What defines a Brony?

[Goose 181]

If you identify as a brony, you're a brony. For the sake of argument, you could love the show and yet not be a brony if you didn't identify with the term.

[Dark Qiviut 22,402]

I made a similar response in another thread in the past, so I'll answer that here.

 

There are no restrictions or requirements to be a brony. A brony is nothing more the term used to describe a fan of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic regardless of gender, sexual identity, age, religion, passion for the franchise or fandom (i.e., creating fanbased works like fanfic, music, or fanart) to show your dedication for it, or origin. If you like My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, then whether you know about  — or like — the term or not, you're automatically a brony.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Dark Qiviut

[stainesbrony 219]

To be a brony, you have to be male, (I think that female Bronies are called pegasisters) you need to like ponies, and you need to have a pony blog or an account on this.

[Xan 22]

I think as long as you find the least bit of enjoyment in the show than that makes you a brony I hate it when people deny the label like their being called gay or something I mean I would understand if your a parent and you just think the show is ok and watch it with your kids but if you like watch it on your own time then yea

[HungryTroll 137]

You need to call yourself a brony.

 

I've started watching MLP pretty long time ago, but started call myself a brony only this year. Why? I just didn't feel that I'm a brony, even if I've loved the show, brony music and already was registered there.

 

So I belive that only person himself could decide if he want to be a part of brony community or not.

Edited April 4, 2013 by HungryTroll

[nuclearrainboom 0]

I find to fit the characteristics of being a brony you just enjoy the show and watching it, along with fanbases and art, but more to the point simply watching the show and finding enlightenment from it.

[Malao 27]

A brony by definition is anyone above the age demographic who enjoys watching My Little Pony. If you're more into the show, you'll go to places like My Little Brony and here. Bronies who create music, art and fanfiction are also bronies. In my opinion, that's the highest level of brony.

[Satsuki Kiryuin 1,155]

I would say as these fine gentlemen have said before me, that you just have to be above the target demographic age group, and truly enjoy the show. Maybe immerse yourself in the community too, show off your artistic talent, etc.

[Heretick-Tock 462]

1.) You like the show

2.) You have thought about buying or bought some of the show's merchandise 

3.) You have strapped your friends down and forced them to watch it
4.) You have helped, through militant love, spread the brony culture

That's how you become an "official" brony.

Edited April 8, 2013 by Horus

[Leafeon 2,702]

I would say as these fine gentlemen have said before me, that you just have to be above the target demographic age group, and truly enjoy the show. Maybe immerse yourself in the community too, show off your artistic talent, etc.

Pretty much just this. 

 

I've heard some people only consider those who contribute to be part of the fandom. I don't consider this to be true.

[Soultensionb 18]

- must get posted on EQD
- must get thousands of yootube subs
- must get top billing on all the cool pony community albusm
- must own panel at every cool pony con
- to get admin on mlpforums cuz dashforever knows your awesome 
must  get people stealing my music and selling it as their own on iTunes without my knowledge or consent
-  must get carried off by the crowd at Bronypalooza while the crowd chants my name like the god you are 
- must get loads of r34 art, flash animations, and Japanese language hentai doujins of my OC banging the living tombstones oc 
-
- must get TLT, Glaze, MictheMic, Alex S, Silvahound, Eurobeat Brony, Omnipony, Yelling at Cats, Rina-Chan, Sethisto, Kkat, Braeburned, John Joseco, Darf, Sgt. Sprinkles, Tara Strong, John de Lancie, & The Guy Who Voiced Flim all crying at my funeral after Lauren Faust delivers such a beautiful eulogy.
- to get sethsito  to kiss my ring on the day of my daughter's wedding and call me GodfatherTWO BE A TREW BRONY 

[Shift 4,272]

Not very true actually, brony did originate from bro and pony but over time it has evolved into a unisex word for both male and females. I think any guy who is over 12 and any girl who is over 15 is a brony.

By thay logic, i'm not a brony. Thanks for makon me feel special.

 

I think a brony is anyone who watches the show and enjoys it, or is on this forum.

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Must like the show.

 

Honestly, that's it, you just gotta enjoy the show, or at least find some sort of interest, and claim yourself to be a brony.

