Has the rise of the Bronies been a bad thing for MLP?

[sweetiebabyfizzy]

Whenever I used to tell people that I was a collector of MLP before it was always "oh cool, I still remember my childhood ponies" or something similar (and positive). Now if I tell someone that I collect its like "oh so you're a brony?" with an odd look.

I know exactly how you feel. I get tired of having to defend myself and say I'm not a brony, I'm a collector.

[ponycake]

I got that too when I went to pick up a site to store order and was wearing a g1 shirt, 'oh cool you're a brony, my brother is.' I'm like uh no, I liked this since I was a kid and I'm not a brony.

[Neon Sparkle]

Well, Although I am male and became a fan during the beginning of the G4 era, I've really never considered my self a Brony mainly because I have always been open to all gens of MLP, and because generally I've never participated in any of the fanfiction, fan art, or other fan created things or activities that the Brony community is known for. I own a few pieces of merch, but I'm mainly into the Toys and the TV show. The first set of G4 McDonald's Ponies were what really sparked my interest in the toys, and after about a week of researching the different Gens and history of the franchise I had discovered that Lauren Faust was involved with the G4 TV show, of whom I was familiar with for her work on Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends and The Powerpuff Girls, and also for being the wife of Craig McCracken, the creator of those 2 shows. Seeing as how I was already a pretty big fan of hers, I figured I would check the show out and after that I was hooked.

As far as my personal experience with Bronies goes most of them have been really nice, Granted most of my interactions with them have been brief conversations not lasting more than a few minutes or just comments in passing, but overall I have never had any negative experiences with them and I have really only ever experienced the positive side of the fandom. Being a Male fan of MLP as well, I have never had anyone react negatively to me for liking MLP and in fact I have gotten many positive comments. The only slightly embarrassing thing that has ever happened anywhere publicly was that a man one tried to hit on me after assuming I was gay because I had MLP McDonald's clips on my bag. I wasn't offended though, and he apologized for assuming I was based on that.

Generally though, Bronies don't really bother me and I kind of enjoy the fact that it has given the franchise a wider audience. I am annoyed by the seedier parts of the fandom and especially the whole Howard Stern thing, but overall as an MLP fan I haven't really had any negative experiences as a result of the Brony community.

[reanna-mator]

While I'm having a hard time wording this the way I like it, I'll try... while there are a minority of unpleasant bronies spoiling things for most bronies, and other collectors, I think the "ew, you're a brony" effect would be less pronounced if society in general was more okay with adults being into MLP and guys being into something that's "for girls."

If I can say something positive (this thread is really starting to want it already) I love the influx of new fans on this forum weighing in on topics like these, and others, and giving us an even more varied perspective on all parts of this fandom. MLP is a really cool thing, and I think there's a lot of friendships to be made if we can accept the differences we have in opinions, reach across the aisle and find the common ground.

Then the very, very few people in all parts of the fandom who make the collecting and fandom experience unpleasant for anyone will matter even less.

[Corona]

Even back in G1-G3 there were people creating non-child friendly things with ponies in the backrooms of Usenet (if anyone is internet-old enough to remember the days of Usenet.) It's not that it's completely new with the rise of bronies, it's just more plentiful and has come out of the shadows of the internet. It's an unfortunate side effect of fandoms and if this were another forum, I could regale you with horrible stories of Googling for Yu-Gi-Oh stuff in middle school and being very very confused.

Personally, I've gotten pretty fed up with the loud bronies versus loud collectors battle that seems to crop up a bunch. I'm a brony and a collector, and the bickering really puts people who are both between a rock and a hard place. I love my brony friends, I love the collector community, and sometimes it really feels like I have to "pick a side" in order to fit in and it doesn't make for fun times. I've actually almost just given up on pony spaces because I got tired of the "blame bronies for whatever goes wrong in pony merch" chanting that occurs. It's not terribly welcoming to be indirectly told you're part of what's wrong with ponies today.

I judge based off behavior, not fandom. What you like doesn't define you, it's how you treat others.

[reanna-mator]

Personally, I've gotten pretty fed up with the loud bronies versus loud collectors battle that seems to crop up a bunch. I'm a brony and a collector, and the bickering really puts people who are both between a rock and a hard place. I love my brony friends, I love the collector community, and sometimes it really feels like I have to "pick a side" in order to fit in and it doesn't make for fun times. I've actually almost just given up on pony spaces because I got tired of the "blame bronies for whatever goes wrong in pony merch" chanting that occurs. It's not terribly welcoming to be indirectly told you're part of what's wrong with ponies today.

This is pretty much exactly how I feel. I feel alienated sometimes because I consider myself to be a little bit in both camps. You're not alone. While I liked ponies as a girl, it was FiM that got me back into it,and into collecting, and I was a member of brony communities first, then moved here.

[hathorcat]

Been there...done that with this conversation. Sorry, locking as discussion a several times previously locked discussion. We got 3 pages of discussion right before I locked it down? Thats good...thats enough for my already prematurely greying hair.