Understanding Closet Bronies

[Symph 103]

I would agree that if some are too emotionally fragile to take being make fun of then they can hide their enjoyment of a television show from others if they feel that it's needed. However, to compare this connotatively with homosexuality via the word “closet” shows a willing ignorance to the far harsher severity of violence imposed on many homosexuals including the threat of death. In my opinion, it’s emotional pandering at least and morally bankrupt at worse. There can be no comparison whatsoever.

I don't think that "closet" is really tied to homosexuality.  I've heard it used for a number of things, it's just a way of saying you're hiding something.  I doubt people using the term are trying to compare their plight with being a brony to the plight of the homosexual.  At least I hope not.  

[Shanks 10,816]

There can be no comparison whatsoever.

Nobody I am aware is actually making those comparisons with the intend to say that being a brony is the same as being gay, saying that you are "in the closet" about something is a phrase while it is most commonly used to refer to that has been used to refer to other things people have hidden.

[Taviscratch 453]

Can I just clarify that when I drew parallels between bronies and homosexuals, it was merely down to the vocabulary used in both instances. "in the closet" and "coming out" are both most often attributed to either hiding being gay or revealing it. This vocabulary has been adopted to describe bronies, implying a similar mindset when thinking about bronies and homosexuals. Being a brony is by no means as controversial as being homosexual (not that I think being gay should be controversial) nor do most bronies experience bullying on the level a homosexual might. The vocabulary used to describe bronies has completely irrelevant connotations.

[Symph 103]

Can I just clarify that when I drew parallels between bronies and homosexuals, it was merely down to the vocabulary used in both instances. "in the closet" and "coming out" are both most often attributed to either hiding being gay or revealing it. This vocabulary has been adopted to describe bronies, implying a similar mindset when thinking about bronies and homosexuals. Being a brony is by no means as controversial as being homosexual (not that I think being gay should be controversial) nor do most bronies experience bullying on the level a homosexual might. The vocabulary used to describe bronies has completely irrelevant connotations.

I'm a closet muffin man.  And I get picked on for my muffin lovin ways.  It's not as serious as being a brony or a homosexual but... it's pretty serious.    

[Chain Combo 135]

I think we can all agree that if were not that type of person that likes unnecessary conflict that we might get from announcing we are bronies than we shouldn't do it and if you can handle it than be free to do to it. To each his own or something i do know being gay is far harder than being a brony but the whole gay conflict is just another example of how society just doesn't want accept everybody (again well aware that a brony is not  going through what a gay person does)

Edited June 29, 2013 by SkullCrusherX

[Silver Letter 1,832]

I don't think that "closet" is really tied to homosexuality.  I've heard it used for a number of things, it's just a way of saying you're hiding something.  I doubt ponies using the term are trying to compare their plight with being a brony to the plight of the homosexual.  At least I hope not.  

I have heard of the comparison with other things but unless it’s of something on same grounds like atheism then the comparison shouldn’t be made. The expression itself might be used for other concepts but I think it’s too serious to use personally. 

[Freewave 1,145]

I think people "come out" as a brony for the same reason that people come out as homosexual because society treats both as a much bigger deal than either of them should be. Yes society dosen't treat being a brony as nearly a big of a deal as being gay but people are still unfortunately ridiculed for it.

Agree and it depends on who you are, where you live, and what your situation is. Wjhat's fine for a liberal minded community in a city up north might not work for a conservative one down south. Blanket statements of what people should do take no consideration of how different people's communities or lifestyles are.

 

 

Online i'm a brony, i make it very apparent (on brony sites and outside of them) and i don't care about the repercussions. In RL I'd rather not broadcast myself as such simply because I'm older and most of the people who would become aware don't have any idea who bronies are and frankly may not react well. People do judge others all the tiime (fairly or unfairly)

 

I'm not very close to most of my coworkers and i do a large amount of surfing here and other sfw bronies sites at work and its still a professional environment. While my surfing isn't unique at my work (and it is during my downtime) its always something that could jeopardize my log-term employment. With my RL friends they MAY see my steam id and my youtube link on it and have figured it out. But its not something that's come up in conversation at work or with my RL friends (none who know i'm a musician either) and it doesn't need to be. If it does i'll answer honestly, explain, and hope people can judge it fairly. But if it's no one's business and there's no reason to talk about it I don't know why anyone would volunteer that information unless they felt for sure it was in an acceptable situation with the right people or you have a community in which its already not a big deal.

