Closet Bronies UNITE: Experiences and Discussion

[Kalypso 69]

where i live it dosn't mater if you hide it people find out weather you want them to or not maybe i shouldn't have worn a MLP shirt though

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

I've toyed on and off with whether I should make this thread or not, and I decided that there's no harm in trying.

 

A few things that I first want to make clear:

 

1. This is not a hostile takeover of the fandom/this forum.  You can put down your torches and pitchforks.

 

2. I am not saying that closet bronies are superior fans.  I actually admire those of you that are open.

 

3. Please do not have your sole contribution to this be a flame about how closet bronies are terrible, cowards, and/or weak.  That's not the point of this thread.

 

Okay, now that that's out of the way, onto other things.  I've noticed the topic of closet bronies appearing in several threads.  Regarding this topic there seems to be three groups of people: those who don't understand closet bronies almost to the point of hating on them (there's a very small number of these, but I have seem them), those that wish to get the closet bronies out of the closet, and the closet bronies themselves.  I just thought that perhaps if there was a thread to discuss closet bronyism we could all understand each other a little better.

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I suppose that I should start by saying why I believe that I'm a closet brony.  First of all, I'm a very introverted person.  I only tell people about my personal life if I believe that there is some benefit to it, and even if there is a benefit, I'll often convince myself that the negatives override any potential benefit.  Basically, people that I know IRL only know about me what I want them to know.

 

Second, I actively avoid making enemies.  Because of this, I have very few friends, but even fewer enemies (well, there's plenty of people that I dislike, but I hope that they have no reason to dislike me back).  Thus, anything that I reveal generally tries to be neutral.  I even avoid wearing shirts with writing on them.  Can you see where this is going?

 

Basically, I've decided that the risk of making enemies by revealing my being a brony makes the potential benefit of making new friends who are bronies not worth the trouble.  This effect even happens with my parents.  I know that they love me, and I love them, and I'm 99% certain that they would accept me being a fan of MLP.  However, the potential risks outweigh the potential benefits.  It's like playing Russian Roulette with gun that has a 100 round chamber that's loaded with a single bullet, but the best you could win by surviving is a certificate that says, "Congratulations!"  The chance of getting my head blown off is not worth a crappy certificate.

_________________

 

TL;DR: Are you a closet brony?  Discuss.

                 OR

Are you not a closet brony but wish to understand closet bronies better?  Discuss.

_________________

 

Somewhat related:  I'm curious how many closet bronies are also Fluttershy fans.  I know that I'm one.

[~Lawful Sturdy Wing~ 522]

I would like to know what makes you feel that being as, as you call it, "Closet brony" is different than just not being overtly obsessed with the show?

[DoctorWhovian1902 596]

I was a closet brony, and a fan of Fluttershy. I'm more open about it now, but I admit I've still had my moments where I've held back from saying anything. I personally don't have anything against the closet bronies, but do think they'll have to admit to liking the show some time or another.

[longgone 873]

I'm kinda one.

 

One of my friends knows that I'm a brony but he doesn't let it get between us (if only everyone was this open minded) There is this one guy in my school whose is the most close minded person I know. He says "you're gay if you hug guys no matter one" One time, my friend was feeling down and he asked me to give a quick hug, so I did, now he calls him gay.

 

TL;DR: I admit it to some people but not to others depending on if they're open or close minded.

 

I'm also a fluttershy fan :3

[Radiance64 7,051]

Eh, not me, except to my sister really(I dunno, I just don't think it's any of her business, but I wouldn't flip my shit if she found out), but I don't make an effort to hide it. I don't buy pony stuff much in public, but I have bought the things I have really wanted, so I'm kind of middling there, but overall I would say I am not closet. I don't really like the term either, but eh, not like I can come up with anything better.

