Closet Bronies UNITE: Experiences and Discussion

[Shanks 10,811]

Though I understand why people may suffer from this "disease", I am one of the fortunate people who in fact do not. I may not walk up to random strangers and bring up ponies but when someone asks I will fess up, I I have already been made fun for plenty of other things (mostly behind my back) so I eventually got the point where I no longer give a damn.

[Scootalove 10,684]

I think I do see some people with this ''disease'' but, I'm one of the people who have this disease. I can barely even mention ponies in my school, since I'm not really used to people making fun of me. So, I could try admitting my long love for ponies.

[SomariFeyWright 776]

I have several brony shirts I only wear in public.

I have a creative binder covered in ponies.

I drop references like crazy.

I will openly admit MLP is one of my favorite cartoons ever.

I will happily tell anyone I'm a brony when they ask... and when they don't.

 

So no, not a closet brony.

Edited October 4, 2013 by SomariFeyWright

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

Yeah, I'd say that I'm quite the closet brony.  Not as much as I used to be, but I am.  I've only explicitly told my sister that I'm a brony, (a couple of friends found out through her, but I've tried to isolate that as much as possible) and I would never even dare to mention it to my parents.  I have gotten past the block of buying merchandise, but I make sure to hide it as much as possible.  It's only really displayed in places that only I go (my dorm room for example).

[Bhending the Rules 697]

I weighed the positives and negatives associated with being a closet brony, and you know what? No. Not worth it. The small amount of extra security could never be worth the shame that comes with not being true to myself and others. But more importantly, when society tries to push its gender-based divisions on me and I act like I'm playing along, they've won. They've beaten me into submission. And I can't let that happen. There's no way other people should be getting away with telling me what I'm allowed to enjoy.

 

Of course, there are plenty of people that I haven't gone out of my way to tell, but that's because I know they won't give a damn about it. But when I do see someone being negative about it, I don't run from that situation. I accentuate the positive and make them actually THINK about the position they hold. The only way people will stop believing in binary gender-based divisions is if someone  with strength and conviction shows them, clearly and conclusively, why those ideas don't make sense.

 

Of course, not everyone is cut out for doing that sort of thing, which is why I have no problem with some bronies remaining in the closet. The thing that ticks me off is that they have to make that choice at all. Which is why I'll gladly fight the battle on their behalf. One mind at a time, the dynamic will change. We can make it happen, and I think we will. Slowly but surely.

[Smarts 1,621]

When I was first a brony, I had this disease. As time went on, I was able to cure this disease. I'm not ashamed anymore to admit that I watch the show or buy the merchandise now. I think it just takes time before you are able to cure yourself of Closetius Bronitus.

[duidamasterXD 9,626]

@YellowXephosReturns, just letting you know that I've merged your thread with another older one for discussing closet bronies, sharing stories and experiences relating to being one, and meeting others who aren't comfortable revealing that they like MLP, since your thread was covering the same subject, albeit in a more creative way

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

I have no problem admitting my love for MLP or wearing pony merch in public and among peers, but not among family. When I first began calling myself a brony, I was a closet brony, but now I'm only half. I don't know why, but it seems that something like this is easier among friends than parents. I don't want to suggest I feel ashamed for liking FiM, but around family it feels awkward. I know more or less when and how I will reveal it, but until then...

[BronyDubs 9]

I am a HUUUUUGE closet brony. Although I Am very proud to be a brony, I'm afraid to tell my friends or family. Knowing them, they'll give me a whole bunch of crap about it. Except my mom, she'll probably understand or won't care. I've told one two of my closest friends and they laughed at it a bit, but they're pretty much cool with it. One of my friends I believe is thinking about watching an episode. He's the one I told. Also, now I'm like sneaky as he'll right now. People popping in every now and then, and they ask me what I'm doing and I say nothing. Afterwards they leave and I re-open the window to finish watching the episode and then they pop back in saying, oh you know I forgot something as well... Anyways, I'm not proud of being a closet brony, but I am proud to be a brony in general. I just don't want to be made fun of at all... I've had it happen to me before and it wasn't very pleasant... Who knows? I might say something soon.

[InactiveAccount 10]

Im definently a Closet Brony. I've told two other people and only two, but they are semi-bronies and don't seem to care. Whenever I'm around people I always like to drop in references whenever I can, like the classic Eeyup. They don't see to notice though . I've had pretty close experiences where someone who happens to be a Hater came close to finding out. Other wise I'm a pretty big closet Brony, but only becqause there are WAAYY too many haters at my school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh and my First Post on MLP forums!

[The Crimson Cross 7,532]

I have to say that as a closet Brony, I have almost been found out at least 10 times in the past month.

I don't know what it is, but people tend to barge in my room at very abrupt times.

I just hope they don't think I'm doing something... else.. 

The amount of times I have slammed my laptop lid down or switch internet browsers when someone asks

"​Hey watcha doin'?" and comes to see what I am doing is just ridiculous.

It would be a very hard and awkward to explain.

Usually goes something like this:

 

ME: "Oh.. I'm just um well... you know browsing some uh... things.."

