The term "Brony" and why I dislike it it.

[Lost 1,410]

I use the word bro as brother, I also use it towards my best of friends, so I have no problem with the word bro, nor do I have a problem with the term brony, it is a name to call ourselves, it may be comprised of bro and pony but it is still a different word who cares where it originated.

 

Brony shirts that just say "brony" are, in my opinion, a more subtle way of declaring your fandom, having a a shirt with pinkie pie across it sure sticks out more than just one that says brony, even people who don't know of the show would point out a guy wearing a shirt with a pink pony on it, but the term brony is only known to our community and some Internet users, I personally would never have the self confidence to walk arround in a pony shirt, but I would happily wear one that simply said brony on it.

 

That's just my view on it anyway.

 

 

 

I see a few pop up every once in a while. Lady Gaga fans call themselves Little Monsters, Bieber fans are Beliebers, One Direction fans are Directioners, Black Veil Brides fans are the BvB Army, Metallica fans are the Metal Militia, and I'm sure there's more.

I'm apparently a "Child of the Fence" since I am a huge Coheed and Cambria fan, though that fandom is a bit more than just a band, but also comic books and a novel for the Amory Wars storyline. Though I hate the term "Children of the Fence" because it sounds like a creepy cult.

 

EDIT: Also may I remind you of the Juggalo fandom!

 

Don't forget us maggots! The loving name bestowed upon Slipknot fans.

[Ron Jeremy 2,032]

I use the word bro as brother, I also use it towards my best of friends, so I have no problem with the word bro, nor do I have a problem with the term brony, it is a name to call ourselves, it may be comprised of bro and pony but it is still a different word who cares where it originated.

 

Brony shirts that just say "brony" are, in my opinion, a more subtle way of declaring your fandom, having a a shirt with pinkie pie across it sure sticks out more than just one that says brony, even people who don't know of the show would point out a guy wearing a shirt with a pink pony on it, but the term brony is only known to our community and some Internet users, I personally would never have the self confidence to walk arround in a pony shirt, but I would happily wear one that simply said brony on it.

 

That's just my view on it anyway.

 

That's like saying you have a problem wearing a shirt with a picture of a cow on it, but if it just says the word "Cow" it's not a problem.

 

The term "brony" may have been obscure once, but it isn't anymore. Major news networks have covered the topic. Remember that horrible "coverage" Fox did? It really doesn't make much difference anymore. If anything, one might be able to say that wearing a shirt with a colorful pony on it says something about their courage to stand up against the preconceived notions of society, and would be an honorable thing to do. If I was wearing a pony shirt and someone complained, I'd kindly tell them to go do something anatomically impossible.

[AnonBrony 1,468]

No. I am not contradicting myself. You are misunderstanding me. Wearing a shirt with pony artwork declares you are a fan, just as wearing a shirt that just says "BRONY" on tit will. However, if the shirt has artwork on it, it serves the purpose of showing the artwork, and being visually appealing. Wearing a shirt that just says "BRONY" on it, and has nothing to do with MLP itself, serves no real purpose. All it does is draw attention, pretty much just a sign that says "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME I'M DIFFERENT". Wearing the artwork can do this as well, but that isn't its only purpose.

*le sigh* Did u not read the rest of what i said? Just cuz somepeople use the term negatively, doesn't mean u have to. U can be a Brony and not flaunt it off. U can say u are one without being obnoxious. All the term means is that u are a fan. And if u don't like labeling urself that fine by me, but just cuz others cuz themselves bronys doesn't mean they are obnoxious or want attention. All it means is that they like the show. K? And reading ur resposes to others... u are really misunderstanding them.

[SongBrony 419]

I personally have no problem being a brony. To me, bro is just a slang word. Like in Jersey Shore. I despise Jersey Shore with a passion, but I don't think that it's really a bad thing. But then again, I've never really watched a whole episode of JS. Snookie made me turn it off

[Samurshy 708]

I will tell you how I view the word "Brony" by breaking it down.

