Parent & Friend Reactions to your Bronyness: Before & After

[RainbowDashington 89]

People think I'm weird because of it. But I'm weird without that fact anyway 

 

The only negative reaction was from my 13 year brother:  "Are you freakin' serious?" 

[Everleaf 541]

I just take it easy on people to trust and wow understanding friend you got there :3

[Guest]

Okay... I am bisexual. I "came out" to my family and it was a very difficult experience. I am a little saddened that people are likening admitting they enjoy a TV show to such a big life changing experience that causes many people turmoil and even being disowned. You don't need to "come out" of the brony closet.

 

Just my two cents.

[WhiteGuardian 168]

Okay... I am bisexual. I "came out" to my family and it was a very difficult experience. I am a little saddened that people are likening admitting they enjoy a TV show to such a big life changing experience that causes many people turmoil and even being disowned. You don't need to "come out" of the brony closet.

 

Just my two cents.

believe it or not I actually can see where you're coming from. my perspective is its all relative to each person. for you, the most difficult thing to come out about would be your sexuality. for me in my life, the two hardest things to tell people about would be my obsession about ponies and my religion. the second one is harder because I get so much crap for it all the time. and there was a period in my life where I was bisexual, so I have a little bit of understanding there. but it really comes down to what is hard for the individual person. I have a gay best friend who had no problem telling everyone he knew what he was. its different for everyone. that's just my point of view, I hope I didn't offend you. :/

[yeet 2,027]

there are people in my year who dont know im a brony, some girls didnt think i was serious when i said i watch the show, and the whole school is gonna know about it tomorrow with what i have up my sleeve, or, to be more precise, in my fleece. i am gonna love tomorrow. a lot.

[WhiteGuardian 168]

there are people in my year who dont know im a brony, some girls didnt think i was serious when i said i watch the show, and the whole school is gonna know about it tomorrow with what i have up my sleeve, or, to be more precise, in my fleece. i am gonna love tomorrow. a lot.

lol, are we allowed to know of these plans. >

[yeet 2,027]

@@WhiteGuardian, basically, the theme for non school uniform is red, and the closet pony i could get to red is pinkie pie. so i got a fairly good sized one and im gonna have her head poking out the top of my fleece, just under my head.  

[Cerbyrus 63]

Just a little question, but why is it such a big deal? I mean, it's just a tv show.

 

But then again, I am part of a forum about that tv show, so maybe I shouldn't be talking.

 

To anwser your question - I never had to ''come out of the closet'', really. My friend asked me what shows I liked, and this ensued:

 

''So, what shows do you actually watch?'' he asked. ''Hmm. I don't watch a lot really. I guess I watch Doctor Who from time to time, My Little Pony sometimes and also some other shit when I am bored.'' I had responded.

 

''Oh, you're a brony? Cool, I guess.'' he said.

 

''Yeah.'' I responded.

 

''Want something to drink?'' he said.

 

''Sure.''

 

FIN.

 

As for my parents, they don't really care. I sometimes just watch MLP and they just walk in, and go out when they're done with whatever they're doing (my pc is in the same room as my dad's closet, and he had to get some laundry). My mom thinks it's pretty funny, my dad doesn't give a single eff.

[WhiteGuardian 168]

@@WhiteGuardian, basically, the theme for non school uniform is red, and the closet pony i could get to red is pinkie pie. so i got a fairly good sized one and im gonna have her head poking out the top of my fleece, just under my head.  

YESSS! I love you sooo much. XD lol

Just a little question, but why is it such a big deal? I mean, it's just a tv show.

 

But then again, I am part of a forum about that tv show, so maybe I shouldn't be talking.

 

To anwser your question - I never had to ''come out of the closet'', really. My friend asked me what shows I liked, and this ensued:

 

''So, what shows do you actually watch?'' he asked. ''Hmm. I don't watch a lot really. I guess I watch Doctor Who from time to time, My Little Pony sometimes and also some other shit when I am bored.'' I had responded.

 

''Oh, you're a brony? Cool, I guess.'' he said.

 

''Yeah.'' I responded.

 

''Want something to drink?'' he said.

 

''Sure.''

 

FIN.

