I think someone just tried to make me 'justify' why I collect

[PinkiePosh]

I always have to justify it to people. I've even had someone ask me if I like MLP as an adult interest (I think y'all know what I mean). People have gotten aggressive with me and demanded answers from me, like "Why  are you like this?!" (most of these people being men who barely know me anyways).

[DazzleKitty]

Does anyone have people in their family that actually pressures you to sell your ponies, or lectures you about it? I find this just as annoying as having to justify collecting. I have a couple of family members that know they are worth money (my grandpa and a cousin), and they keep on asking me why I haven't sold them yet while they're worth money. *rolls eyes*  Hey, I'm the fool who will spend $100+ on a pony when I have the funds. No way am I selling my collection I love so much!

[Taffeta]

Does anyone have people in their family that actually pressures you to sell your ponies, or lectures you about it? I find this just as annoying as having to justify collecting. I have a couple of family members that know they are worth money (my grandpa and a cousin), and they keep on asking me why I haven't sold them yet while they're worth money. *rolls eyes*  Hey, I'm the fool who will spend $100+ on a pony when I have the funds. No way am I selling my collection I love so much!

Things like that make me realise how lucky I am. I bought something expensive recently. I don't usually break the bank for items, but this was special and a kind of one off opportunity. My mother's comment was, "it's your money, if it makes you happy O.o."

My money for school is locked away and she and Dad know I won't ever dip into that to pay for something frivolous, so she doesn't really worry about it. She takes the view that I could be going out drinking, getting into bad stuff or losing money in other ways. I've never been overdrawn and ponies are harmless and cute.

The only issue I have with my family at the moment is doing something with the broken Paradise Estate living in the spare room xD.

[CadePony]

People like that are incredibly shallow, in my opinion. And definitely not someone to worry about. Sadly, there are a lot of stupid people out there who have these kinds of reactions. I've had the same thing happen to me. Don't let it bother you. Collect, and live your life the way you want to. You don't have to justify what makes you happy. If someone else is worried about what you do, it's on them.

I agree 100% with this.

[Twilight Pink]

I would've ignored such comment in the first place...

No internet troll is worth my time nor attention.

[ladybastilla]

When I hear stuff like this my immediate thought is: "Instead of what? Buying stuff for you? As if!" (I'm a fairly generous person, but not to some internet troll that has just insulted me. ) My reaction, as others have said, is generally "Don't feed the troll."

In real life my pony hobby hasn't really gotten me any grief. My mother helps me hunt for ponies and mails off boxes for swaps. My dad thinks its fascinating that I get parcels from lots of different places and likes that ponies have indirectly gotten me into paper crafts and that my room is a lot neater despite having more stuff in it. My brothers are always curious which ponies have come in when they visit. If a swap partner wants items that I can't get here in Canada, my bf (who lives in the states) will often ship or drive them to me. But then, I've always been a toy collector so maybe for them it's not really a shock.

The way I see it: my bills are paid, I do charity stuff already, if my family needs help I'm the first to put my hobbies on hold and step up... So if I want to spend "my" money on ponies and other toys, anyone who wants to question me about it can try (and very likely fail) to fill my shoes. I like things that are whimsical and cute, but anyone who mistakes me for some vapid airhead who "wastes" her money is very, very wrong. I'm a really detail oriented person and toys are my way of relaxing and not being so darn serious all the time.

[NinaMarie]

Star Wars figures (they are not toys) are collectibles. My Little Ponies and Monster High are toys for little girls.

^ That is it right there. For those folks there is a bias towards female-centric items being toys for children only and not something one should enjoy into adulthood. There is nothing childish about grown men collecting action figures however. 

[Portobella]

Does anyone have people in their family that actually pressures you to sell your ponies, or lectures you about it? I find this just as annoying as having to justify collecting.

I have a sibling who says my pony collecting 'makes me completely unrelatable to normal people'. Another sibling, when visiting my apartment, said ponies are for children... then just went and took my only MIB G1 out of its display case and almost succeeded in giving it to her child to open.

Unfortunately, there will always be nasty, superficial people around to belittle you and the things you love. I mention ponies if it's relevant, and have never hidden my interest. I believe that people should be kind to others, and that people should do what makes them happy. This is how I treat others, and if they in turn are rude, they aren't worth the time. But I know this is easier said than done... unfair comments can really sting, and letting go isn't always an easy thing to do 

[Al-1701]

I'm fortunate to be surrounded by people who understand and even share my interest.  However, I can imagine the problem is even worse for male collectors.

I think it's people who don't understand hobbies and need to beat other people down to feel better.  They see you enjoying something they don't like, and they feel the need to get on your case because you're happier than they are.