[Perfect_Harmony 58]

I guess you could say that I am a little of both. My close friends know that I am a brony and they are perfectly fine with it. I've even gotten some of them to start watching the show as well. I have no intention on becoming completely open with it mainly because of the fear of being rejected. However if the situation arose where somebody somehow found out I was a brony I would not deny my love for the show because at that point I'd rather go all out than try and hide it. I can also say that sometimes I wish that I could be completely open about it so I could meet other bronies and not have to hide it all the time.

 

I am also a Fluttershy fan by the way 

[The-Master 1,176]

Come friend, let us set aside indifference's over a strong ale.

 

On a more serious not, I see myself as more of a Closet Brony than anything else, simply because I refuse to make a big deal of it. Attention I find is an untrustworthy ally. I keep to myself and others leave me alone; dead simple. There are those who recognize my affiliation with the fandom but I tend to keep any mentioning of it to a minimal.

 

It's complicated...

[Perfect_Harmony 58]

There are also some other bronies at my school that have to deal with hate from being open about it. Doesn't make me feel any better about wanting to be open.

Edited January 3, 2013 by Perfect_Harmony

[Shanks 10,811]

While I haven't really made much of an effort to tell anyone with the exception of this youtube video I made I don't really make an effort to hide it either. I am somewhere between completely open and being in the closet, though I did just recently get a Discord shirt but Discord is just one of those characters that mostly bronies will recognize. While I think completely being in the closet isn't healthy I understand why a lot of people are, "my parents found out I am a Brony and they don't approve" has to be one of the most common thread themes here. So alot of bronies unfortunately seem to have no other choice but to be in the closet which is really sad, because this is one of the most harmless fandoms one could possibly be into.

[MelancholicMemory 2,022]

I avoid talking about myself in general. and I'm not very social in the first place so no one knows I like MLP just out of coincidence, I suppose. I do keep people from seeing that I'm on MLP sites (change tab, close browser, etc.), so I guess I do hide the fact that I'm a brony. I suppose that makes me a closet brony, right?

 

I only know one pegasister from my school, and I don't know her very well, and most people I know are pretty closed- minded anyway so there' s no incentive to tell anyone I like MLP. I'm weird in so many ways anyway, that I doubt people would be surprised that I like MLP though 

[featheredone 56]

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Edited June 14, 2022 by featheredone

[Phoenix237 353]

I am sorta a closet brony, I don't know correct me if I'm wrong.

The only ones who know are my three younger sibilings. And a couple of friends at my school. Everyone else dosesnt know.

My sibilings know because I was over confident (I had been hiding it for 6 months and no one had the slightest idea) and made the mistake of leaving my history file in my iPod (were I watch the episodes) uncleared . My sister usually watches videos on it, with my permission, and started to wonder who watched the episodes. She asked my younger brothers first and finally came to me. See my sister is smart and knows when someone is hiding something, so lying to her when the evidence was kinda pointing in my detection didn't go in my favor. I explained to all three of them (my brother got into the mess as well) about the show and the community and surprisingly they were okay with it. My sister was mad for not telling her so she could watch as well, but that was okay.

 

I have made no effort to tell anyone else. In fact as discribed my sibilings knowing about this was a accident. My friends know because they are the ones who got me into MLP FIM, but they are also keeping it to themselves and not being open about it as well. How they got me into it, I walked in when they were watching an episode, watched to see what was going on, and the rest is history We only make references and talk about it to each other, but not to those who do not know.

 

Sorry for the long comment, but I needed some put some explanation.

[Scootaloo Is Best Filly 576]

I think I am a closet Brony. A bunch of people do know about me liking My Little Pony from me either telling them or finding out a different way. My parents still don't approve of it. But, now I am at the point where I'm just like..... "You know what? You don't wanna approve of the shows I like/watch? Well that's fine with me". There are a bunch of things where their opinions mean so much to me. This? I don't give a darn what they think. It's just a TV show. Anyway, I try my best to hide that I am a Brony by not wearing Pony Shirts outside the house most of the time. And then my friends find out one way or another. I have never really met one person who gave me like a really, really, hard time yet.

