I've been seeing a lot of posts on here about closet bronies. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, so my obsession with MLp: Fim is more normal to society, but I'm completely open about how much I love it. I only have one or two fellow brony friends, but I still talk about it to my other friends. So I guess my question is, why the secrecy?
At first it was shame and I was worried how people would react. Especially when one of my best friends made this. [video=youtube;bTvNK3cGTIM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTvNK3cGTIM[/video] This made me sick and genuinely worried that other people would think I'm a pedophile or furry for liking this show. But I have told my best friends and although they are not bronies themselves.... yet. It doesn't bother them. I have now gotten over my shame, but am still keeping it secret from my classmates because I plan to do a presentation at school as part of an assessment about why MLP is awesome and I am going to record it and I want the shock of the audience to be as genuine and funny as possible, I'm even going to wear a fluttershy shirt under my jumper and reveal it at the end of the speech. then it will go on Youtube.
If you really do this, you will be the epitome of masculinity. Dr. Whooves, to answer your question, I'm not ashamed to be a brony. I don't think that term applies to me because I'm part of a community of many others that share the same interest. I guess you could say I'm just more reserved about revealing my interests. I always have been. In general, I could not care less what society thinks of me. It's really none of their business what I like or dislike. However, as Setzer already mentioned, society really does have a stupid way of thinking. I partly blame the media for that, but society really is ignorant. They automatically jump to conclusions that don't even make sense. I mean, a guy liking MLP:FIM = Pedophile in training? That's just a level of stupidity I can't even begin to comprehend. It's things like this that make me truly lose hope in society and make me want to stay away from people, but I won't digress into that. As far as friends are concerned, if one asked me, I'd admit it and I wouldn't make a big deal about it. I'd probably say, "Yeah, I watch it. It's a pretty good show. You should check it out." If he or she decided to no longer be friends with me because of it, then they weren't really worth my time to begin with. It would be funny if someone tried to "convert" me though. I'd say, "Too late! I've already found out how to be 20% cooler in 10 seconds flat." The thought of someone trying to convert the converted amuses me. As far as family members are concerned, I'd rather keep it to myself just in case. Not that they wouldn't be open-minded about it. Family you're stuck with no matter what. The majority of them are older than I am so they may not understand. Besides, I don't really talk about my private life to my family members that much anyway. I see no reason to start now.
Can't wait to see it Setzer. Anyways, the only thing brony-like I basically would do in public, would be humming/singing a song, or jamming in my car with my iPod hooked in to some of my favorite MLP songs/mashups/etc...
I am not ashamed to be brony - quite the opposite, in fact. I'm at times puzzled and amazed and amused that I love this show so much, but never ashamed. I don't go around telling people how great this show is for one reason: It doesn't work. If you want to turn some one off something, just tell them how wonderful it is for a few days. They'll avoid it like the plague. So, if someone wants to know what song I'm humming, I'll tell them. If they comment they've never heard of "Winter Wrap-Up," and who does it, I'll go into some detail. And I have had conversations like that, or some one might make a Spongebob comment, and when I reply, we chat a bit, then they say, "I didn't know you had kids." And I have to admit, "I don't." Get some interesting reactions that way. Oh, and, Setzer? Just for wanting to do that, you are my hero. And Dr. Whooves is a filly? Shock of shocks! You just never know what you get when you regenerate. I suppose if I had just looked, I would have noticed, but, honestly! I would rather read what the person has to say, rather than check out their gender.
I'm also a girl and all of my close friends and family know about how much I love MLP; FiM. If somepony asks me what my favorite TV show is, I proudly tell them MLP;FiM. I try to convert people on a regular basis. Even today while I was getting my haircut I told my hairdresser that she should check the show out. I've even made my mother watch an episode with me.
I am completely open to it to sharing. I also am Willing to have the word "Brony" Branded on my forehead if my if my life depended on it.
This is EXACTLY how I act about my sexuality. EXACTLY. Besides my parents and family, pretty much everyone I know knows about my broniship. When I explained it to one girl, she thought it sounded kind of creepy, watched the first episode, and told me she thought it was stupid. We remained friends-ish/people who sit next to each-other in math. Soon this WILL overtake my grade, without exception. Especially since I'm going into high school, and that I live in a small community full of really weird people.
Brony.... shame? What? Bronyism is something to be PROUD of! Nuff said. If people ask me, I tell when who I am, including my affilation with Bronies. I also try to actively convert people to bronyism, so I approve of this presentation. >Small community of really weird people. Sanity. It is overrated.
"They might think I'm a child molester. Or worse... a furry!" Only kidding, I'm not a furry hater. Anyway, if you do upload your presentation, complete with the Fluttershy shirt, it's going straight in my favourites with a like and a comment.
I have nothing against furries, but I don't want people think I'm one. Awesome only snag I've run into is I can't seem to find an good fluttershy shirt online, they are normally women's shirt or from a website that is too obscure for me to trust. I'll keep trying.
You will definitely have to give us a link to your presentation after it happens, Setzertrancer! Sounds like it will be amazing. As for brony shame, I don't have it. I don't necessarily go shouting about the show everywhere I go, either. If someone inquires, I'll tell them about it. If they give me flak, that's not so bad. Could be much worse.
Why the secrecy? While some might not feel accepted by this, in my case is for fun. I love to make people curious ^W^ People, even the closest to me, tend to ask questions about me. I feel sooo cool with that, so I keep myself a secret. BUT, people know I am addicted to anime, ponies, and such. My friend knows I played Neopets. xD And since I look like a child, they don't care. :3
I understand that some people don't want to admit to being a brony because there's some pedophilia-esque stereotype surrounding MLP. I'm an anime fan, but I usually keep it to myself or only talk about it if someone is already talking about it because of the unbathed, antisocial freaky stereotype that people assume about anime fans (although, I have to say most anime fans I've come across fit that description). Although, the brony community is much more accepting and all around awesome than any other community I've taken part in, especially anime.
I don't keep breing a brony a secret, but that dosen't mean I'm going to go around telling everyone I know about it constantly. If people who don't know I like MLP find out I like it, that's fine. And if they want to hate me for it, that's their decision to. Them hating me for it, won't make me like it any less.
To be honest Im still having abit of a problem with shame.. I'm a girl but still im 17 and my parents make me feel bad about it and tease me about it and my best friend says she is disappointed in me about it and yeah.. :/ It's hard being a bronie for me but I'm very open about it. Yet kinda shy about it sometimes.. But they can deal with it because I really really like FiM. :]