 

As for my parents, they don't really care. I sometimes just watch MLP and they just walk in, and go out when they're done with whatever they're doing (my pc is in the same room as my dad's closet, and he had to get some laundry). My mom thinks it's pretty funny, my dad doesn't give a single eff.

lol yeah my parents let me do what I want when it comes to stuff like that, but they are still not super approving. not that I care, its just annoying. my mom is so freaking opinionated and my dad is just a silent pillar of "I'm freaked out that you like this and youre making my other son like this but im gonna keep my mouth shut."

[Jackleberry 1,921]

I only directly told my mother that I was a brony, and she was perfectly fine with it. (Like me, she's a very accepting person) Same with my siblings.

 

As for my friends, I didn't really try to hide it or anything, so they found out themselves. Some of their reactions:

 

~Real life friend: "Isn't a brony someone who is turned on by ponies?". (I explained to him that wasn't the case. He's cool with it though, as far as I can tell)

~Online friend 1: "STUPID FUCKING PONIES!!!! NO PONIES ALLOWED ON _____" (The site shall not be mentioned. She apparently 'only accepts me' though. Hm, okay then.)

~Online friend 2: "I cannot go to war with a fellow brony, now can I? *Brohoof*". (Yeah he's a brony as well. Yay!)

[WhiteGuardian 168]

I only directly told my mother that I was a brony, and she was perfectly fine with it. (Like me, she's a very accepting person) Same with my siblings.

 

As for my friends, I didn't really try to hide it or anything, so they found out themselves. Some of their reactions:

 

~Real life friend: "Isn't a brony someone who is turned on by ponies?". (I explained to him that wasn't the case. He's cool with it though, as far as I can tell)

~Online friend 1: "STUPID FUCKING PONIES!!!! NO PONIES ALLOWED ON _____" (The site shall not be mentioned. She apparently 'only accepts me' though. Hm, okay then.)

~Online friend 2: "I cannot go to war with a fellow brony, now can I? *Brohoof*". (Yeah he's a brony as well. Yay!)

haha that's legit. lol I love it when friends are cool with it.  im planning on slowly telling all of my friends. this could take a while. T_T

[chocolate cake 114]

Okay... I am bisexual. I "came out" to my family and it was a very difficult experience. I am a little saddened that people are likening admitting they enjoy a TV show to such a big life changing experience that causes many people turmoil and even being disowned. You don't need to "come out" of the brony closet.

 

Just my two cents.

I don't liken it to coming out about one's sexuality, but I do have some trepidation about telling everyone.  One of my friends "warned" me that there were some bronies hanging out at the gaming store we go to.  For the moment I'm keeping my bronyness under wraps; if it comes up in a conversation I'll probably admit it, but I don't feel the need to announce it.  Also, I don't own and pony shirts or anything to announce it with.

[Chigens and Kay 3,832]

This thread appears to be related to the My Little Pony franchise and/or the Bronydom in general. Thus, it has been sentenced to Sugarcube Corner.

 

This is an automatically generated message, by the way.

[Guest]

I don't liken it to coming out about one's sexuality, but I do have some trepidation about telling everyone.  One of my friends "warned" me that there were some bronies hanging out at the gaming store we go to.  For the moment I'm keeping my bronyness under wraps; if it comes up in a conversation I'll probably admit it, but I don't feel the need to announce it.  Also, I don't own and pony shirts or anything to announce it with.

There is a big difference between people not liking you for your interests and not liking you for who you are. Being a brony is an interest, not part of who you are.

[Tigerpop198 696]

I told my family and some of my friends that I am a brony. I didn't even have to directly state it, just turned it on the tv, and said I love ponies.

[Ohnhai 69]

Okay... I am bisexual. I "came out" to my family and it was a very difficult experience. I am a little saddened that people are likening admitting they enjoy a TV show to such a big life changing experience that causes many people turmoil and even being disowned. You don't need to "come out" of the brony closet.

 

Just my two cents.

I have friends all over LGBT spectrum, and I've seen the damage that ignorant and fearful people wreak upon their lives. I know of the teasing bullying, disowning, hounding and mental/physical damage, to the point of death in some cases. You are right, this is is a horrific and traumatic situation that keeps many people shrouding their true identities for fear of all those things (and who can blame them).

