma might have increased,

[Commissar Alexer 763]

I think that people rather assumed you being a LGBT supporter than a MLP fan.

[Merion 783]

I'm surprised that most people would actually recognise that as MLP merch. It's not like it's over-the-top or anything either.

 

Exactly! And it's actually quite gender-neutral, too! (Okay, there's a rainbow and a cloud... but the lightning shape adds some badassery to it, so the whole thing is perfectly balanced out :'D)

 

But back to the main topic... I don't think so! Seems to me that people got used to bronies and wearing MLP-related stuff is not frowned upon anymore. Well, not SO MUCH, that is.

...or maybe it's just easier for me because I'm a girl?

[InfectedPone 1,550]

That logo doesn't exactly scream "I watch a pony show" to people who don't actually watch the show themselves so I don't really know why you'd get all those looks. Then again I don't have any pone clothing so I don't really know the feeling.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

@@I Bring Da LULZ

 

Just letting you know I edited the title of the topic. As it stood it was a bit vague, so hopefully the change will attract more attention for it.

 

Thanks.

[SquipyCheetah 449]

I wear pony stuff actively and everyday and no one says anything. If anything, people are curious about my liking towards ponies. 

[shy0wl 484]

Maybe you do get more nasty looks for it, but maybe you might just be paying attention to it more often.  You only find what you're looking for.  And since reactions are more than likely one of the things you are thinking about when wearing that shirt, it's more likely you are trying to notice what people think, compared to when you wear a "normal" (non-MLP) shirt because you wouldn't think anything of it.

 

It is a pretty vague reference to the show too, you have to really know what that is to know it's anything to do with MLP.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

 

 

It is a pretty vague reference to the show too

I think I would define it as "inconspicuous" rather than "vague". The symbol is quite clear and obvious and related to the most popular character from the show. It just doesn't stand out a lot and shouldn't capture much attention.

 

As far as my own experiences go, I never really got any attention at all, either positive or negative. If one is getting a lot of bad attention then I feel sorry for that. It's unfortunate.

[Megas 27,765]

I haven't seen any problems in real life, but it's definitely gotten worse online like Kyoshi said. On the bright side, at least it seems that normal people in general are getting fed up with haters bitching about bronies

[Concerned Bystander 2,903]

Is it just me or has the social stigma and negative attention garnered when wearing anything MLP-related increased even more than from 2012-13? I've been wearing this around today and though I wasn't harassed, the looks I've gotten from people weren't the friendliest either.

 

I would agree with an earlier comment that your t-shirt may have given people the impression that you are gay (or whatever else) as opposed to being a Brony.  Rainbows, or anything similarly coloured seem to attract that kind of assumption.  Too many people don't realise that LGBT people do not own the rights to rainbows.

 

As for my own experience, I wear MLP t-shirts quite a lot, some are fairly discreet, some fairly blatant.  I've had a couple of people ask if I'm a Brony, but never in a harsh or aggressive way, and I've had a couple of compliments.

[I Bring Da LULZ 131]

I think that people rather assumed you being a LGBT supporter than a MLP fan.

 

Now that I think about it more, I have to agree. I'm in a pretty liberal state but my town is relatively conservative.

 

Exactly! And it's actually quite gender-neutral, too! (Okay, there's a rainbow and a cloud... but the lightning shape adds some badassery to it, so the whole thing is perfectly balanced out :'D)

 

But back to the main topic... I don't think so! Seems to me that people got used to bronies and wearing MLP-related stuff is not frowned upon anymore. Well, not SO MUCH, that is.

...or maybe it's just easier for me because I'm a girl?

 

Girls tend to rock MLP stuff so much better than guys, it's almost unfair  :okiedokielokie:

 

I wear pony stuff actively and everyday and no one says anything. If anything, people are curious about my liking towards ponies. 

 

Where do you live? I want to live there 

 

I would agree with an earlier comment that your t-shirt may have given people the impression that you are gay (or whatever else) as opposed to being a Brony.  Rainbows, or anything similarly coloured seem to attract that kind of assumption.  Too many people don't realise that LGBT people do not own the rights to rainbows.

 

As for my own experience, I wear MLP t-shirts quite a lot, some are fairly discreet, some fairly blatant.  I've had a couple of people ask if I'm a Brony, but never in a harsh or aggressive way, and I've had a couple of compliments.

