I ask for a bit of help, if you will.

I would suggest asking them what they found that was so horrible, and then explaining to them that (whatever it was) is just a small portion of the fandom.

There are other, more extreme options, but it might work best to start with the honest and direct approach.

 

I think you got to know what they disapproved of in the first place. If it's the more adult content, then maybe explaining to them that everything has adult fan works including things they probably like. If it's the "it's for little girls" thing then you might have a harder time since showing how large the adult male fanbase is probably won't change their minds. The best you could do is probably just show them that it's harmless.

The best recommendation is probably not to tell them. It's a simple case of not rocking the boat.

 

I don't really think being a fan of a television show and collecting merchandise from said show is a big deal. If you "came out" to them, they might have assumed that you were coming out because it was a big deal. Then they might have researched why it would be a big deal and naturally gotten the worst impression. Of course, that doesn't change the fact that they overreacted, but you can't affect that.

Just talk to them and make sure you say everything that you feel. As long as you're honest, you're fine in my book. If they aren't honest with you, they have no business telling you what you can and can't look at on the internet.

 

As much as I agree with that last part, that isn't how the parent-child relationships works. I mean, I don't know how old the topic creator is so that might be the case where his parents don't really have control over his life, but if he's a dependent then they have the right to take away his computer based on whatever silly conditions they want to set.

Heed my advice, don't make your parents upset over stupid things like this. It just creates problems.

 

I have only one thing to say about this topic, and I will say it in the name of my people.


"Adults"

I don't think it helps that I'm technically an adult myself. However, Xander is right; Parents getting upset over stupid things is a common occurance. It took me a few years, and I still don't think I learned this lesson right, but I stopped informing my mother about every occurrence in my life. Ended up creating more problems than it solved. I am not saying that I don't talk to my mother about certain things, I just stay quiet over matters that I know will needlessly worry her.

 

Pretty much this. I'm an adult myself (technically ) but I live with my parents at the moment. When I feel like talking to them about something, I pick the parent I know isn't going to give me grief over said subject. Like for instance, if the subject has to do with drinking, partying, anything to do with riding my streetbike, or other more mature (read: reckless) stuff, usually I'll talk with my dad cuz he's cool with it. If it has to do with fashion, music, my fandoms or anything that will give my dad the impression that I'm either a nerd or a sissy, then I'll talk with my mom.

Even though I don't technically have to listen to them anymore, I still have to live with them as a guest in their house, so I've learned to basically pick my battles so I don't have to listen to the whole song and dance. So my advice in this situation would be to ask them just what made them freak out over this (cuz it's really not that big a deal) and if it's something they shouldn't have to worry about with you (like r34 stuff or whatever) then just explain that there is weird stuff all over the internet but you're not apart of it so chillax. If they give you grief over it anyway, then hey...what they don't know can't hurt 'em, right?

 

That depends on the age. I don't know his age, but oftentimes that is exactly how the parent-child relationship works. When I was younger, my parents could do things like that. So what did I do? I figured out that my parents were really smart, really reasonable people. They still took away my stuff, but a few years later I was able to talk them out of it.

Now, even if they did take away his things, he should still stand up for himself. I mean, it's not always constructive to argue with your parents, but I used to disobey my parents occasionally as a form of civil disobedience. They made a rule I didn't like, I broke it on purpose and told them why, then I accepted the punishment. I'm not saying he can always talk his parents our of punishing him, or that they are physically incapable of doing so at younger ages, but on principle he should follow his beliefs even if it will get him into trouble.

 

As the others have mentioned, it comes to whether or not someone wants to spend time explaining to their parents why they like a show about technicolor horses aimed at little kids or actually just enjoy them and not get anyone upset. And it's more than just that, he risks losing his gaming computer, that's some pretty high priority stuff.

Not all parents are smart, reasonable people. In a lot of cases parents are pretty dumb especially when it comes to the newfangled whoiswhatsits of the younger generation. The benefit of being a parent in this situation though is that you don't have to understand what your kid is doing to set rules against it (i.e. adult tyranny).

I think there are plenty of things in which a kid should stand up for their beliefs against their parents. The treatment of others, how they should spend their free time (if they earned it), their hobbies, their friends. As much as I love it though, not My Little Pony. Not any TV Show or video game, movie, or book is worth arguing with your parents about, especially since it kind of makes you appear less mature rather than more.

 

I don't really think it's about the show. I wouldn't be inclined to stand up for a cartoon; I might be more inclined, however, to stand up for something I believe in. If he thinks that his parents have the wrong idea about the things that he does/likes, and if he believes that communicating effectively with his parents is important enough to the point where he would be willing to sacrifice some comfort for it, I see no reason why not.

I understand that not all parents are reasonable (I have met some parents that I thought were awful people). I understand that a gaming computer can be a big deal. But I had my computer taken away for a year, during which my parents only allowed me to use the home computer (but only under direct supervision, for the purpose of doing homework). I lived, you know? I am still here to talk about it. I just don't think this should be about the show or even his computer. This should be about his relationship with his parents. Maybe he can't solve this problem, but telling him not to try isn't exactly constructive.

I think it would be more mature to talk to your parents when you disagree with them, as some others in this thread have stated. Sure, it's hard and it doesn't always work. But the easy thing isn't necessarily the right thing. And you're assuming an awful lot about his parents. It could be that they just want the best for their kid. I say: give it a shot, man.

Let me be clear, because I cannot overstate this: I see this as an issue of miscommunication within his family. My Little Pony barely has anything to do with my opinion here.