I would agree that if some are too emotionally fragile to take being make fun of then they can hide their enjoyment of a television show from others if they feel that it's needed. However, to compare this connotatively with homosexuality via the word “closet” shows a willing ignorance to the far harsher severity of violence imposed on many homosexuals including the threat of death. In my opinion, it’s emotional pandering at least and morally bankrupt at worse. There can be no comparison whatsoever.

Well i agree that it's not a direct fair correlation. And we're using closet as in "keeping it hidden" not affiliating with the other meaning. BUT I do think if you live in a community where being gay would get you threatened with insults, punches, and being a pariah that you likely live in a situation where being a brony could be seen as almost a similar fate. To like a "4 yr old girls tv show" is to have them likewise question your masculinity and your worth as a human being. Ignorant people will often do the same behavior given similar but different circumstances. Not to mention that a ton of gay and transgender people feel that the brony community is a safe and accepting community and should BE one, hence why many of them are also members of our community. In the end everyone wants to be accepted and feel safe in their own skin and liking what they like.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Freewave

[lincolnshirepony 527]

In theory, the always-be-yourself model is great. In practice, it gets mixed results. I try to observe it, but you're right, I can't turn off my feelings. I feel embarrassed about myself a lot. I completely understand why people wouldn't necessarily want to announce that they're bronies. I'm fortunate enough to have understanding friends (with a few bronies mixed in) and family and peers that mostly left me alone. I realize that not everyone is so lucky. Sometimes the emotional stress isn't worth it, and some people are simply cruel. Ultimately, they don't matter, but that doesn't meet they can't hurt. Prevention is the best cure after all.

 

I think every person should use their own discretion. If someone knows that letting others know they're a brony would result in some kind of distress, I don't blame them for hiding it. Ideally, people would never judge others for something as trivial as watching a TV show, but that's not the case. I get why someone wouldn't want others to know. 

[fimdash 1,196]

It's up to you whether to be open about the show or not, and whatever decision you make will affect you. It is indeed not a bad idea to be a closet brony, since there are people out there who will judge us right when they hear the words "My Little Pony." We're raised to believe that it's not alright to like stuff that transcends our gender barrier, and therefore a lot of bronies are seen as creeps. There's a lot of judgment that one who is open about ponies has to deal with, and it could even affect one's life in an adverse manner. One could get bullied to no end, and even be denied a job one rightfully deserves just because one is open about liking a good show that was meant for little girls. There's also a double standard for liking MLP. It seems that it's much more acceptable for an older female fan to like MLP, but when a male fan likes it people will start to raise eyebrows. I totally respect a person's decision to not be open about liking MLP for these reasons. They just don't want to deal with all the hate and judgment thrown at them.

[Silver Dusk 7]

I would say I am still probably a closet brony. The only people who know offline are my business partners who used to bad mouth Bronies before I let them know. Its easier as I live in a redneck area so they will be quite poorly received here sadly.

[Taviscratch 453]

Maybe it's where I am that allows me to be myself and not feel the need to hide my interests. For one, I live in England which (on the whole) seems to be more liberal and open minded than areas of the US. I go to uni so it's not like there are many high school bullies around since they all dropped out ages ago. The city I live in is especially liberal since it is multicultural (to a degree) and has two universities. I've never felt pressured to hide the fact that I'm a brony because nobody appears to give a damn. In fact, we have a large nerd population and it's a place where being nerdy is actually cool. We even have a nerd bar complete with Han Solo frozen in carbonite, retro arcade machines and Green Goblin's helmet. I feel at home here. Perhaps if I lived in rural Arkansas that might be different.

[Nerdy Luigi 2,065]

Well, after seeing so many posts saying that you shouldn't care what other people think of you being a brony, I got kinda... pissed. I mean I already know that I shouldn't care what other people think but hear me out.

 

I've been judged and mistreated already for a bunch of other stuff. Stupid stuff. Do you people not realize that we have feelings? And by just disregarding that, you're being insensitive to these feelings. Just try to put yourselves in our position. People can be so cruel and sometimes words really can speak louder than actions rather than vice versa. Why do you think some people commit suicide. So many stories I hear about suicides, especially in teenagers, are caused because these people couldn't stand all of the insults that were being tossed at them.

 

And you know you're being a hypocrite when you say these people shouldn't care what others think, yet you voice your opinions and tell them what YOU think. I'm sorry (not really) but that is a bit hypocritical.

 

So yeah, I'm done with my rant. And this isn't just a rant. I'm trying to defend closet bronies. Or at least those who feel the same way I do.

 

Would you agree with the points I made?

I agree entirely. People need to accept that there are different people out there, as somewhat stated. Closet bronyhood makes sense if you don't want to be demoralized. I understand that some people are not so brave to admit it and have the chance to be rejected by everyone they know.

