The Anti-Brony Anthem: No Girls Allowed?

[Lightning Bliss 1,674]

I actually heard an explanation for this once that stuck with me forever.

 

It is not shameful for women to wear men's clothes and pursue men's interests because it is not shameful to be a man

 

But it is shameful for men to wear women's clothes and pursue women's interests because it is shameful to be a woman

Wow...that has got to be the most sexist thing I've ever heard... if that show haters see it anyway... It's a shame to like woman's interests...because woman are shameful...? Think I'm gonna rage *shuts up*

[~SadisticFluttershy~ 779]

I'm gonna respond with a very simple answer that everyone will agree on.

 

You are a human being like the rest of us. If you're american, canadian.. whatever nation you're from. (Hopefully not the middle east because they're not included) You have the same rights as we do. (Males)

 

If you choose to be a brony and want to be a brony. Go for it. I'm happy to see other bronies, new bronies etc.

There's no reason for ANYBODY to tell you otherwise. That's just damn right stupid. 

 

I'll support you because you're part of a great fandom. Embrace it. I care for everypony.

Edited May 13, 2014 by ~SadisticFluttershy~

[Zygen 6,066]

See, the thing is, Anti-Bronies typically are either A. Just being a troll, Or B. totally ignorant to the workings of the brony fandom, and thus don't understand why girls are called "bro". 

 

I think they may be more confused about, or trying to pick at, how can a girl be a "bro" since brony contains "bro" in it. (Although frankly i've heard girls call each other bros and stuff, so I don't see the issue really.) 

 

Its mostlikely just ignorance though, most Anti-bronies have never experienced the brony fandom personally, many have not even watched the show, and thus they don't understand things the way we do.

 

I see no reason as to why girls shouldn't be allowed to be bronies, or should have to be called bronies because they watch the show. Its just a term, if they want to use it to describe themselves, fine by me. As long as they don't use it to be elitist, sexist, or just annoying in any manner. 

 

In the end, brony is just a phrase, many male fans of the show do not consider themselves bronies.

 

Basically in this long repetitious post I'm trying to make the point of, Anti-bronies don't really understand what they're talking about as far as the vast majority goes, so don't listen to or reason with their understanding when it comes to the fandom.

[Eloquence 2,076]

Wow...that has got to be the most sexist thing I've ever heard... if that show haters see it anyway... It's a shame to like woman's interests...because woman are shameful...? Think I'm gonna rage *shuts up*

 

Unfortunately, this idea is pervasive in all of western culture. It is not often stated so bluntly, but it is visible in how we are told we may behave. It's why women can wear pants but men can't wear dresses. It's why girls who wear a lot of pink and frills are considered ditzy and naive. It's why working women are more common than stay-at-home men. And it's why people hate men who like My Little Pony while believing that the women who like it, if they even take a moment to consider them, have no sway in the fandom, no meaningful place in it, and no right to have their feelings considered while they mock and insult bronies.

 

(Sorry if that sounds a bit gloomy. It's one of those days...) 

[Flash Fire 386]

I had a non-brony tell me I couldn't be a brony, he had watched the documentary, it's only boys. He proceeded to try to argue with me when I tried to explain otherwise. I just stopped that portion of the conversation right there, wasn't worth it. 

[SasQ 1,356]

Pegasister does sound lame. The word "brony" has a ring too it in some sort of way.

I don't know why so much people don't like the name "Pegasister". I, for one, find it very attractive and cool. I like it. "Brony" doesn't quite for a girl, if one asks me, since it's "bro" + "pony", and "bro" is "brother". I don't know of any brother who would be a female. "Pegasister", on the other hand, comes from "Pegasi" + "sister", and "sister" is a female. So it fits well.

[Aureity 3,055]

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.

[Eloquence 2,076]

My Little Pony was the bomb-dot-com when I was little, putting them on epic adventures of trust, loyalty, and exploring the caste system and classism in general! I don't feel excluded as a female in a fandom for a thing intended for females. What I think a lot of people mean by bronies "excluding women" is the minority of fans who take things too far and act disrespectfully to female fans. There are several stories about hecklers at cons, rude behavior, etc. A serious issue, but not one that isby any means exclusive to the MLP fandom. I have met no such brony in my time in the fandom, and I find it quite hypocritical when many other fanbases suffer from various forms of bigotry and general bullying as well; and they're never the majority.

 

Exactly! While such people shouldn't be pardoned, we women shouldn't have to pack up and leave the fandom just because they exist. That's hardly fair to us.

 

The hypocrisy is definitely something I've seen as well. I find it crazy when someone attacks MLP and then can't look critically at their own fandom, especially when they're in a fandom with issues at the root of its show. 

 

For example, Whovians. Love 'em to death, but the ones that think they have the right to say our fandom is sexist, I can't stand. If you can watch and enjoy the latest season of the show written by that sexist Steven Moffat, and then turn around and say that bronies are a bunch of woman-haters? Maybe start with your own problems, hmm?

(of course that doesn't apply to pre-Moffat Doctor Who fans, but you get the idea)

(also sorry, that was a bit of a rant and might just be confusing. whoops...)

[Thrashy 2,800]

What I see on Tumblr every day:

"All Bronies are fat fedora wearing neckbeards who are obsessed with being manly."

 

 

fat fedora wearing neckbeards who are obsessed with being manly."

