When many think of “bronies,” their minds may immediately go to thoughts of a strange culture of middle aged men-children who are obsessed with “My Little Pony,” a show that is supposed to be for children, specifically little girls.
Some bronies have been known to write fan fiction centered around the characters from the show and have even drawn graphic images of their favorite characters.
However, is brony culture really like this? If you aren’t a child and you follow the show, does that make you a brony? Or are they just like any other fandom?
Sarah Sheey, a technical theater major at American River College, is engaged to a brony.
When asked about her thoughts on the topic, Sheey said that while there are people who do fit the stereotype associated with bronies, they make up a small portion of the fandom.
“It’s sad that thats the face the brony fandom gets because of that small population. If people want to know what brony culture is, watch the show,” said Sheey.
Alexander Wrinkle, an economics major and former head of the Republican Club at ARC, dismissed the notion that all adult “My Little Pony” fans were of the stereotype.
“Its pretty much like any other show,” said Wrinkle.
Wrinkle believes that every fandom has a darkside and certain people in each will always go overboard with their love of the show.
The disdain for the stereotypical brony doesn’t dissuade Wrinkle from the show, either.
“Even though the worst of humanity watches a show, if you like it, you should watch it,” said Wrinkle.
He went on to say that the show has gone from a small set of friendship lessons to a global change.
After hearing that, one’s mind may go to the old “Star Trek” fandom, where what started as a science fiction show became a cultural phenomenon.
“Star Trek” first aired in 1966. Now, one can major in the show’s fictional “Klingon” language.
And that’s just one of many examples of a fictional universe being adopted by a section of the fanbase as a world to live in.
Is it too much to say that perhaps the bronies are just like any small section of fans from any fandom?
“My Little Pony” has a darkside like any other fandom. The fact that bronies get all the attention seems a lot like the “nerds” who liked “Star Trek” long ago, and the numerous stereotypes that we all have come to hear and know about other fandoms as well.