 

While it isn't as bad as that dished out to the LGBT community, those people who let slip they like MLP or are found out in some other way are frequently bullied and teased mercilessly, even submitted to physical abuse because of that. We all know it happens and who would want to put themselves through that if avoiding it was as simple hiding your true self?

 

There are military service men and women who hide their inner Brony for fear of personal and professional repercussions, but the younger Bronies bear the brunt of it, (kids can be so cruel) And while you may say but it can't be as bad as the torment dished out to the LGBT kids, I feel I should remind you of Michael Morones? This bullying and torment IS real. It IS real enough to drive an 11yo to attempt suicide, and he probably has long lasting brain damage as a direct result*. How much more real, how much more 'life changing' should it be? Should we wait for the first Brony lynching, before allowing Bronies the closest?

 

Atheists are also using the phrase 'coming out' as well, and heck most of America hates them more than they hate gays!!. Should they stop using the phrase too? ( BTW, FYI I am an Atheist and a Brony)

 

Coming out may have been coined and first adopted by the gay community, but it is bigger than that. It's a statement of self-declaration. A line in the sand where despite risk of ridicule and persecution (and, to varying degrees, actual violence ) people stand up and say 'this is me, this is who I am, I refuse to hide my true self away simply because you disapprove, and or threaten me'.

 

A large part of the reason gay acceptance HAS moved on in recent years is because so many people came out. Suddenly it wasn't just the isolated freak everyone could pick on, it was you neighbour, your bank manager, your boss, your best friend, your husband/wife. It wasn't that this was not always the case, but suddenly it was oh so visible.

 

There is still a huge and developing problem that is linked to the whole issue of Homophobia, and that is gender separation and enforcement in children's media and products. You have boys' toys and girls' toys, boys' TV and girls' TV, books, clothes, attitudes... All of it is drumming into kids specific and unerring gender definitions into young impressionable minds and stamping on perceived degeneracy. "How can you like a Girls show? Are you gay?". "What you you mean you want a trials bike? What's wrong with this pink princess dress? are you a tomboy?" And so on... I personally don't think it a coincidence that this boy's stuff, girls' stuff segregation has grown more prevalent as LGBT right have surged forward.

 

Bronies should come out (of the horse box rather than the closest if you prefer) because it is the right thing to do. It is the right thing to do because the notion you can neatly define and separate peoples likes, loves, passions and so by a strict and narrow construction of gender identities needs to be shattered on as many levels as possible. It especially needs older Bronies to stand up and come out to let the younger generations know it's ok to be yourself no matter what others think.

 

You say Bronies shouldn't 'come out' because it undermines and belittles the LGBT struggle?

 

I say it's part of the same fight.

 

Yours

stephen.

 

 

*Side note, just got a tweet saying Michael has just breathed on his own for two hours . YAY!

Edited February 14, 2014 by Ohnhai

[Candlewick13 32]

Not an experience directly like that.

 

I think my mom knows I like the show. Sometimes I'm just so excited to sit down and get to watch it (I am DVRing all of Season 1, in little parts, and I only get to watch it on the weekend) that I literally just fan girl in front of the TV with my hand in front of my face giggling. xD

I'm 14. My mom doesn't understand that 20 year olds listen to the show, and my dad didn't believe me when I told him 30 year old men listen to MLP... xD

[WhiteGuardian 168]

@Ohnhai

I agree with everything you said.

 

 

There is a big difference between people not liking you for your interests and not liking you for who you are. Being a brony is an interest, not part of who you are.