 

The prefix "Bro" for me in this word is only meant to distinguish the sex, and the sex is male. Now I am not saying girls cannot enjoy mlp but I feel that they should not be called bronies. Lets face it, it is not as weird for a female even a 18 year old female, to watch my little pony. It is a feminine show and I could see why it would be appealing to them, that is not to say that they could not associate themselves with bronies and the brony fandom. They definitely can and should associate themselves with us because it makes us look better and it is always nice to have females to talk to and not have complete sausage fest. That is why I prefer the term "pegasister" when referring to a female brony. Because when it comes down to it, people like Fox News, and Howards Stern, are not up in arms about the females of the fandom, only the males (Sexist I know).

 

So we come the the suffix which is "ny" which of course is derived from pony. It simply means "fan of the show my little pony". So together the word Brony simply means a man who is a fan of my little pony.

 

I do not view this in a negative light, I also strongly believe that words are only as powerful as people make them out to be. So if you think that it has some scary, bad, negative connotation, then essentially you are the one giving it that power.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Bronynonymous

[Lost 1,410]

 

 

That's like saying you have a problem wearing a shirt with a picture of a cow on it, but if it just says the word "Cow" it's not a problem.

 

The term "brony" may have been obscure once, but it isn't anymore. Major news networks have covered the topic. Remember that horrible "coverage" Fox did? It really doesn't make much difference anymore. If anything, one might be able to say that wearing a shirt with a colorful pony on it says something about their courage to stand up against the preconceived notions of society, and would be an honorable thing to do. If I was wearing a pony shirt and someone complained, I'd kindly tell them to go do something anatomically impossible.

 

It's nothing like that, a picture of a cow, while a little strange to have on a shirt, is far from having a bright pink horse on your shirt, I can honestly say that if I had seen a guy in a pinkie pie shirt, or any MLP shirt, before I became a brony I would have been confused as to why he was wearing a shirt designed for little girls, you forget that on the surface MLP is still perceived as a show for little girls and some people may want to show others their fandom of the show without blaring it out to everyone.

 

As for the fox coverage, I have seen the YouTube clips of that broadcast, while it was rather bad you need to remember that not everyone watches fox news, I live in England and before I saw the show I had non idea what a brony was, nor did any of my friends or any of my family, the term isn't as widely known as you seem to believe.

[Tdroid 234]

Personally I don't mind the term much, and I believe it all comes down to what put in it. When I call myself a brony I only mean that I enjoy FiM and that I like to interact with the fandom, but I agree that the people who only identify as one to gain attention is a bit annoying.

I live in Norway however, and here the Brony community isn't exactly well known so I rarely get any reactions about my FiM shirts(I have three tshirts, one of which is a Big Macintosh/Brony shirt), and I don't identify as a brony unless asked about them or I am talking to my friends who are bronies(over Skype, I have no friends living near me that are bronies that I know of).

 

But as I said, I think it is all about what you chose to put in the term and I use the tem to describe the fandom. If people want to use that in a hipster way; fine, there is nothing we can do about it, but we shouldn't just give up the term just yet. If it comes a time when Brony is a term with so many assumptions that normal people are uncomfortable just by hearing it I will stopp using it.

[Flying Whales 311]

Don't forget us maggots! The loving name bestowed upon Slipknot fans.

I hear that BROther haha XD

 

I like some of the points that have been raised in the defense of the term “brony” like I said before it doesn’t bother me too much, I just don’t want to see it be used by outsiders I guess just to get a rise out of people or to try and make themselves seem like they are apart of some counter-culture when they aren’t even a fan of the show in the first place. That just makes us all look bad.

[Ron Jeremy 2,032]

*le sigh* Did u not read the rest of what i said? Just cuz somepeople use the term negatively, doesn't mean u have to. U can be a Brony and not flaunt it off. U can say u are one without being obnoxious. All the term means is that u are a fan. And if u don't like labeling urself that fine by me, but just cuz others cuz themselves bronys doesn't mean they are obnoxious or want attention. All it means is that they like the show. K? And reading ur resposes to others... u are really misunderstanding them.