PERSON 2: "What kind of things?"

ME: "Oh, I.. don't think you would really understand it"

PERSON 2: "teach me"

ME: "..."

PERSON 2:"..."

ME: "Hey, did you hear about [insert news here]?"

 

But then again, does anyone else find other people to be completely oblivious to your MLP stuff?

I'm curious to know.

[ShadowPhoenix 153]

Yes, I am a closet brony.

 

My family is only aware that I am a fan of the show. My parents were nonchalant when I told them I enjoyed the show about a month after I finished all 65 episodes (then) back in the wait for Season 4. They have never questioned my interest for the show and did not even blink when I bought merchandise at a convention while overseas and continually let me to purchase the comics. My younger sister, on the other hoof, ties in to this in a much more unusual sense. I made the mistake of not using headphones the first time I watched Look Before You Sleep and played the usual cards of "Isn't that meant for little girls?", "That's not what teenagers your age should like" or "That looks gay" etc.

 

I have dropped various hints here and there about the show such as implying Celestia banished Luna to the moon as a form of exile during a related conversation which she said was "kinda cool but merciless". Almost two years later, I have long accepted that is simply not her cup of tea after she once explicitly declared that she would never like the show (without checking it out). However, I do feel bitter over the fact that she was the one who introduced me to Harry Potter, (some!) of DC Comics, Lord of the Rings and watching musicals. I gave them a shot and found that I liked them all and while I earnestly thank her for broadening my horizons, I pity her for not giving this show a chance. And I find myself unable to take her recommendations seriously nowadays when she keeps trying to push me to watch much of modern's society ersatz "teen-trash" dramas such as Glee, Pretty Little Liars and reading mostly fan fictions of the like on Goodreads. I tried to get her to watch Sherlock or consider something new that neither of us have watched before like Doctor Who but she still won't here anything about it. All in all, we've reached a wordless impasse and a silent pact.

 

I am reticent to the extreme about this interest in school as I would prefer not to be looked upon with bias or judged. A total of 8 people know about this with 1 finding out when I accidentally flashed my desktop picture of Daring Do on a mountainside camp before hurriedly doing an nigh-instantaneous four-finger swipe to change apps in the full-screen mode. The strangest part is that he had absolutely no reaction. Quite literally. At all. We just continued our conversation as though nothing had happened.

[KiwiPony 125]

I'm pretty open about it but that's because I joke about it, I call myself a nerd and make fun of myself, that way nobody can rip into me for it The only people I'm quiet about my fandom to are the people I buy from, because those are strangers and I'm not a huge fan of that... But hey, I like the show and I'm not fussed about who knows that

[Invincible 2,090]

You could say i'm a closet Brony. I don't flamboyantly display my fandom appreciation, but i don't go to great lengths to hide it. The franchise itself isn't popular in here, most people don't even know what bronies are. Internet savvies who find about mlp don't pay it too much mind really. In fact, iv'e been a brony for about a year and a half now. And the only two instances (both from my workplace) where someone even made the connections weren't too horrible;

 

A co-worker friend of mine listened in on a track of brony music once and asked me what it was. He knew about bronies, but wasn't really thrown off when i told him i am one. He was rather neutral, maybe even a little interested into hearing why i like the show or the fandom.

 

Another co-worker once saw an MLP wallpaper on my laptop and was all like "Oh god, not MLP..." and walked away. But she didn't make too much of a scene, so meh.

[[NULL] 906]

Considering how much I've always been saying "It's not a big deal. It's just a show. Get over yourselves.", this is going to be very hypocritical of me: I haven't let anyone know I watch MLP.

 

The reason why I've kept it hidden is because I'm not a very dignified person as it is, ponies or not. If word got out that I watched the show, to other people, I would just be another stereotypical socially awkward brony. I plan to continue hiding my interest in MLP, until the day I'm a more interesting and likable person.

Edited January 7, 2015 by SpaceOnion

[NamelessHorse 59]

I don't make mention of being into anything. Like to play my cards close to my chest, as it were.

[ponylaces 1,869]

I'm a closet brony, but my mom knows I enjoy the show. Take note that those are two different things.

 

She doesn't know that there's a massive fandom and I'm apart of it.

 

As for my dad, he's pretty much clueless about me liking the show since he lives on the other side of the country. I think it's better to keep it like that, because I honestly don't think he would understand why I love the show. I feel uncomfortable telling him I enjoy a show not meant for my age.

[Confucius 194]

I had to back off my bronyness into the stable after my parents found out. Apparently they think the whole fandom is bad because it started on a "bad" site like 4chan. They didn't let me get a fluttershy shirt because it's "feminine object on a male" I argued that i own my body but apparently they can choose what I wear. Now I have to refrain from talking about it in fear more hate would come my way.

[GXPBlast 597]

For the past year I have been a  relatively closet brony and still kind of am but that changed this year as my first step of coming out of the closet involved me going to ponycon. Despite still hiding being a brony to my parents and friends I acted as if I did not want to go.

