Brony shame?

I have brony shame due to the fact that I am a big, angry looking guy. My eyebrows instinctively scrunch together, so it looks like I'm perpetually angry, even when I'm in a good mood. That and the fact that I am nearly a full grown man and watching pink and purple ponies cartoons.

 

Stuff like this really get's on my nerves. How can someone else judge someone that much to actually tease them? How can liking a show seriously be a valid reason to form an opinion on someone?
It's like admitting you like a show not intentionally directed at your age group is on par with coming out as gay. It shouldn't be (although being gay shouldn't have to be difficult either, but hey, society).

Honestly, the most hate a brony should get is 'Huh, you like ponies. I thought that was for girls. Oh well'. But that's asking for too much, apparently. I can see why people would get annoyed when it's shoved in their face as a forced meme, but don't take it out on the genuine fans of the show. Nobody should have to hide something as insignificant as this.

However, the fact that you think they should just deal with it makes me happy. You tell 'em!

Can't believe I'm saying this to another human being, but,
I'm glad you're brave enough to be open about what TV shows you like to watch.

 

Lol. Thanks so much. Also, yeah I understand bro. :/ It upsets me as well.

 

Honestly, family usually won't understand.
They're usually older, less understanding of the fact that you are an individual and not an extension of them, and probably still use AOL or will stick to some other piece of junk socialnet once Google+ becomes the big thing.
If your parents acually understand the Internet beyond "ZOMG FRENDS FARMVILLE STATUS UPDATES LIKELIKELIKE COMMENT COMMENT MUST JOIN EVENT", then they might be more reasonable.
As for schoolmates...
Not sure if this is a universal application, or just for the locals in my school, but all the people in my school who don't know the Internet beyond Facebook/Youtube/School report research usually aren't too smart, and it's easily observed if you ask them what websites they visit.
The ones who don't know jack about Internet, at least where I live, won't know:
What a browser is.
I asked a friend what browser he uses.
"Wats a browser"
He was using IE.
Which is a common trait of them, using IE.
They also won't usually find memes funny, or get them.
One major charateristic I noticed locally is that everyone I know who only knows Facebook is a complete jerk.
Everyone I know who knows the Internet past FB is polite.
I don't know much polite people.

 

I consider myself to be an unusual person in general, so I wouldn't really care if people found it strange for me to like MLP. It's not like I go around announcing it to everyone I know, but I would certainly have no problem admitting that I not only enjoy watching it, but consider myself a real fan of it as well. Heck I still play Pokémon, and nobody seems to care about that.

Maybe it's because this fandom deals primarily with a TV show that it isn't viewed in a more similar light to that vastly popular franchise, or because the kids that grew up playing those games just never stopped playing them, whereas many of the MLP FiM fans didn't grow up watching the old shows. It almost seems like when something becomes suddenly popular, and the general public doesn't understand why, they like to bash it down for one reason or another.

People should be free to like what they want to like, and not be restricted to what the media wants them to like. With that in mind, I don't think anybronie should ever feel shame for liking MLP, instead they should feel proud for breaking through society's stereotypes.

 

I can understand why a great many bronies would hide it, as image is extremely important in the world of man. I, personally, don't care enough because my image has always been pretty much trash. In fact, driving home from Mayhem Fest, after seeing an amazing set by Godsmack, I played Pony Swag and At The Gala over the speakers. I'm so open with my broniedom they literally have wtf'ed me at every corner.

Edit: forgot to mention I was with four friends on that ride home.

 

I was a bit worried at first what my friends would think, but they're are all pretty open minded, and accepting of each other's weirdness. Long story short, it's a bit embarrassing still, but I'm confident that the people whose opinions of me I actually care about won't think any less of me just because I'm aware of how awesome ponies are.

Plus I have a couple brony friends as well, so that helps.

 

My best friend is the one who turned me into a brony. Since that moment a few months ago, we have been converting anybody we think would accept ponies into their life. We normally try not to convert people who are likely to not listen to us. It goes well, the only person who 'resists' is a total troll, but I constantly tell him his opinion doesn't matter to me until he watches the entire series. In my area, people are normally accepted no matter who they are, which I guess helps a small bit with me and my friends.

 

I not ashamed to be a brony; I just think it is something not worth explaining to blockheads, so only a couple people I know actually know I am a brony because they are the only people I know who would understand it.

 

Tenortrouble, I feel your pain - or whatever you want to call it. I'm a fairly big guy, kind of a mean looking face (especially if I'm deep in thought), and I've had people cross the street when I walk home at night! If they only knew how much I love those pink and blue ponies . . .

Hmm, actually, they may cross the street faster.

 

You, of all the people here, need a My Little Pony shirt. You should wear it to work to. Nobody would ever question you.

 

This, any friend you met on the Internet instead of IRL are generally way nicer, better, and awesomer.
I know of two guys in my community who know what a brony is, one only knows of the pony spammers on 4chan, and the other knows because of VgCats (Which made me consider asking a brony on Teamspeak where I could watch the show).

 

I, an IRL somewhat respected young adolescent, have no problem with people finding out that I'm a brony. I wouldn't go charging out onto the streets shouting it out, though. Really, there's no shame in being one. If you love it, you love it. Simple as that.

 

If asked, I'll confirm. Otherwise, not mention it. Why would I? People'd think it's some kind of Religion... Bronyism. Damn, it sounds like a religion.

 

If we did that people'd hate us.
I mean, look at the local Jehovah's Witnesses church. They go around bugging the neeeeiiighborhood (See what I did there.) about God and joining Christ, specifically their denomination.
Christianity has got more denominations than I can count.
Back on subject, from what I've seen after telling a girl, she was quite respectful. The only question was "Why do u like that show?", so I told her.
I'm thinking about converting one of those girls that I rarely speak to and know nothing about.
That way whenever we're both on Facebook we could be all "Blah blah ponies blah blah Fluttershy blah blah Haters All Around Us blah blah" instead of silence.
Should I tell one of my school friends? Because the majority of the school most likely doesn't know.
*Opens Facebook to message a school friend about it*

 

^Go for it. I would do the same, but I'm likely not going to be seeing any of my former classmates ever again, having graduated and all that. That said, if any of them posts something derogatory about our love of ponies with no real reason, they will be swiftly put in their place.

 

I for one show no shame in ponies, I wear shirts,sing,listen,blast music from my car. I tell people if they ask about it or to defend it from the haters.

About 2 years ago I would never had said anything that I thought would possibly go against social norms, but after awhile I started to become more unconcerned about what people thought of me. So present day I happily admit my pony addiction with no shame at all.

 

It's definetly the same way in North Canterlina. When you hear the words "My little Pony" and you are a guy, you immedietly reject it as "stupid and girly" This is what happened to most of my friends. I truthfully can't remember who exactly introduced me to MLP:FiM, but I do remember it was on FB. Since then, I have found a few secret bronies among my guy friends, alot of fans among my gal friends (Some were introduced by me) and I will forever urge haters to try it before they hate it

I definetly have no "brony" Shame, even if I am a girl. (Heck, I still get crap about it from my younger brother ) I might try to convert him one of these days.

Anyway, I think that having so many people outside of the demographic like it... simply means that it is a Kick A** show, with great characters and a great plot!