 

 

obsessed with being manly."

 

 

 

 

...So much for the whole "giving the middle finger to gender norms" thing. Because we're totally not known for that.

Edited May 13, 2014 by The Thrashy One

[Steel Accord 6,660]

Perhaps by virtue of being a man, and most detractors I run into also being men, this is not a problem I have encountered.

 

I will say that I do know how you feel though. My brother has a presupposed negative view of the fandom, so when I don't conform to the image he says I'm "not a brony."

 

I can't place exactly why, but that almost hurt my feelings worse than if he just used the word as an insult. 

Unfortunately, this idea is pervasive in all of western culture. It is not often stated so bluntly, but it is visible in how we are told we may behave. It's why women can wear pants but men can't wear dresses. It's why girls who wear a lot of pink and frills are considered ditzy and naive. It's why working women are more common than stay-at-home men. And it's why people hate men who like My Little Pony while believing that the women who like it, if they even take a moment to consider them, have no sway in the fandom, no meaningful place in it, and no right to have their feelings considered while they mock and insult bronies.

 

(Sorry if that sounds a bit gloomy. It's one of those days...) 

 

That's something that always confused me. I mean, it's "not okay" for men to wear or do feminine things, but when women partake in those same things it's just as bad?

 

What's this mythical "preferred model" then? A world that looks like a Frank Miller comic? Devoid of compassion and gentleness, where everyone is so emotionally repressed that excessive violence is the only outlet and the only feeling that can be expressed is contempt?! 

[Eloquence 2,076]

I will say that I do know how you feel though. My brother has a presupposed negative view of the fandom, so when I don't conform to the image he says I'm "not a brony."

 

I can't place exactly why, but that almost hurt my feelings worse than if he just used the word as an insult. 

 

That's actually something I get a lot. No one has ever said that I specifically am bad for liking MLP, but I've had plenty of friends make fun of bronies to my face, even ones who know I like the show. This is something that minorities, nerds, and many other peoples have felt the sting of, and it hurts because then it feels like they're just making fun of you without even being able to own up to it, like they insult you to your face and then won't even admit to hurting you because "oh, well I didn't mean you", and it sucks. A lot. The forced relabeling is just as bad, because it makes you feel like the person can only like you if they look at you a certain way, when they should be able to like you no matter what light they see you in.

 

 

That's something that always confused me. I mean, it's "not okay" for men to wear or do feminine things, but when women partake in those same things it's just as bad?

 

As for this, it also relates back to our society's tendency to equate the feminine with weakness, something so pervasive that seeing it addressed in My Little Pony (bless you Rarity) is practically tear-inducing in its magnificence. 

[Steel Accord 6,660]

That's actually something I get a lot. No one has ever said that I specifically am bad for liking MLP, but I've had plenty of friends make fun of bronies to my face, even ones who know I like the show. This is something that minorities, nerds, and many other peoples have felt the sting of, and it hurts because then it feels like they're just making fun of you without even being able to own up to it, like they insult you to your face and then won't even admit to hurting you because "oh, well I didn't mean you", and it sucks. A lot. The forced relabeling is just as bad, because it makes you feel like the person can only like you if they look at you a certain way, when they should be able to like you no matter what light they see you in.

 

 

 

As for this, it also relates back to our society's tendency to equate the feminine with weakness, something so pervasive that seeing it addressed in My Little Pony (bless you Rarity) is practically tear-inducing in its magnificence.

No surprise Rarity and Fluttershy are my favorite among the Mane Six for this very reason.

 

"Just because I'm a lady, doesn't mean I cannot handle myself in a sticky situation."

 

MORAL OF THE CENTURY!

 

It's just so hurtful that Luke can't look past his prejudice and see something wonderful for what it is rather than what is was, and see why it is loved for that very reason.

 

But to that, I say it's like in many martial arts styles. There's hard power and there's soft power. Soft style isn't any less powerful though. It's hard to describe without going full into the subject matter, but the open palm is no more or less valid than the closed fist.

 

Actually! There are two wonderful little stories that underline this exact point.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au0nUDEFd8g

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v00rJBFd8ZM

 

One doesn't need to be a roaring tower of masculinity to have power.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Steel Accord

[Maud Pie Rocker 81]

Yes I seen it before and I think its hypocritical. :okiedokielokie:

[The JLmle 5,476]

Asks in her best Fluttershy voice

"So, umm, I have to. Leave now? "

Then proceeds to laugh like Pinkie Pie

 

As far as the Pegisister thing goes; I dislike it because it's even less inclusive than Brony when overanalized (I'm quite good at over a analyzing). Where as Brony can be perceived as "male only," Pegisister can be perceived not only as "female only," but also "Pegisis only."

 

Just wondering what people think of the term "Growny" to categorize all adult MLP fans; be they male, female, Pegisis, Unicorn, Earth Pony, or (heaven forbid) human... Probably too easily confused with "groany" but just a thought.

 

Final tangent; "I'm not whining; I'm groaning" lol

Edited May 14, 2014 by JLmle

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

Through the bronydom i have met men and women who are the most beautiful kind hearted people i have ever seen. Hell in my page i even have an admin who is a girl, cosplayed as Pinkie Pie and she was adorable! I so wanted to hug her! But seriously though... i could never bring myself to exclude a female brony be she called pegasister of brony.