 

Yes. Yes I read the rest of you said. Wearing a shirt literally to just declare that you are a fan is flaunting it. With no artwork and literally just declaring it, all that leaves left is using it as a means to differentiate yourself from others in an attempt to make yourself look unique, and feel better about yourself. Flaunting.

 

I'm pretty sure it's you who is misinterpreting what I'm saying. :/

[AnonBrony 1,468]

Yes. Yes I read the rest of you said. Wearing a shirt literally to just declare that you are a fan is flaunting it. With no artwork and literally just declaring it, all that leaves left is using it as a means to differentiate yourself from others in an attempt to make yourself look unique, and feel better about yourself. Flaunting.

 

I'm pretty sure it's you who is misinterpreting what I'm saying. :/

 

Can we forget the T-Shirt thing. I'm not talking 'bout a God damn shirt. I talking about bronys in General. idc if u think wearing a shirt is flauntin' thats ur opinion. I'm just saying u can still call urself a Brony and not flaunt. I do. Hell i don't even own a mlp shirt. And just cuz people flaunt the term on a shirt doesn't mean u should not even use it or be one. It aint a good reason. And just cuz it uses "bro" aint a good reason either. U are a fan right? and ur a not an 8-year-old girl right? so in my eyes ur a Brony. Ur a fan. idc if ur not callin' urself one. In my eyes u are. This topic is getting stupid and should end. I'm done here. There no use in reasoning anymore.

[Kimono 2]

I dislike the term Pegasister myself. It sounds stupid and sounds like you're five years old. Brony at least has no age specific words to it.

Though I don't like that term much either.

[Ron Jeremy 2,032]

Can we forget the T-Shirt thing. I'm not talking 'bout a God damn shirt. I talking about bronys in General. idc if u think wearing a shirt is flauntin' thats ur opinion. I'm just saying u can still call urself a Brony and not flaunt. I do. Hell i don't even own a mlp shirt. And just cuz people flaunt the term on a shirt doesn't mean u should not even use it or be one. It aint a good reason. And just cuz it uses "bro" aint a good reason either. U are a fan right? and ur a not an 8-year-old girl right? so in my eyes ur a Brony. Ur a fan. idc if ur not callin' urself one. In my eyes u are. This topic is getting stupid and should end. I'm done here. There no use in reasoning anymore.

 

One more thing... u sayin' were a shirt with a pony on it is ok, but wereing one with the word Brony on it isn't? Do u not realize how contradicting that is? They BOTH basically say u like the show. which is ok in my standards. But according to you showing that u like it is obnoxious. Cuz accorrding to you one will draw attention. But in reality, BOTH will draw attention. Mainly cuz u don't expect someone to wear that shirt. So is wearing the shirts bad or not? cuz i don't think it is at all.

 

We aren't? Well, it certainly would appear to me that you brought it up.

 

The reason I did not bring up the other points you made is because before you even made those points, I addressed them in previous posts in the topic. It would have just been a waste of time for myself and those reading the posts in the thread. What's the point in holding a discussion when nothing new is brought to the table in it?

[Homura Akemi 974]

I've gone in and out on whether I want to be labeled as such. I have a decent amount of merchandise and such, but I'm not sure if I want to be called "brony," even after almost a year of being in "the herd." I 100% agree about the ones who think they're special about watching the show.

 

"I'm a brony!! Umad trolololo?!"

 

What do you want? A medal?

[TheFabulousPony 102]

I have no problem with th term at all. Where olive everyone calls eachother "bro" anyway haha. For the record I have seen plenty of shirts that just bluntly say an interest lol many many many shirts that do. I find it easier to say "I am a Brony" than bleightenly saying to someone I like My Little Pony (when I have to).

[eggnut 7]

I'm a Regularain (Regular Show), Gravity Falls and a brony.

I would change the term brony into a coltian or brownies.

[Flying Whales 311]

I'm a Regularain (Regular Show), Gravity Falls and a brony.

I would change the term brony into a coltian or brownies.

 

I have been a massive Regular Show fan for over a year now, andI have never heard that before. Am I just out of the loop or something?

