Telling your parents you're a brony

[Ezynell 2,036]

My dad asked me what a Brony was, and why I was so boldly obsessed with my little pony when I told him I wanted to donate to this website. This is the response I shot off to him. Sorry if some of the things seem a little exaggerated.

 

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Here's some analysis of Bronies (Bro+Pony)

 

This article pretty much sums it up:

http://life.icrontic.com/article/why-grown-ass-men-love-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-so-much/

These are actually good analysis of Bronies:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Brony

Slide 6 and forward for the age and gender appeal:

http://purpletinker.com/projectmerch/results/

A professional review of the topic:

http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic#.TsMzSlbNmCc

Some side information:

The main reason for the huge spread among all age groups is the community. MLP has a huge fan base and very active community that help in everything. The forum that I use most often (http://mlpforums.com/) is hosted by a guy that knows HTML to an advanced javascript level and has multiple other forums and websites (http://feld0.com/) that he runs to keep that one advertisement free for all members (signing up is free). He is also currently hosting an event to raise money for "Childs Play" (a non-profit organization that gives bored children in hospitals games and activities to do). He is also giving me back and forth direct response on how to program HTML (he advised the tutorial website that i am currently using to me, and responds whenever I send him an example website I made with the problems that it has) Apart from just the webmaster of the cite, there are many members that are active doners to the MLP community. There are constantly giveaway events (in the past week, 3 copies of minecraft and 2 other videogames have been given out to bronies who signed up for the events) and the most comment theme is Love and Tolerance (taken into a joke and most commonly said to brony haters as "I'm going to love and tolerate the sh*t out of you). There are members who design signature banners and avatars for members of the community in there free time. One of theme goes by the username Fluttershy and is constantly releasing High Quality banners (Example: http://mlpforums.com/uploads/gallery/album_44/gallery_37_44_251953.gif) for random users who ask. This user is also giving me tutorials on how to use Photoshop better. The society is also very knit together, watching live streams of new episodes on Synchtube (a website that sync's up YouTube videos for mass viewers to watch together) and have episode marathons every week together. This is, overall, why I love my little pony.

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Anybody else done something like this?

[Crispy 5,563]

Mine was more along the lines of "You watch MLP?" "Yeah, but not the one you're thinking of. Think Powerpuff Girls." "Huh. Okay then."

 

Subject dropped. My parents are pretty cool.

[Slendermane 474]

Mine was more along the lines of "You watch MLP?" "Yeah, but not the one you're thinking of. Think Powerpuff Girls." "Huh. Okay then."

 

Subject dropped. My parents are pretty cool.

 

Mine was somewhat like this, but I emphasized that it was a lot better than the old 80's cartoon, and it feels more like a classic cartoon. I mentioned Loony Tunes references and it being made by a good, professional animation team.

[Whimsy 10]

When I told my parents I liked the show, my mom was actually more surprised than my dad! My mom was a little skeptical (she's a bit more down-to-earth than my dad), but she knows I usually gravitate towards magical and animated things. Although she chuckled at the fact that guys watched the show--I tried to get her to watch a few episodes, but she refused!

 

Those are all really good articles! I'll have to reference them to my mom--she's been laughing about Bronies because I recently found out that my friend's older brother is a Brony! It made me so happy inside!

 

I think all of you guys are incredibly brave! I know it's not fair for me to compare my experiences to yours; you all have my utmost respect!

[Pony Joe 582]

Here's what my introduction to my family looked like, almost word-for-word, but changed for better text representation.

 

 

 

Sister: Hey, you mentioned My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic on Facebook. What's that?

Me: Well, it's a TV show... *awkward silence* ...that just happened to become an internet phenomenon of sorts.

Sister: Okay, show me an episode!

Me: Alright then. uh... *picks episode, deciding on Over a Barrel to appeal to my sister's tastes"

Sister: *gets up halfway through* Well, I need to go.

Me: Wait! Check this out! *shows her the total pageviews on Equestria Daily*

Sister: Wow. That's a lot. I guess now I know what to get you for Christmas. *leaves*

 

THE NEXT DAY, IN THE CAR WITH MY BROTHER, SISTER, AND DAD

 

Sister: *shows me a drawing* which pony does this look like?

Me: Umm... excuse me?

Sister: Oh, come on, we all know you're a brony!

Dad: What's that?

Sister: It's a man who likes My Little Pony.

Me: ...but only Friendship is Magic. What can I say, It's really well made.

Sister: *changes topic*

 

 

 

So I guess you could say they really couldn't care less at this point.

[Finesthour 7,284]

I told my parents, they ask if i am gay ever since.

[Linguz 136]

I told my parents. My mom asked questions. The general "Why do you like it?" and bla bla bla. I answered. Done.

[Apple Bloom 2,915]

My parents are separated so I live with my grandparents. I haven't exactly told them, they just found out over time from seeing me watching it and from various pony merch I get in the mail. They seem to be pretty cool with it even though I haven't explained why I like it.

[Ezynell 2,036]

When I told my parents I liked the show, my mom was actually more surprised than my dad! My mom was a little skeptical (she's a bit more down-to-earth than my dad), but she knows I usually gravitate towards magical and animated things. Although she chuckled at the fact that guys watched the show--I tried to get her to watch a few episodes, but she refused!

 

Those are all really good articles! I'll have to reference them to my mom--she's been laughing about Bronies because I recently found out that my friend's older brother is a Brony! It made me so happy inside!