My parents to my surprise encouraged me to go and I continued to fake my un enthusiasm for it but they said it should be a good laugh and I might meet people who have other interests besides ponies. This was my go ahead to go. Although I was still nervous about going,  I had the help of you guys on the forum to encourage me to go and I must say I am so happy I did.

I have some good news for everyone, I actually went to ponycon for two days and had a blast. I met some awesome people and I am so glad I decided to go. I even got to meet some of the voice actors who where really cool to talk with.

The only merchandise I got was free stuff offered at the con. I have some free mlp cards and and a picture of the charcters that Vincent Tong voices when I met him. I also kept the events booklet and my ponycon ticket.

My parents were happy that I had a good time even though I said I was not a brony. But my mom and I had some good laughs at some of the pictures I took of people in costumes.


 

Edited February 19, 2015 by GXPBlast

[SuperBrony87 506]

well I too was "closet brony" I was content with just seeing MLP seasons 1 - 4 and thinking it was okay I liked it enough for me but in the privacy of my room only I'd know.... Until I saw reviewers and analysts on YouTube a lot was bronies talking about each episode the good and the not so good. And some were encouraging and if anything's true "bronies are some of the nicest people" I was content with me just knowing about my seeing MLP FIM and then I revealed I was a brony, not only that SUPERBRONY was born a brosona I was sure no pony else had. So in coming to this forum and creating a profile and account I guess it's way offical. you all of MLP Forums know SuperBrony87 is a brony. Would I go to a con? Probably not I mean there's travel costs, planning and stuff but Idk if I'm THAT into MLP that said it is growing on me and I "may" visit one at least once in my life... Idk, we'll see. FOr now I'm content with obsessing over Rarity LOL. She's so awesome pony. Rarity is BEST pony

 

         This has been SuperBrony87 and I'm a brony not a bad thing at all. However only you, me and this forum know about it. and I'm okay with that baby steps... or I'm just fine where I am....

     Sooo, do ya think Season 5 will be a HIT or a miss? I hope it's good for all it's hyped up to be? But there's a lot they have and could work with and there's a lot that they might not do... Who knows? We'll see this Spring 2015.

[King Sejong 858]

   I can relate, I was a sideline brony, a mere spectator, looking at the fandom from the outside, while watching MLP on the Hub. I came to knew the bronies little by little, from YouTube videos, until I found military bronies, and I was former military, so that took me by surprise, thus began my metamorphosis into a brony. I have yet to go to Ponycon or Bronycon, but this year I will go to Bronycon, for I will move to a state closer to Maryland, plus I have been doing well with my investments, so I can afford to go, and I really want to. Season three and Equestria Girls were critical to me, for they were the major developments that made me into a fan, although I feel sometimes isolated by some of the younger fans, in their teenage years, I do find some close to my age, the late twenties, nevertheless, only my father knows I am a brony, and I have met some bronies at random at the Texas Renaissance Festival and at Barnes and Noble in the DVD section or Starbucks, they were my age, and college educated, I hope to have more brony experiences, I feel this is the year for bonding, my spirituality is sprawling and yearns to participate with other fans of My Little Pony.

[GXPBlast 597]

Anyone else have thoughts on this situation or can relate? Would be awesome to hear what you have to say.

[Jeric 46,836]

For the past year I have been a  relatively closet brony and still kind of am but that changed this year as my first step of coming out of the closet involved me going to ponycon. Despite still hiding being a brony to my parents and friends I acted as if I did not want to go.

 

My parents to my surprise encouraged me to go and I continued to fake my un enthusiasm for it but they said it should be a good laugh and I might meet people who have other interests besides ponies. This was my go ahead to go. Although I was still nervous about going,  I had the help of you guys on the forum to encourage me to go and I must say I am so happy I did.

 

I have some good news for everyone, I actually went to ponycon for two days and had a blast. I met some awesome people and I am so glad I decided to go. I even got to meet some of the voice actors who where really cool to talk with.

 

The only merchandise I got was free stuff offered at the con. I have some free mlp cards and and a picture of the charcters that Vincent Tong voices when I met him. I also kept the events booklet and my ponycon ticket.

 

My parents were happy that I had a good time even though I said I was not a brony. But my mom and I had some good laughs at some of the pictures I took of people in costumes.

 

 

 

 

I am merging your story (which was amazing BTW) with our Closet Brony thread. 

[Mane Quest 104]

I would not say I am a closet brony, but on the other hand I could be considered one.

I am not comfortable going out of my way to tell people I am a brony, especially not my parents but if someone found out or asked it is unlikely I would deny it and if they judged me... well who cares, if they want to use stereotypes of bronies or what men should be I will brush them off with either reasoned arguments or a form of "Does it really matter what I like, I don't care if you judge me" kind of responses.

I recently told 2 of my friends, one was like "meh thats cool, I have loads of friends who are bronies" and the other responded in a very casual sort of 'doesn't affect me' kind of way so neither of them care.

[MysticShine 529]

I actually take joy out of being a closet brony. It's my little secret and I'd like to keep it that way.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Mountaineer28