 

Definitely makes sense; my town is relatively conservative so that might be it!

[Moonlight 7,288]

I'd say one of the following happened:

• People recognized your shirt and don't like bronies
• People thought you were LGBT because rainbows
• People gave you bad looks because you're a person

Around here people give strangers bad looks for no reason so that could've happened. But since you mentioned your town is conservative there's a pretty high chance it has to do with the fact that you're wearing rainbows.

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

I'm pretty sure only people that know enough about the show would understand it.

[Empty Room 512]

I've noticed this actually. I don't think it's limited to merch, either. Nowadays, there's more Brony cringe compilations out there than there was two years ago and it seems like going into a non-MLP related discussion with a pony avatar is almost like stepping in a landmine field.

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,997]

For me it seems no one really cares in reality unless said people are Bronies themselves in which they compliment it.

[Nebula 28]

I've noticed this actually. I don't think it's limited to merch, either. Nowadays, there's more Brony cringe compilations out there than there was two years ago and it seems like going into a non-MLP related discussion with a pony avatar is almost like stepping in a landmine field.

You can't openly be a brony on the internet without getting harassed, idk if it was like this before.

[Avalionis 201]

Girls tend to rock MLP stuff so much better than guys, it's almost unfair.  :okiedokielokie:

 

I think it may be because it tends to be seen more as a girls show, than anything. I mean I'm a guy, and the show looks amazing. Way different than most animated programs on these days...I also found that it tends to bring a sense of calm to me whenever I watch it...though thanks to Treehouse, it's only on Sat mornings now, thanks to their obsession with the Octonauts being on 7 days a week.

 

*ahem* That being said, I tend to see a guy sporting a Rainbow Dash shirt once in a while, though it's mostly young girls sporting MLP FiM merch, as...that's really what it seems to be geared towards.

 

Personally, if a guy wants to wear a Twilight Sparkle/Rainbow Dash shirt/hat combo, that's his choice. I don't see anything wrong with it, but then again, I'm not blinded by hatred like some in society seem to be sadly.

Edited September 1, 2015 by Avalionis

[StudioUAC 62]

you should of just zipped up your hoodie. that's what i do

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

When ever I wear pony shirts in public, I only wear ones that bronies would recognize.

[TFarrgon 57]

I've been nervous of wearing brony merch in places I visit frequently, like school or work because ever since the "Fired for being a Brony" incident my paranoia might be justified. That whole situation was outrageous.

Edited September 3, 2015 by TFarrgon

[BadluckJoker 23]

Most people who make fun of mlp avatars are emasculated males, little kids, hypermasculine (which means not masculine on the inside) jocks and nolife losers. I would rarely pay it much mind.

I've been nervous of wearing brony merch in places I visit frequently, like school or work because ever since the "Fired for being a Brony" incident my paranoia might be justified. That whole situation was outrageous.

Seems like unconstitutional violation of workplace rights or something. I have a number you can call somewhere.

[Ponyboat 62]

If you know me you know I like cartoons and video games but if I ever bring up ponies or watch a pony video or celestia forbid wear merch, people act like it's revolting. They literally get disgusted faces and act as if it's wrong. If anything people should be supportive considering how much of a good influence the show is.

[Sectus 246]

It is probably because grown men wearing My Little Pony t-shirts is weird. This issue has been covered extensively in the past and yet people continue to act confused, as if they do not understand exactly why they are getting those mean looks. This community needs to start accepting that MLP t-shirts on older men is not going to be considered a normal behavior for a long time, if ever.

 

Also, their disdain increase is natural because more people are beginning to understand that this uncommon behavior is being practiced by a large group of people. Rather than just being confused at one strange person, they understand that this behavior is wide-spread, and express their disapproval.

 

It is not going to change. Either get used to people looking at you funny / harassing you, or don't wear fan shirts that are so obvious.

 

EDIT: Also, in the way of clothing and brony merchandise, that shirt is not very outstanding. I've always considered RD's cutie mark to be one of those 'under cover brony' shirts, as mostly only other bronies would understand the reference. In this case I would assume people are giving you dirty looks because that is just how people in western countries are.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Sectus