 

Not everyone who watches it has to be a Brony, but it's pretty much a thing you have to do, even one episode is enough

[Fluttering High 55]

I had an idea. There should be an official Brony Rite of Passage, something that you must complete to be considered a full brony. Sort of like how some Native American tribes did "Vision Quests", after which they would be considered a full adult. Not to say that a new brony should go out into the wild for a half a week and find his destiny in a hallucinogen-fueled dream. Some ideas could be:

- Creating your first OC

- Completing the Brony Challenge (watching all episodes without stopping)

- Or maybe an obscure ritual in which the participant is stoned half to death with Pinkie Pie toys. Though that would be hard to do, because most bronies commune on the Internet.

 

If any of you support one of my ideas for the R.O.P., or have ideas for your own, shout it out like you have Tourette's.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Fluttering High

[Moonlight 7,286]

Well, to be a full brony:

 

• You obviously have to have seen EVERY episode (with Equestria Girls being optional).
• While not required, buying merchandise is encouraged. 
• You have to be respectful of other bronies' opinions about the show.
• Have to have talked to at least one brony, whether online in IM/PM or video chat, or in real life.
• You can't despise the fandom.

Just some ideas.

[DaReaper 1,944]

A in depth question form I would prefer kinda like

 

Who os your favorite of the mane 6 and why, not RD just because she's awesome go in depth with why

 

Who is your favorite princess and explain why

 

Who is your favorite backround piny and why

 

Who is better Tom or Bloomberg, very important

 

Which was your favorite villisn and why

 

Who is your favorite minor antagonist and why

 

Which is your favorite episode ande why

 

You know questions like that

[Sickman 205]

 

• You can't despise the fandom.

 

Oh, hell no.

There is plenty of things to despise in this fandom, one of the biggest being hypocrisy.

Besides, who are YOU people to tell anyone what a "full" brony is?

[Ihei 713]

I think it should be:

 

• I agree with you on making the first OC.
• To have some friends in the community.
• Seen every episode.
• Bought (( minimum of )) one piece of merchandise.

[ReGen 1,466]

Or-- how about this-- you just like talking magical ponies? 

 

I really don't think there should be any "rites of passages". That sounds really silly. We aren't a cult now, are we? 

 

We aren't.... Right? 

[Pinkie D Pie 1,036]

I'm not trying to be mean, but there is no reason why a Brony should have to do anything to be considered a full brony. For one, most people don't make OC's unless they wish to ponify themselves. Half of the bronies on here probably don't even have OC's. Does that mean there not real bronies. Another thing is about the talking to bronies and things. When I first found out about the MLP craze, I considered myself a brony before I even said one thing to any brony. This went on for at least a few months. I hadn't even watched all the episodes, made an OC, talked to another brony, or bought merch. I still considered myself a brony. Are you saying that those people who don't have access to the internet, or don't have a way of buying merch are not full bronies.

 

Just wanted to say my thoughts...

[Shanks 10,816]

Alot of fandoms get into this nonsense about who is and isn't a true fan and I just don't want that here, you are going to get some of that that is inevitable but I would rather not contribute to it. So for me my "right of passage" would be simple and it is this, you like the show and watch it. The great thing about ponies is that it has brought together a diverse array of people from many different backgrounds due to its excellent writing and compelling, relatable cast of characters. There is a character in this show that can appeal to almost anyone, and there are so many different types of bronies from casual, moderate to more hardcore.

[NavelColt 22,880]

It's really hard to come up with a rather unbiased system. I'd say that you're a brony if you enjoy the show to some extent, or spend any amount of time in the fanbase, making creative works or otherwise interacting with it. Or, doing both of those things.

[XrosOver 613]

A rite of passage? Well since being forward and open about being a brony seems to be the biggest challenge that occurs upon discovering your enjoyment of the show, simply be able to be comfortable with it and tell someone who is really close to you.

 

It sometimes seems impossible to muster up the courage to tell somebody so it would be a good candidate for a right of passage.

[Creamy Arty 6,252]

Nah, I don't think such a thing is necessary. I'm another of those who believes enjoying the show is enough. I'd go so far as to say community involvement and appreciation of fan content could be substituted for that. Recognizing various levels of broniness not only seems a bit pretentious to me, but it's also completely unnecessary. If anything could be considered a "rite of passage" in this fandom, it would be when somebody who is extremely self-conscious finally stops hiding his love of anything MLP.

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

All that is important is that you have seen the show and you want to call yourself a brony. That is all it takes, we can't really expect people to do certain things. Although I would say that watching every episode is a must although in a way it isn't. All you have to do is like the show and be ready to call yourself a brony. There are people that have watched all the episodes, liked it but do not want to call themself a brony.

 

Let's just keep it simple shall we: "If you like the show My little pony and you are proud to call yourself a brony then you are now considered a brony". Yeah, something like that.