[ladybastilla]

Star Wars figures (they are not toys) are collectibles. My Little Ponies and Monster High are toys for little girls.

^ That is it right there. For those folks there is a bias towards female-centric items being toys for children only and not something one should enjoy into adulthood. There is nothing childish about grown men collecting action figures however. 

This is another very valid point. "Girl" toys are either suppose to disappear once we reach adulthood or turn into the "real thing" they once represented so that we can properly serve men. That probably sounds harsh, but if you think about some of the "toys" we give little girls it's the truth.

Male centric toys do not lose their value because they were, are, and will always remain intrinsically male within geek (which is also predominantly male) culture as well. Two people, one combined income, then pets or babies come along... Regardless of genders there's generally a giver and a taker; and when we add gender, society has been teaching men that they are the latter for centuries.

I see this in my own parents. If my dad wants something, he goes and gets it. If my mom wants something, it doesn't happen unless my dad goes and gets it for her. And in their situation, it's not my dad saying "You can't have _____." It's my mom talking herself out of buying it. Sometimes it's a fight to get her to allow herself to get hair coloring. Sometimes she needs something more pricey (a new PC, for example) but simply will not allow herself to do that even when my dad goes ahead and spends $700 fixing up his fishing boat.

Collectors, by our very nature, defy this. We feel that it is okay to spend money on something we enjoy despite and / or regardless of our gender and the unwritten (or not) rules that go with it. It's not polite to say "You are a woman. You should be serving your man." in today's world, but modern society will still let people get away with "Why do you collect those stupid pink horses?" because of the implications I've listed above. And make no mistake--whether the person consciously realizes it or not they have learned it's okay to say this either because (1) you are a woman and are to be questioned, or (2) you are collecting a feminine toy in a culture where only male toys are to be valued.

[Taffeta]

Lets not forget the fact that half the toys young girls have involve simulation around being mother to a baby who cries or needs nappies changed, cooking, cleaning, cribs and such other stereotypical nonsense.

When I was a kid it was all about playing mummies and daddies and even now you see young girls pushing dolls in pushchairs or prams. Ponies defy that stereotype for the most part as they can have families but are not your species (despite Hasbro's attempts with my little pony Mummy, it is more normal to see a young girl carrying a pony by its tail or hugging a plush one round the neck than in a pushchair or pram).

It defies the natural order therefore it has no place in women's adulthood. Sad but true.
8
My dad collects puppets, as I said before, but he and my mother have an amount each set aside every month asvtheir own pocket money. Mum loves books, and it seems a fair way to do it.

Men's figures are technically still dolls and definitely toys.

Nobody has called my ponies childish for a long time, but if they do I shall just present them with some books on equine representation and tell them to do some wider reading. If it is ok to study at phd level, it is ok to collect at adult level.

[buttonso]

I think part of why my parents are so understanding is the nostalgia factor. They remember ponies because my sisters and I liked them, so they like seeing them again. They are a little confused as to why I would want anything but G1, but they're very encouraging. When I had my big thrift store find a couple weeks ago it was actually my Dad who was most eager to see all the ponies.    (but then years and years ago when eBay first came to be, he went on a quest to replace some of HIS childhood toys so he definitely gets that feeling)

But then I should hope that the people who love you will support your hobby anyway even if they think it odd. Some of the posts on this thread have made me very sad/angry at the rude and cruel things you guys have encountered.

[zombienixon]

Men's figures are technically still dolls and definitely toys.

About the only difference between an action figure and a doll is molded hair, and that they're marketed toward boys. Manufacturers only started calling them 'action figures' since they figured parents (the father, more likely) would flip out if their son was playing with dolls.  Apparently it's okay if they just call it something else.

Makes me wonder I can get away with collecting Equestria Girls if I tell people they're action figures for girls.

[Taffeta]

That would definitely make Shining Armour an action figure then...

[Wardah]

Lets not forget the fact that half the toys young girls have involve simulation around being mother to a baby who cries or needs nappies changed, cooking, cleaning, cribs and such other stereotypical nonsense.

When I was a kid it was all about playing mummies and daddies and even now you see young girls pushing dolls in pushchairs or prams.

People who collect Cabbage Patch Kids or My Child or reborn dolls get questioned even worse because it's assumed the dolls are a surrogate for wanting a real baby. But dolls don't usually need any care outside of an occasional dusting.

I'm not having kids but I don't begrudge people who do. My only issue is despite it taking a male and a female to create a baby in most cases, it's always the mum who has the burden of raising the baby. Boys should be allowed and encouraged to play with baby nurturing type toys since someday they might become dads. While I would like it if all genders could play with any toy they want, I'd want baby dolls to become acceptable for boys before fashion dolls.