[Driz 1,552]

Well, that was one incredible thinking you've got there. I really respect it, but I wouldn't say I agree 100% with it. :|

 

I mean, I like to call myself a brony. It sounds cool. I'm not taking it as a lifestyle though. I'm a brony simply because I like MLP:FiM and all of the fanmade content that came afterwards. They make me happy. It makes me happy and proud to say that I'm a "brony" because of it. I wouldn't go down the streets screaming "I'M A BRONY DEAL WITH IT" though. And I'm sure most of us think like that as well.

 

I know nothing about other fandom and the way they call themselves, or about all of the different meanings the word "bro" has. I really think whoever came up with it just wanted to stop having to say "people who like My Little Pony" all the time anyway, so it's not as "offensive" as it's helpful.

 

Again, I respect a lot your words, but most of the arguments you used refer to the "dark side" of the fandom, composed by the dumb and crazed trolls wanting to shove down MLP into the world's throat. They give us - they give the bronies a bad name, and I don't think they'll stop any time soon.

Edited August 23, 2012 by DrizzleSTAR

[eggnut 7]

I have been a massive Regular Show fan for over a year now, andI have never heard that before. Am I just out of the loop or something?

 

Something that I just made up.

I thought it was good to have a fandom name. Adventure Time and Regular Show FTW!

[BlimpAtomic 16]

I like the term brony. To me, it's like a word that brings the ENTIRE community of MLP lovers into one huge brand. The word bro makes me think of really good friends. So I'm ok with brony flaunting XD

[Cherry Blossom 864]

Brony does sound kind of weird, but I really have to agree with Red on the bro part, because I have a big brother. Besides that term 'brony' probably got everyone interested in MLP:FiM to be even able to know about this site in the first place.

Edited October 30, 2012 by Cherry Blossom

[GEROMY 41]

I was always fine with the term, only because I refrained myself from delving into it. Brony means, to me, the kind of people who love and tolerate, and enjoy MLP: FiM. Not bro, or pony. But I do agree with you whole-heartily. When people destroy the word, it leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.

 

Brony, essentially, to me, means a wide arrange of things. It just means... Hmmm... it means all of us, being a community, genuinely caring. I was on other 'brony' forums, and it felt more like a 'people who liked ponies' forum. That doesn't sound bad, nor is it, but I feel like there's just a bit of... Not of us. I know this is a mouthful, and I know people on here state that they prefer to refer to themselves as the latter term, but to me they're Bronies. I know someone earlier stated this, but they displayed such an abundance of kindness, confidence, and, well, love and tolerance that I feel as though they are Bronies.

 

I can honestly say that I'm genuinely comfortable, because everyone on here are, in my spiritual and emotional opinion, Bronies.

 

Tl;dr, Brony is simply a term that after saying it so much, loses the 'bro' and the 'pony', and became its own term.

Edited August 23, 2012 by NastyMann

[SpikeyWikey07 58]

Regardless of the term and its various definitions, I don't see the whole Bro thing as a negative or needing to have any relation to gender. I just consider it a name for this fandom that I am apart of and nothing more.

I agree with this, after all... in my college I attend to, the anime club's president likes the show too. He believes that there isn't really much of a problem to it. But that's his opinion, and I don't mind it unless otherwise.

[DeiStar 248]

“Brony” is a term we all know, and if you’re reading this, I have no need to explain it.

 

I hate this term. Now, don’t jump to conclusions and assume I hate this fandom. Allow me to elaborate further.

 

You see, the term “Bro” has negative connotations. When many of us hear “Bro”, we think of sexism, idiocy, materialism, selfishness. We think of crap like “Jersey Shore”. Bros. You know who I’m talking about. I know a lot of the hate our fandom receives is from what many of the fans call themselves. Hell, it’s a big reason why I myself disliked the fandom for so long. Most of the reason I hate the term is simply what it brings to mind, but there are also other reasons I hate it.

 

By having a term such as “Brony” many people use it as a label. “Oh, let’s see, I like video games, I’m straight, I’m a brony...” I see that sort of thing all the time. Now, while nothing seems wrong at first, in reality, it’s probably the second worst aspect of our fandom: People thinking that enjoyment of a series equals who they are as a person. All the things we enjoy and do should be a part of who we are as people, not 80% of who we are. Many people take the fandom too far, and make it who they are.