 

I think all of you guys are incredibly brave! I know it's not fair for me to compare my experiences to yours; you all have my utmost respect!

 

Thanks, it's actually my dad who brought it up to me first, It was hard to explain to him in person, so I shot him an email, you should try that!

[Finesthour 7,284]

Thanks, it's actually my dad who brought it up to me first, It was hard to explain to him in person, so I shot him an email, you should try that!

 

My mom told my dad, and he freaked the hell out.

It was hell for a while.

[Owlowiscious 147]

The way my mom found out was that i was sleeping in one morning and she decided to go through my phone and found all my pony content. When i woke up she asked me about it and i told her why i liked it. She's really mellow so she really didn't mind.

[Scootaloo1 106]

My mom found out, when I said "My show is on!" and she asked which, to which I didn't reply to...

 

 

She came down and saw the show and went "awwww" she had no opinion on it then...

 

today I was watching it on TV, and she asked me "Why do you watch it?" To which I replied "The colours are nice, and I learn a nice moral at the end... why shouldn't I watch it?"

 

 

My father on the other hand just kinda laughed at me... not a mean laugh, but more of a "Only my son," kind of laugh...

 

He watched part of Winter Wrap Up with me, and refuses to give me his opinion on it... I think he liked it

 

(He's not the kind of guy that would watch it on his own though, he doesn't watch TV at all on his own, actually..)

 

I never truly explained to them what it was, except that "It's not as girly as you think it is..." and it's just kind of been there ever since...

Edited November 17, 2011 by Scootaloo

[Ezynell 2,036]

My mom told my dad, and he freaked the hell out.

It was hell for a while.

 

Send him the links that I had in mine! My dad was creeped for a while, but got interested in the psychology behind it when I showed him there were illegitimate reasons why grown men would love it.

[Tyger 213]

Same response my dad gave. He was real cool with it. He only questioned me, because he saw a commercial on t.v about it and saw little girls playing with the toys, but I told him the internet phenomenon and he never asked me since or bothered me about it.

 

Mine was more along the lines of "You watch MLP?" "Yeah, but not the one you're thinking of. Think Powerpuff Girls." "Huh. Okay then."

 

Subject dropped. My parents are pretty cool.

 

[Klopp 2,050]

It's just easier for me if they don't know I watch a show targeted at little girls about ponies. I have a pretty good idea about what would happen if they did and I'd rather just avoid it.

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

I never told them.

They found my pmvs on YouTube and enjoyed them but I'm not sure how much they know.

I am absolutely sure one of my sisters has told them by now that I watch the show and it's only a matter of time until they interrogate me as to why I would watch such a thing...

[Klopp 2,050]

I never told them.

They found my pmvs on YouTube and enjoyed them but I'm not sure how much they know.

I am absolutely sure one of my sisters has told them by now that I watch the show and it's only a matter of time until they interrogate me as to why I would watch such a thing...

 

Interrogate certainly a good word for it isn't it? My dad enjoys turning simple things like this into massively overdramatized adventures.

[Scootaloo1 106]

What to do to avoid maximum freakoutocity™

 

Scenario one: Parents say "It's a Kid's show"

Answer: "Well, I feel like I haven't gotten the full 'Childhood' thing out of my system yet, and I wanna watch a good cartoon with an excellent moral!"

 

Most they can do is tell you to grow up, to which you can respond with "I'm trying my best, you're not helping"

 

Scenario two: Parents say "It's a girl's show!" (This scenario may only happen for males)

Answer: "Well, I want to keep in touch with my feminine side, you know, try to learn how the inner female mind works... increase my chances, y'know?"

 

Most they can do is shrug and roll their eyes to which you can reply with "Your eyes will stay that way, if you roll them!"

 

Scenario three: Parents watch it with you, want a discussion on it

​Answer: Start a philosophical conversation about it, how the ponies interact, and how it's a reflection on society today, and how it can improve how the humans live, and interact.

 

Most they can do, is take on a different side of the conversation, and turn it into a debate. (in which, the fun begins!)

 

(If I have anymore scenarios to add, please tell me about them, and I'll answer them here)

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

 

I'm expecting my mom to be the one who'll be yelling about it.

I wish interrogate wasn't the right word but it sure is

[FLARE 951]

My little pony friendship is magic doesn't air in my country, my parents have no idea what it is. I talk about it some times but they still have no idea what I am talking about.

[Captain Marvelous 544]

I...well... damn... I got nothing...

 

Only time I have MLP on when anyone would notice is when my neice is in my room... I WILL NOT WATCH SPROUT!!!!

[Dreadnought 10]

Absolutely no one who knows me in real life knows I watch this. I just feel that my real life friends and my family would be weirded out by this....should I not care so much? It's hard not to for me.

[Zoop 8,384]

Alas, I've grown beyond the years at which my parents would obsess (or make an effort) over every little thing that I did.

 

If I had to imagine...

 

"Ponies?"

"Shit's awesome, yo."

"Huh. Well, whatever."

 

Is about how that conversation would go.

Edited November 17, 2011 by Zoop

[Swoop 2,276]

I remember I told my dad I watched the show when I went to visit him.

He just laughed, said I was a funny bastard, and walked off to grab another beer.

I figured I might as well leave it at that.

Edited November 17, 2011 by Swoop

[AppleShy Sparkle 311]

I have never told my parents, but somehow i still want them to know. But still, i have absolutely no idea how they would react.