 

In fact, I used to think about the topic of suicide myself, as people are so obsessed about humiliating me because I DON'T shower everyday. And also that I occasionally prefer to have my arm under my desk. (they think when I do that I'm masturbating, what fools)

 

But, to get on topic, I agree with every point you make in this rant, and it has been addressed in other places. For example, one of my teachers would constantly address it, kids commiting suicide because they're different, and nobody can accept them, because they are extremely vile in the way they do that to others. I don't like it either, trust me, I don't like it at all in ANY shape or form. Cyber bullying, bullying (in general), or verbal insult. It's miserable. 

Edited June 30, 2013 by Rainbow P.F. Sparkle

[Symph 103]

Where I live you have both sides represented.  There's this main group of people who would never accept bronies as normal and totally hate on us for it, I've encountered this kind of reaction plenty of times it's prevalent, but then there's a smaller but still pretty prevalent counter culture that bands together in their love of being different from the main culture around us, so there's always people to support you in your weird interests.  I watched MLP in the first place because of a real life friend who introduced me to it.  

[Rave Crocker 49]

i think there came a time in my life where i was mistreated so much that i finally just stopped caring about peoples reactions and their beliefs, and when i became a brony i told my parents right off the bat because i wanted them to know that i liked the show, that i didnt care what they or society said and that i was going to lead my own life, i try not to tell people here how to live their lives but i still can not fight the inevitable maybe i was lucky to stop caring, but just maybe other people will one day realize they are in charge of their own lives and they might just tell everyone else to fuck off

[Taviscratch 453]

i think there came a time in my life where i was mistreated so much that i finally just stopped caring about peoples reactions and their beliefs, and when i became a brony i told my parents right off the bat because i wanted them to know that i liked the show, that i didnt care what they or society said and that i was going to lead my own life, i try not to tell people here how to live their lives but i still can not fight the inevitable maybe i was lucky to stop caring, but just maybe other people will one day realize they are in charge of their own lives and they might just tell everyone else to fuck off

Eeyup! That's the way I feel. I always assumed that closet bronies were the minority, that most of us openly accept our passion for candy coloured horses and don't hide it from everybody around us. After seeing all these posts though it seems most bronies are closet bronies. Either that or closet bronies are drawn to this thread more than proud bronies are

[Symph 103]

Eeyup! That's the way I feel. I always assumed that closet bronies were the minority, that most of us openly accept our passion for candy coloured horses and don't hide it from everybody around us. After seeing all these posts though it seems most bronies are closet bronies. Either that or closet bronies are drawn to this thread more than proud bronies are

closet bronies can still be proud bronies hehehehehehe just quietly proud  I DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD NOW CHARACTER LIMITATION I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THISSSSSSSSSSS

 

[Shanks 10,816]

just maybe other people will one day realize they are in charge of their own lives and they might just tell everyone else to fuck off

That is exactly what I have been trying to say all along, I am not in the closet about ponies or any other interest I have because it is my life and I will not let the fear of what others think dictate how I live my life. Alot of the closet bronies are because they have no other choice because they are still young and live with their parents but to them I say that once you reach adulthood the amount of people who actually care whether you are into cartoon ponies will go down significantly and the ability of said people who do care to screw up your life will go down with it.

 

 

Either that or closet bronies are drawn to this thread more than proud bronies are

I think it is evenly divided between the closet bronies, open and in between but that closeted bronies are drawn to this thread because they might think "finally someone understands". I have been through bullying before so I may understand but I have developed a very thick skin because I went through a level of hell that would have destroyed most people so it has given me a bit of perspective.

[Taviscratch 453]

closet bronies can still be proud bronies hehehehehehe just quietly proud  I DONT HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD NOW CHARACTER LIMITATION I WILL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THISSSSSSSSSSS

Outspoken bronies then? Nah that makes us sound like protesters. I don't want to say "normal" bronies either. WHAT IS WITH THIS CHARACTER LIMIT?!

I think it is evenly divided between the closet bronies, open and in between but that closeted bronies are drawn to this thread because they might think "finally someone understands". I have been through bullying before so I may understand but I have developed a very thick skin because I went through a level of hell that would have destroyed most people so it has given me a bit of perspective.

I came here to try to understand why people are closet bronies because, for me, it was never an option to keep it a secret. I just didn't think any differently about liking MLP to liking...I dunno...Scott Pilgrim or something. It's all the same to me. It's interesting to see other people's perspectives but I can't say I have actually been able to understand any so far :/

[Symph 103]

Outspoken bronies then? Nah that makes us sound like protesters. I don't want to say "normal" bronies either. WHAT IS WITH THIS CHARACTER LIMIT?!

