Ever wonder why there's haters?

[Navron]

It's because of parents like this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristen-w ... _ref=false

They were talking about finding a game for the younger one, and he was absolutely insisting it be one with a female character. I don't know how many of y'all play games, but that isn't exactly easy. Eventually, I helped the brothers pick a game called "Mirror's Edge." The youngest was pretty excited about the game, and then he specifically asked me, "Do you have any girl color controllers?" I directed him to the only colored controllers we have, which include pink and purple ones. He grabbed the purple one, and informed me purple was his FAVORITE.

The boys had been taking awhile, so their father eventually came in. He saw the game, and the controller, and started in on the youngest about how he needs to pick something different. Something more manly. Something with guns and fighting, and certainly not a purple controller. He tried to convince him to get the new Zombie game "Dead Island" and the little boy just stood there repeating, "Dad, this is what I want, OK?" Eventually it turned into a full-blown argument complete with Dad threatening to whoop his son if he didn't choose different items.

Pretty damn sick if you ask me. The kid's freakin 12.

Anyway, major props to the older brother for sticking up for his younger brother, but what will happen at home? What will happen when the older brother moves out and the younger one is faced to deal with that kind of father alone.

This is one aspect of the brony community I was originally able to latch onto, and that's the relatively low tolerance for idiotic stereotypes.

Who cares if a man likes purple or pink (purple was my favorite color as a kid)?
Who cares if a man likes to watch MLP?

Perhaps the brony community will crush these stupid stereotypes that people devote their entire lives to.

[bartekko]

Bronies are known to internet as

Male, nerd, about 20 years old, watches a show for little girls.

I didn't use "Straight" because a lot of people think, let's face it: People think we're gay, or at least, not completely normal.

Internet is full of kids who follow trends easily and are biased towards what is cool, explaining the Rebbecca Black and Justin Bieber phenomens. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if over 50% of 4channers were <18, or half the internet's porn was watched by kids.

As someone already said, I think it was you: haters want attention.


"Who cares if a man likes purple or pink (purple was my favorite color as a kid)?
Who cares if a man likes to watch MLP?"
Ones who thinks it's stupid.

[Senator Myth]

Gender roles are stupid. Any idea that males or females should or shouldn't like certain things make me laugh, as they are absolutely NOTHING if not cultural constructions. And generally cultural constructions suck just as a rule...

Quick thought exercise: people say MLP is "for girls", but what about if they ran around saying things like MLP was "for black people"? You'd laugh, first of all, and then you'd likely accuse them of being racist. It's the exact same thing to me.

Then again, I do my best (and sometimes fail) to look at people as individuals and to ignore stupid categories like male/female, American/British (okay that one I do just for lolz), white/black... Because any differences based on these categories are something that those people obtained from having our shitty culture rub off on them. Human beings are human beings. It's a pretty simple concept, and I wish people would just treat one another that way. I wish I could remember to treat people that way all the time...

Anyways that's my thoughts, thanks for sharing NB ^.^

[Triple_B]

Perhaps. Perhaps NavyBrony. I'd like to think so. This social revolution we all take part in daily is, quite frankly, a force to be reckoned with; if we had banded together as terrorists, or drug dealers, we would be extremely dangerous people; however we choose to instead focus our energies on the opposite. On values of Peace, Love, and Friendship, and therefore most of the world laughs at us. I'd like to think we can prove them wrong. I'd like to think we can win against the oppression, against the flat-out hatred in some most cases; I really, really would like to think that.

It's just hard sometimes; specifically when things like this happen.

Sadly, I am reminded of a great, great many things like this I have witnessed and experienced myself. Unfortunate.

Things like this happening are why I turned toward drugs and alcohol when I was that kid's age; stereotypes and bullying, and even when I was sober, I got so fed up with it, I eventually turned toward violence against my aggressors, which, of course, in the eyes of the law, made them the victims; regardless of their previous actions. It's fortunate that he has his older brother to help him; because trying to fight powers like a parent as a child is not even an uphill battle; it's vertical.

^- That was a rant. Eeyup.

Rule #18: Anything that can be labeled, can be hated.
Rule #19: The more you hate it, the more it grows.

Every day we are labeled as fags, furries, creeps, pedophiles, wierdos, and just about every other name in the book.

Every day we grow.

Let the haters hate; fuck 'em, they're really only helping.

And on the subject of male/female gender roles and intolerance; I agree with Myth, in fact, I could just copy+paste that and call it my own comment, and it would be true, because I literally agree with 100% of what he just said.

[Makkon]

What makes an individual has nothing to do what what's between their legs.

"I'm a girl, and I like the color blue, and I like shooting games. There's nothing wrong with what you like. Even if it's different than what people think you should."

That really spoke to me.

Great article, man. I'm going to share this one.