[--Eve-- 351]

Currently i'm a closet Brony. I am in the verge of making some new 'Friends', so hopefully that all works out. The main reason i'm not really open about it is that my older brother(19), is someone i look up to, and he sort of looks up to me as well. I have facts that prove he disapproves of bronyism.

[LensFlare 40]

I am currently still a "closet brony". Only one of my friends knows that I'm into MLP and that's only because I commented on his Rainbow Dash iPhone wallpaper.  I believe I said "Rainbow Dash, huh? I think I would've gone with Twilight myself..." His face went form   quickly to   haha.  However, I don't know if everyone else would be so accepting. 

 

I don't think it would be that bad if everyone else found out, but I just don't feel it's worth the attention. I'm fairly self-conscious as is, so why bring up one more thing to make fun of. Even though I know it's really not that big of a deal, it is just a show we like and everyone likes different things. But still, I've always been one to avoid unnecessary attention.

[Jessper 735]

Well, I sure hope this isn't reaction on me.

You know, I have to say the term itself is flawed. Why closet brony? Why does it matter whether you have a wide collection of toys and wear only pony clothes or just watch and enjoy the show. It's simply a brony - one who enjoys the MLP franchise.

And now, it's a show and a community related to a show. You have no reason to "come out". There is nothing to come out about since you aren't hiding anything. Did you ever "confessed" to watching any other show? Whether you talk about it or not is different thing.

 

The term itself implies you hide something out of fear or shame.

In the first case, I for example know a guy who is "closet homosexual" because he's quite sure he would get legally disowned and would never see most of his family again or a closet atheist who won't come out because the muslim brotherhood would wipe the smile off his face, literally.

In the second case, people who hide in the metaphorical closet because of shame - that's problematic, because it hints deeper issues. If that is the case, you either shouldn't be doing the thing that makes you feel bad or you should re-evaluate your values.

 

And I just don't know where the closet bronies fit into this.The more I look into it, the less I know, actually. It just feels like self-imposed endless drama and stress generator.

[RDashFan85 46]

I use to be a closet Brony when I first got into the fandom but now I'm not. I'm very open about the show and I now have no issue buying pony stuff in public at all. If I see a Friendship Is Magic Shirt in a clothing retail store I'd pick it up and buy it. I've come to the conclusion if anyone can't accept that fact about me being a Brony I'd just tell them off and leave them and not have those jerks as friends. I know about the whole Love And Tolerance thing but why bother with those negative parasprites?,

[Archi the Atmomancer 564]

I would consider myself a closet brony, at least for my family. My best friends know about it, and my Dad found out about it when he saw a game I was working on that was pony related but I told him not to tell anyone. He took it pretty well.

 

The only person I feel uncomfortable about telling my fascination with MLP is my mum; she wouldn't mind or anything, but I get the feeling she wouldn't look at me the same way.

[RDashFan85 46]

My mom knows and she didn't care at all Archi. When she saw my Rainbow Dash Hat that I bought for $30.00 she thought it was awesome and fine. So my whole family knows about me loving the show and products.

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

@Jessper (is that how we tag people?  I think it is.  I guess I'll find out when I post this...)

 

You make a very interesting point.  I would imagine (at least for myself) that it's out of fear, not really shame.  While you're right that admitting we enjoy a certain show is not the same as admitting homosexuality, I believe that the problem is that there are many people who perceive the two as synonymous (or at least enough people to scare us into the closet).  To open up about being a brony is seen as opening up about homosexuality and/or pedophilia to some, which is certainly something that I would not want to do (granted that those people are probably jerks and should be ignored).

 

Basically, we don't want to give up the fandom, but we also don't want to alter our social status quo.  I'm not sure if I'm making any sense, but that's my answer.

Edited January 3, 2013 by antismurf9001

[FlooterShy 12]

I'm only a closet brony for one single reason. If it got out (I'm that 'super cool, popular nerdy' guy) I'd definitely get bullied and cause fights. Im not one for fighting. I'm not a pacifist but it just causes trouble. I'll probably spill it one day, but not soon, unless I stop talking to most people, as I planned to originally.