I came here to try to understand why people are closet bronies because, for me, it was never an option to keep it a secret. I just didn't think any differently about liking MLP to liking...I dunno...Scott Pilgrim or something. It's all the same to me. It's interesting to see other people's perspectives but I can't say I have actually been able to understand any so far :/

We're umm.... hmmm.... man now I'm having trouble of thinking of the right term... it's not always situational.. but I don't wanna say "brave" bronies.. some quiet bronies are brave too just in more severe circumstances or brave for even joining forums and stuff... uhhh.. SHAMELESS BRONIES hahahahahahaha we feel no SHAME!!!!!

[GenderIsAnIllusion 2,177]

I am sadly a closet brony. Its not because my frinds/peers would be judgemental. no no..... its because my dad already thinks im gay, and i dont need to give him another reason to believe so. He is so.. traditional so theres no way he would understand... **Sad face**

[Shanks 10,816]

It's all the same to me.

It's the same to me as well, but society unfortunately dosen't treat it that way which is what prompted many bronies to hide it.

[Taviscratch 453]

We're umm.... hmmm.... man now I'm having trouble of thinking of the right term... it's not always situational.. but I don't wanna say "brave" bronies.. some quiet bronies are brave too just in more severe circumstances or brave for even joining forums and stuff... uhhh.. SHAMELESS BRONIES hahahahahahaha we feel no SHAME!!!!!

THAT'S IT!! I'll just try not to think about the connotations with that awful TV show XD But my point is that there should be no shame in liking MLP! I know everyone is scared of being bullied but there are plenty of things people can bully you over. Believe it or not but I have actually been bullied once because of my glasses. I was sure that cliche only existed in bad American high school dramas XD I'm trying my hardest to understand closet bronies. For me, I would feel more shame in lying about my interests than my interests themselves.

[Symph 103]

THAT'S IT!! I'll just try not to think about the connotations with that awful TV show XD But my point is that there should be no shame in liking MLP! I know everyone is scared of being bullied but there are plenty of things people can bully you over. Believe it or not but I have actually been bullied once because of my glasses. I was sure that cliche only existed in bad American high school dramas XD I'm trying my hardest to understand closet bronies. For me, I would feel more shame in lying about my interests than my interests themselves.

While I get what you're saying, when I say we're shameless, I mean we just don't care about embarrassment.  I mean go to my youtube channel and look at my rainbow dash video, I'm dancing around with rainbow arm warmers and a "real men love unicorns" shirt on, I've done tons of embarrassing things on my channel.  I got catfished bro, a fake person on skype convinced me I was in love with them and then I found them out and realized they weren't real and I VLOGGED about this.  But that's abnormal.  And it's not always healthy, I ruin my reputation with some people frequently, to me they're being too judgemental but hey, it is what it is.  I think we need both kinds of people, people who don't get embarrassed when the insults fly, and people who do.  Why?  If we didn't have the people who do feel the embarrassment, then who's going to make us look less freaky to the non bronies?  By that I mean, people might see me being crazy and weird and girlie and flamboyant and go "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE WEIRDO BRONIES MAN...."  But if they know a closet brony who hides it for longer, get close to them and then they go "ok I'm gonna reveal my secret" they'll go "Whoa!  I thought all bronies were waving that freak flag everywhere!!"  So I think it's good we have the balance

[Taviscratch 453]

I am sadly a closet brony. Its not because my frinds/peers would be judgemental. no no..... its because my dad already thinks im gay, and i dont need to give him another reason to believe so. He is so.. traditional so theres no way he would understand... **Sad face**

Now that I can understand, especially if you're still living with him. It's harder to escape from your family than from randomers or even friends. If a friend of mine didn't approve of me being a brony then he can p**s off since he won't accept me for who I am and I'll find some new friends. If your family don't approve then you're kinda stuck. My parents don't approve but luckily for me I've got a moderately long term girlfriend so they know I'm not gay. Family tensions are difficult but once you leave home they're easily resolved.

[Symph 103]

I am sadly a closet brony. Its not because my frinds/peers would be judgemental. no no..... its because my dad already thinks im gay, and i dont need to give him another reason to believe so. He is so.. traditional so theres no way he would understand... **Sad face**

I am so sorry man... that is just... terrible... I.. I really am at a loss for words.  My parents never thought I was gay, but my mom thought I SEEMED gay and would tell me to get my hand off my hip or not to wear such tight pants because girls don't like guys who do those things.  I'd always be like "Mick Jagger disproves you"  LMAO