Being Open: How Have You Changed?

[DarkSun493 51]

Being open about such a controversial topic as Broniness always has some sort of physical consequence. Whether that consequence is positive or negative, life-changing or trivial, depends on a lot of factors. And it is so hard to judge the community's size, so it is even harder to judge how many of them are open or are in the closet. If you're here, that means you're at least somewhat open about it. But there seems to be so many extremes here. Some would their secrets to the grave, while others seem to live and breathe ponies. I'm not saying that one is better than the other, though.

 

My question is exactly what that title up there says: if you are an open Brony, how has your life changed? If you're not open, explain why you aren't. I think that there are many perfectly valid reasons as to why one may open or closed; I just want to know. I know that many push for being open, claiming to be more confident and more awesome. When open, you become more available to other Bronies and could potentially have fun; I dunno. Not too many advocate for being closed, though. But a reason I can come up with for that is simple safety. When closed, you know where you stand, and no relationships have to change.

 

As for me, I'm somewhat open, and I really haven't changed that much. I've brohoofed a couple people at school, but things always stopped there. No extended relationships, no rush of awesomeness. To me, the idea of being open was a bit misleading. But that's why I'm asking you. Your experiences can only help explain this elusive idea.

[Malinter 3,064]

Nope. its not a big think in the UK offically.

[Ribbonfree 2,383]

Hasn't changed anything for me in the slightest, really.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,393]

I am an extremely open Brony. The only thing is, I am just anti-social by nature, thanks to different factors, so I don't get out too much just like before. If I do go out to somewhere, I usually have quite a bit of pony stuff on me. Shirt, wallet, lanyard, knee socks, all sorts of stuff. I am basically a walking show advertisement. However, beyond this, being open about it hasn't really 'changed' my life too much really.

[Twilight The Creator 298]

A lot more people bully me than there was before. And apparently I am now a "fag".

But I've also gained a lot of friends (and girlfriend) out of it.

My experience: 9/10 would do again

[StarSwirlTheBearded 356]

I am a closet brony.  Here are my reasons why:

1. Most importantly, my high school opposes bronies in general.  My friends in particular seem to hate bronies.
2. I was an anti-brony, and I still pretend to be an anti brony.  Such a dramatic change would shock everyone.
3. All of the open bronies are weird.  I would not like to associate with them.
4. I do not have any friends that are open bronies.  Of course, I suspect one is "faking it" and actually a closet brony, just like I am.  I hope to find out the truth in the coming months.
5. This sort of ties in with the other reasons, but I do not want to be judged badly.  Most people don't like me anyways, and I wouldn't want to make it worse for myself.

As I have stated in another post elsewhere, I have considered dropping references.  However, that would run the risk of any bronies that understand the reference to reveal that I am a brony.  I own no physical brony stuff.  No fan art, merchandise, wallpapers, etc.  Granted, I have only been a brony for three weeks, so that may change.  Only time and interaction with bronies/anti-bronies will tell.

[Nightmare Night 151]

After I started being open about being a brony, I found that my self confidence shot up significantly. I mean hey, if i can be open about watching a cartoon called my little pony I can do anything. Im also much happier now than I ever was.

[Espurr 449]

Oh, I'm not open at all. I'm too scared to talk about it unless someone asks me first. I just don't feel brave enough do it.

[Scootaloodle 1,622]

I don’t think anything has really changed apart from making new friends and my dad discovering he liked the show to.

 

I never thought being a brony was really that controversial though, and people who know I’m a brony just found out because I didn’t ever try and hide it in the first place because I don’t see it as a big deal.

[Lagom 204]

Hasn't really changed for me either, I've just got 2 more people in real life to talk with MLP about, nothing real serious.

[Ardhacandra 133]

Nah, nothing changes really. People already knew I was weird (But lovable).

 

I never tried to hide it, told it to my entire class (To taunt a very close-minded classmate, which I loved to do.. So nothing new there).

Besides, I'm way to confident to be ashamed of something like this.

 

Also, people tend to apreciate it that I don't rub it in their face. I sometimes start to talk about it, because I feel like it. Sometimes, people joke about a bit and I join them. 

 

Yeah, being open is great, simply because you don't have to keep it a secret.

[Shanks 10,816]

Aside from the occasional WTF reactions as well one positive reaction when I am wearing my pony shirts and a rather awkward conversation with my Mom thanks to my brother feeding her bullshit about bronies being pedophiles and telling her about clop and greatly exaggerating how many bronies are cloppers (there are indeed a lot of them but far from all).