[Jessper 735]

@Jessper (is that how we tag people?  I think it is.  I guess I'll find out when I post this...)

 

You make a very interesting point.  I would imagine (at least for myself) that it's out of fear, not really shame.  While you're right that admitting we enjoy a certain show is not the same as admitting homosexuality, I believe that the problem is that there are many people who perceive the two as synonymous (or at least enough people to scare us into the closet).  To open up about being a brony is seen as opening up about homosexuality and/or pedophilia to some, which is certainly something that I would not want to do (granted that those people are probably jerks and should be ignored).

 

Basically, we don't want to give up the fandom, but we also don't want to alter our social status quo.  I'm not sure if I'm making any sense, but that's my answer.

That would look like a link to my profile. I'd say it's better to just quote people, because that way they get "X has quoted you" message.

 

Anyway, I have two problems - one is the drama about it. Let's face it, some people overdo it and it's just not good for them or anyone else. Tho I've describe that in more detail in the pressure thread, so I won't go there again.

The second, well, you can't be "in closet" when you have nothing to hide. Unless you really like the closet, which would prolly link back to the drama. Why not just treat it as a show instead? I bet you don't "come out" about everything you ever watch, but wouldn't say you're "in closet" about it. No matter whether you love MLP or just kinda like it, if you don't want to be too open about it, just treat is as any other show you ever watched.

Adding the "This is absolute taboo" element really doesn't help. It just creates suspicion and stress. And actually makes the show a taboo, obviously. It's hypocritical and foolish to expect other people to accept the show and community as "ok" when half of the bronies themselves think they are doing something wrong and twisted.

[Mutemutt 772]

Well, I sure hope this isn't reaction on me.

You know, I have to say the term itself is flawed. Why closet brony? Why does it matter whether you have a wide collection of toys and wear only pony clothes or just watch and enjoy the show. It's simply a brony - one who enjoys the MLP franchise.

And now, it's a show and a community related to a show. You have no reason to "come out". There is nothing to come out about since you aren't hiding anything. Did you ever "confessed" to watching any other show? Whether you talk about it or not is different thing.

 

The term itself implies you hide something out of fear or shame.

...

 

Can anyone "confess" to something that is expected or the popular opinion? For instance, could you really "confess" to wacthing t.v. or to being heterosexual? I doubt anyone is hiding because of this being a show (unless youre Amish I guess), just like I doubt anyone hides being homosexual because it is a sexuality. It is because the show happens to be MLP that it is hidden.

 

You're right, the term does imply hiding something out of fear or shame, but it also implies that you have to hide it from something/ someone. This is what I believe the main cause of bronies hiding is. If everyone accepted the show or were a fan themselves, there would be absolutely no reason to hide. It's because there are those that can't stand bronies (whether they're a vocal few or not, I don't know) and, more importantly, society's view of bronies that pushes them into hiding.

 

The term "closet brony" shouldn't have existed, but neither should being "in the closet" have existed. People shouldn't be forced to hide their preferences or beliefs for fear of persecution. Hopefully these terms will become relics of the past.

 

p.s. I'm also a closet brony.

[Darke Pony 27]

I'm a closet brony, if by closet brony you're meaning someone who will not admit to friends/family/etc that they like the show, ie hiding the fact they enjoy it form all but fellow bronies.

 

Thing is, I'm actually a rather extrovert person around friends, but I have long ago stopped trusting them with things I know that could end up embarrassing them. Because I know that while they'll act like they're cool with it, once I've walked away they'll start with the backstabbing - I have seen them do it to each other many times.

 

Even my girlfriend I cannot tell, as she would end up telling her friends, and then it would spread. I would end up a disgrace, and probably end up losing her, if only so she could avoid embarrassment.

 

 

Long story short, I'm afraid. And I don't want to pluck up the courage to take that step until things reach such a point in my life where the truth MUST come out.