 

A huge example of this is some of the shirts I see, and if you read the comic that I post here, you may notice I have parodied it: Shirts that exist only to announce you are a fan of My Little Pony. Now, shirts that say, have a picture of a pony on them are fine. It’s fine to wear clothing that show your interests. But I have seen shirts that have no characters, nothing related to ponies, other than just, bluntly, the word “Brony”. Do you see metal fans wear shirts that just say “Metalhead”? No. You see them wearing band shirts, with artwork, etc. When people are simply walking around with hats/shirts that just say “Brony” they are a part of the fandom for the wrong reasons.

 

When it comes to the point where people simply declare themselves “Bronies” at that point, they’re pretty much hipsters under a different name, not displaying the characters or artwork they enjoy, but simply declaring their involvement in the fandom as a means to make themselves look different. “Hey, look at me! I watch My Little Pony! I’m such a card!” This is one of the things that really makes our fandom look bad: Fans who shove their enjoyment of the show on others as a means to gain attention.

 

I am not saying fans are bad. I know this fandom has achieved amazing things. Improved some peoples’ quality of life. Saved lives, even. Earned money for causes. I acknowledge all the goodness of the fandom, but I cannot ignore the bad.

 

We should just enjoy what we enjoy about the show and its fandom, but not have it become who we are. Do people who enjoy the Mario series call themselves “Maribros”? No. Do fans of the Toxic Avenger series call themselves “Broxies”? No. Do fans of comics call themselves “Bromics”? Nope. Why can’t we just be fans of ponies? Or at least create a better name that doesn’t bring immature, spray-tanned jocks to mind? "Pony-speak" (Everypony, anypony, etc. etc.) is fine, unless it’s used in inappropriate places and/or forced on those who don’t want to hear it. I guess another thing I’m trying to say in this thread is: There’s a time and a place for everything.

 

So, what is everypony’s opinion on this? Do you agree with my points, or disagree? If you disagree with the term “Brony” as I do, what would you call members of the fandom, if you had the choice to pick the new term? What I’m trying to say is, discuss the topic this thread presents.

 

I don't like to be called a brony, because some of them are obnoxious people who I find incredibly annoying.

Of course, just some of them. There are wonderful people too.

 

But I prefer to be called a "guy who likes MLP" over a "brony".

Edited August 23, 2012 by DeiStar

[Mu Nova 66]

I don't mind or dislike the term, I'm overally pretty cool with it. Though walking up to someone IRL and saying "I'm a brony" feels awkward for me, I prefer to say "I'm a fan of MLP" or "I'm a MLP fan." And the "bro" in brony doesn't hold the same connotations for me as OP--I understand that, but when I hear "brony" I don't think of any of those things. lol

 

But that fourth paragraph of yours, I've been thinking similarly. I've let my urges to spread the magic calm, but both now and when I was more proactive about getting people to try it... I make it a point to acknowledge that not everyone is going to like it. It's just like anything else, like various genres of music or video games, certain types of writing, clothing, food... So long as people remain reasonable and civil about not being interested, I don't get bothered. lol

Er, I'm really straying from my point: I don't feel it appropriate to try to force people into it, and seeing or hearing of other fans doing it is offensive. It reflects on the rest of us badly and can pretty much scar people in terms of whether they'd ever give FiM a try. Though it goes to show that we're like anyone else--there are good eggs and bad.

 

But anyway, I wonder when I'll get to see this kind of thread about the term "pegasis(ter)" again? Lol.

[Twiliscael 3,960]

@,

It all made sense back in the earliest stages of bronyism waaay back on 4chan in 2010. The people who use the /b/ board (the random one) call themselves /b/ros. When bronies first started appearing when the show was brand new, they were /b/ronies because all of them found the show because of 4chan. As we evolved (yes, now I'm talking about us as if we are a species), we dropped the /b/ part of "brony" and simply became "bronies" because we were no longer confined to just the /b/ board, we were then appearing EVERYWHERE.