And I've been blessed with a quirky and inteligent father who watches the show with me on occasion and enjoys it. My oldest brother has seen every episode. Family culture is a giant circle, and the expectations and motives you instill on your children will carry from generation to generation. That is, until someone stops the cycle. And that's hard to do. I'm tremendously lucky to have been raised in a family that is open minded, educated, tolerant, and loving. That is a family culture I agree with, and I hope to do just as quality of a job raising my children as my father has to me.

There's another one to add to the list. MLP:FiM encourages you to be good parents.

[randomblockfilms]

this kind of proves my theory that logic is relative.

the dad thinks he is right but the brothers think they are right. I say the brothers are correct here but i dont think the dad will come to reason with himself and admit he is wrong.

well ok i dont own the theory but it was a joke i made that now i kind of believe in. lol

[Freewave]

I'd say one of the key things about MLP is that there really hasn't been a significant GOOD girl's cartoon show before!! I know Wordgirl is actually pretty decent so that might qualify but if you've ever had to sit through a Strawberry Shortcake (in case ya'll didn't know some mlp voice actors do charcters on that show as well but w/o the same level of personality) or a Barbie you'll see how vanilla and how gender conformed those shows are. They're just awful. I feel sorry that girls haven't had any great programming before and I feel bad that boys and guys who are tuning in are going to likely get some flack for it. America still a long way to go in ridding the gender wars and destroying sexist concepts and this i have to think is a great step. I think its great that its a kids show that adults can enjoy just as much. There's not many all ages stuff out there that works on that same level (Harry Potter + Pixar an exception).

[MiuMiuChuu]

The article reminds me of a personal experience of me and my brother. I defended him from my mother when he insisted to have a pink PSP case. He defended me when mom find one of my female slash fanart in my desk. Both of us are straight, but I agree with the article. I doesn't matter who we are and what we are, we choose who we want to be and like what we want to like.

My family, THE WHOLE BUNCH OF MY BIG FAMILY still look down own me since I'm an animation geek. Whenever I watch cartoons or collect toys, they sneer at me and say "those are for kids". My 17 year old brother is in the same boat as me. My parents may have a little toleration for us, but not the other family members. They don't understand that animated productions are made by adults. Adults made the show, love what they are doing, even though the last product is generated at 'kids', it's still a product by dedicated adults. Hence, the term "family entertainment". It's for everyone. Any kinds of age, any kinds of people.

The same goes for MLP. There are male adults involved in the project. They do their jobs with dedication, love and respect, breaking the boundaries in "little girls" generated cartoon. Again, people fail to understand this essential hard work. What these adults are doing, what these male adults are doing.

We, whoever we are, should take proud for liking MLP. We appreciate what the crews are doing. These brony phenomenon should already proof that we broke stereotypes. In my opinion what haters lack is sense of appreciation, acceptance, and open-mindedness. And we should be glad we have all that.

[Likonan]

Why do haters exist? Because they do not take kindly to different people and things. In my humble opinion, it's the rawest, most basic and animalistic form of conformism, where anything different is a direct threat to one's "stable and familiar" life.

I was always terrified of saying I watched Powerpuff Girls or Sonic X back when I was a kid, because I thought everyone was going to think I was some kind of childish pervert or the like. However, I am thankfully blessed with a loving and tolerant family. They are aware of my bronydom, but I never bring it up unless it is a main topic of a discussion. I like to keep things to myself, thanks to both my introspective nature and recent life experiences.

[SeanNH94]

Gender stereotypes, along with many other stereotypes, are set in pretty deep in our society, and it's very hard for those who have live with them all their life to change their perspective. They are set in their ways, and really, only they can decide to change. Some things might help them see the other side, but many are too stubborn to even consider an alternative outlook at the "issue".
I do however believe most of us will see an exponentially greater amount of acceptance in our respective societies with our lifetime.

[Pickslide1992]

I'm guessing what others have said before, outdated gender stereotypes. Jimmy's supposed to like manly things while Wendy's supposed to learn housework and not how to drive. Some people's minds are stuck in the 60's and can't accept teenage/twentysomething males enjoying a cartoon intended mainly for girls. Somew may just be annoyed with the fact ponies are popping up everywhere on the internet. And a few people are in the same camp as the furry haters.

Case and point, people either stand by sexist gender roles, close mindedness, or they may have spent a little too much time on the internet.

[Facade]

It's because of parents like this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristen-w ... _ref=false

Pretty damn sick if you ask me. The kid's freakin 12.

Anyway, major props to the older brother for sticking up for his younger brother, but what will happen at home? What will happen when the older brother moves out and the younger one is faced to deal with that kind of father alone.

This is one aspect of the brony community I was originally able to latch onto, and that's the relatively low tolerance for idiotic stereotypes.

Who cares if a man likes purple or pink (purple was my favorite color as a kid)?
Who cares if a man likes to watch MLP?

Perhaps the brony community will crush these stupid stereotypes that people devote their entire lives to.

agreed! what does it matter that one of my favorite colors is pink? I'm still a man what i like shouldn't matter because that's what makes me well ME, a unique person in a sea of people.