[Gone for good 1,593]

ya see, when I first started I was all like "YEAH PONIES WOOOOOOO"

I'm still all like "YEAH PONIES WOOOOO"

[Scootalove 10,689]

I'm still trying to be more open about it, it may take some time though.

[Felix 1,363]

Also still trying. Hopefully when I do I can get friends from it.

[Life Giver 1,063]

Not one to shout what I like... if I had a pony shirt I would gladly wear it out in the open. I don't really care if people know I'm a brony.  

Edited March 12, 2014 by Life Giver

[Wayzer 1,418]

Actually it's funny that some people see it as such a life changing thing. Come on peoples it's just a show you like . Yeah it might be a bit different from other shows, but it isn't like my family wouldn't accept me anymore for being a brony. Yeah I've changed since I first watched it. I was afraid to tell peoples in the beginning, but later on most found out eventually. Now my whole family knows and I'm happy they do ^^. My closest friends now it too and they accept it just as much, though they think it's a bit weird

[SomariFeyWright 776]

The first day I watched the show, before officially being a brony:

 

Aunt: "Hey, what're you watching?"

 

Me: "Oh, it's My Little Pony."

 

Aunt: "... Wait, My Little Pony? Isn't that for little girls?"

 

Me: "I think so, but so far it's pretty good."

 

 

She left snickering, but the fact that I treat it with even more enthusiasm now shows a thing or two about my openness. It's done nothing new for me except gave me another fandom, new sites to visit, a couple new friends, an occasional hater or two, and more clothes in my wardrobe.

 

I have literally no regrets.

[Mitchell 45]

I'm a closet brony, I just don't think its necessary to be open to anybody about it unless the subject some how comes up. It would be too awkward for me because its a soft side to me that pretty much no one knows I have. It's a hard change for me to make because I'm not really the type to be very open to people about things like this. I hope some day that will change.

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

I'm both, I'm open when it comes to being a brony when someone asks or is familiar with it. Otherwise I do not mention it or talk about it most of the time. Not many know what the brony fandom is around here. I sometimes wear a pony t-shirt, so I'm both open and closed. Though I would tell people if they asked whether I was a brony or not. But being that way has changed my life, I became more open minded and a bit happier overall.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Fluttershyfan94

[equerio 6,153]

Well, the whole brony things is quite unknown in Serbia, so even though I'm an open brony, people just look at me as a person who is watching a children's cartoon. Nothing weird there. I also have luck that I'm in school that accepts (and encourages) being different, High School of Music. Pretty much everyone is weird in their own way (positive weirdness ), so someone watching a children's cartoon that is relatively unknown there is pretty much nothing special.

What have I gained? Self-confidence. While I don't have any brony friends IRL (as I said, the word brony is not something you'll hear in Serbia), I talk to other people with great deal of self-confidence now. And especially meet new people.

So yeah, I think I gained some nice advantages because of being an open brony.

[joecal97 340]

Nobody really cares in my school, they're just like oh, really?

Ok

No s#!ts given

[Ardhacandra 133]

 

 

Actually it's funny that some people see it as such a life changing thing. Come on peoples it's just a show you like . Yeah it might be a bit different from other shows, but it isn't like my family wouldn't accept me anymore for being a brony.

 

Yeah, in a lot of cases this is the truth. However, not everyone lives in such a tolerable environment. Some dads (Or moms, or whatever) are homophobic and think that the show turns their kid gay.

 

It all depends on the circumstances. 

[Wayzer 1,418]

Yeah, in a lot of cases this is the truth. However, not everyone lives in such a tolerable environment. Some dads (Or moms, or whatever) are homophobic and think that the show turns their kid gay.

 

It all depends on the circumstances. 

Yep I understand your point. Am honestly surprised some people don't really see that you can't turn gay, you either are or are not.

[Ardhacandra 133]

 

 

Yep I understand your point. Am honestly surprised some people don't really see that you can't turn gay, you either are or are not.

 

Indeed. Sexual difference has always been a big thing for humanity, for some reason. I think it has something to do with our past with corrupt religions. People don't have to be religious to still feel the culture that this brought forth..

(To clarify, I am talking about old, extreme forms of religion, like the inquisition enforced. I'm not attacking religion in general)

 

I think it will take a few hundred years more to completely remove this prejudice and taboo.