First off i Wanna say I'm sorry if I or anyone offended you in any way. That was not anyones intention and certainly not mine. I wish I could say I completely understand you, but everyone is different, and has different experiences and they go through those experiences differently. We are like snowflakes in that regard, not two people ever have exactly the same circumstances, feelings or thoughts. That is the beauty of human life, how exactly individual and unique each of us is. We are each a separate work of art with a canvas of life experiences and perspectives. Thats why every person is so important and invaluable and precious. We all have a potential to reach and we all have something to offer. I'm getting off topic here. my point is, I cant possibly assume i know how you feel or what you've been through or how it felt or how you dealt with it because i am simply not you. But I know what it's like to be treated bad or looked down on because of who you are. I have been bullied relentlessly my whole life because of who I am. I can't tell you how many friends I have lost over the years because I am simply too weird or too annoying, or because my severe ADHD made me a social cripple. I can't tell you the hardship I have gone through because I'm a mormon, (and i am already cringeing just at the thought of some reactions people might have to that statement, and i'm constantly terrified of alienating people by telling them that). So I know what it's like to be treated different because of some part of you that you didn't necessarily choose. Now please understand I am NOT trying to pick on you with this post, or start a flame war or bite your face off. Even though I don't know you super well yet, i have nothing but love and compassion for you. Truly I do. But I do feel I need to say that my whole point goes back to what I said earlier. Everyone has different trials and they go through them differently. Something that may seem hard to you, may be easy for another. And something that may seem inconsequential to you (like admitting one is a brony) may be the hardest thing in the world to another. It's all relative. please don't be offended by anything I said, again that was not my intention. And I hope you can forgive me if i totally blew this out of proportion. I am sorry. 

 

[Bojo 1,172]

Glad to know you've got a good friend! 

 

I've told some people when I had this need to tell somebody, but I don't have that need anymore. Thing is I told 2 of my best friends, and they took it fine! One of them had another brony friend so he was not surprised. The other one was surprised but he's open-minded so it went well. Wouldn't it be awesome if you told somebody you're a brony and she/he reveals she/he is a brony too? 

[WhiteGuardian 168]

Glad to know you've got a good friend! 

 

I've told some people when I had this need to tell somebody, but I don't have that need anymore. Thing is I told 2 of my best friends, and they took it fine! One of them had another brony friend so he was not surprised. The other one was surprised but he's open-minded so it went well. Wouldn't it be awesome if you told somebody you're a brony and she/he reveals she/he is a brony too? 

Ive had people tell me they were bronies and then i totally geeked out on them with embarrassing amounts of pony joy..... does that count?

[Its Rainbow Dash 151]

Just about all my friends know I'm a brony and my family knows as well.

 

My friends never give me guff about it they have or had fandoms they loved and I never busted their chops over it.

 

My family just kinda thought ok., but then again I used to be a fan of things like totally spies and Kim Possible back in the day and was pretty open about it so I guess they thought just a new thing I'm into lol.

[SasQ 1,376]

 

 

Also by hating they just make themselves look bad.

 

True Watching someone shooting his foot off sure is too much fun 

 

 

I find it pointless to make such a big reaction from being told someone is a brony...it's just a cartoon.

 

I always find it amusing when some Brony preaches MLP to some non-Brony, using epithets such as "This show is 20% cooler!" or "Pure awesomeness!" or what not, and when the non-Brony laughs at him, the Brony says: "What so much fuss about someone liking it? It's just a cartoon." Nice contradiction we have here 

[WhiteGuardian 168]

Just about all my friends know I'm a brony and my family knows as well.

 

My friends never give me guff about it they have or had fandoms they loved and I never busted their chops over it.

 

My family just kinda thought ok., but then again I used to be a fan of things like totally spies and Kim Possible back in the day and was pretty open about it so I guess they thought just a new thing I'm into lol.

YES! i loved both of those shows! lol /) i had the weirdest crush on Kim Possible for the longest time, and I'm probably shooting myself in the foot for saying that and now I'm embarrassed and I'm going to stop typing now.......

[Its Rainbow Dash 151]

In the end Fillies and Gentlecolts we should just be able to like whatever we want!

 

Be it the out of this world humor of family guy.

 

The random plot of ATHF.

 

or the wonderful style of MLP.

 

Like what you like and just enjoy the ride it will end one day so why fight wether it's worth getting on!!

 

Nopony is better than Nopony- brony or non-brony just like it or not --no ranks.

 

Last ~ Hush that Fuss Everypony move to the back of the Bus.~

 

~Dashes Off.~

[Bojo 1,172]

Ive had people tell me they were bronies and then i totally geeked out on them with embarrassing amounts of pony joy..... does that count?

Totally counts! I wish that'd happen to me!!! 

Edited February 14, 2014 by Bojo