Is Brony a 'bad word' ?

I don't like labels of any kind. I use them, as they can be convenient, but I don't like em.
 
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Angel_Foil said:
I totally agree with both Aadra and Melissa. Though I like FiM, I don't consider myself a brony because I like all gens (though I find 3.5 is questionable, but I won't get into that).
Bottom line is it has so many associations I find the meaning of "brony" lies in the context in which it is used and what the user believes it to mean.
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HA! I completely agree. I guess I just wasn't really aware that most people were nailing down the term 'Brony' to only the G4... I wear my Brony wristband proudly, but mostly because it lets the 'lay-person' know that I love ponies... if they ask, I'll tell them all about my favorite ponies, which are all G1... my main collecting focus is G1, I love them all (again, agreeing with you Angel 3.5 is a little ehhhhh)... but in my mind, I have to say that after reading everything and hearing people explain how they feel... that I am a Brony. I'm a female person who is a fan of MLP FIM and G4, but moreso than a Brony, I'm a Pony Collector - because I have all generations, and if it weren't for G1s, there would be no FIM (most likely)...

So it makes more sense now, anyone can ruin a term and anyone can be offended by it.

Serendipity you make a great point and I agree with your explanation. I too have been collecting for ages, had G1s as a child, bought G2s from the store, saw them go, watched G3 come and go, and on and on. I will still call myself a Brony... and won't being mind called one unless, like many of you mentioned, if it seems like it's supposed to be degrading, then it's mean, if it's said with pure intentions, then I'm fine!

But, Brony or not, my loyalties lie with the G1s. We should just call ourselves the 'Vintage Brony's"!
 
MonsterIceCream said:
I think, in fandom vernacular, 'Brony' has sort of come to mean the same thing as 'Otaku' - to other Bronies, it's a badge of honor, but to normal people, it basically means "crazy obsessed fan who needs help." It tends to get associated with the nastiest and meanest people in the fandom, from what I've seen.
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The negativity from Otaku has much more to do with the stereotypes introduced by a close minded society based on a long history of a certain person (will not go into it here). But I agree it is similar in the fact that some people seem to think negatively about both groups as a whole. I never heard of Brony till G4. i think of it as a G4 related term used for that crowd that only likes G4 and nothing else. I just don't like how they denounce all the other generations and seem to look down on us.
 
Eighties_Otaku said:
The negativity from Otaku has much more to do with the stereotypes introduced by a close minded society based on a long history of a certain person (will not go into it here). But I agree it is similar in the fact that some people seem to think negatively about both groups as a whole. I never heard of Brony till G4. i think of it as a G4 related term used for that crowd that only likes G4 and nothing else. I just don't like how they denounce all the other generations and seem to look down on us.
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The word "Brony" didn't arise until G4 came along and started created hundreds of thousands of male MLP (G4) fans, but bronies who denounce any generation are by their own definition false bronies who don't understand what a brony is and are under the incorrect assumption that bronies are people who like G4 with nothing more to it. That's only part of the definition. That might make it sound like there aren't many true bronies, but somebody in this thread said earlier and I agree that if only a few make enough negative noise, it brings down the reputation of the rest and makes it seem like most or all are negative.
 
SturgeonQueen said:
HA! I completely agree. I guess I just wasn't really aware that most people were nailing down the term 'Brony' to only the G4... I wear my Brony wristband proudly, but mostly because it lets the 'lay-person' know that I love ponies... if they ask, I'll tell them all about my favorite ponies, which are all G1... my main collecting focus is G1, I love them all (again, agreeing with you Angel 3.5 is a little ehhhhh)... but in my mind, I have to say that after reading everything and hearing people explain how they feel... that I am a Brony. I'm a female person who is a fan of MLP FIM and G4, but moreso than a Brony, I'm a Pony Collector - because I have all generations, and if it weren't for G1s, there would be no FIM (most likely)...

So it makes more sense now, anyone can ruin a term and anyone can be offended by it.

Serendipity you make a great point and I agree with your explanation. I too have been collecting for ages, had G1s as a child, bought G2s from the store, saw them go, watched G3 come and go, and on and on. I will still call myself a Brony... and won't being mind called one unless, like many of you mentioned, if it seems like it's supposed to be degrading, then it's mean, if it's said with pure intentions, then I'm fine!

But, Brony or not, my loyalties lie with the G1s. We should just call ourselves the 'Vintage Brony's"!
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Actually, you illustrate my point precisely. Based on your description of yourself, I would call you a collector, not a brony, yet you consider yourself a brony. But that's my POV.
See what I mean?
 
Angel_Foil said:
Actually, you illustrate my point precisely. Based on your description of yourself, I would call you a collector, not a brony, yet you consider yourself a brony. But that's my POV.
See what I mean?
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I consider myself both. But considering the complexity of the term, I wouldn't be sad if it disappeared and we could just call ourselves exactly what we are respectively: pony collectors, pony fans, our respective pony generations ...... and I think it would eliminate a lot of confusion! Don't worry if it would make you sad to lose the word Brony cause I can't make it happen even if I were so presumptuous, which I'm not.
 
Well, I guess what I mean when I say that I consider myself a 'Brony' - even though Pony Collector would be much more appropriate is that, for my friends and I, my social groups - words like "bro-" and "dude-" are very commonplace, so for us, it's basically a "cool word" for Pony Collectors. It has no definition beyond that. Now, none of my friends ARE pony collectors, but as far as I'm educating them, a Brony is what I am, and therefore, a Brony = Pony Collector. That's just the way it is in my world... it's obviously not the way it is on the forums where people are a bit more... sensitive... about being categorized as something or not.

I am a Brony within the realm of being a Pony Collector, I suppose... 'Brony' is more of a subset of what I am but it's an easy label for the "lay-person" like I said, who is not the type of person I'm going to spend time trying to explain and define the differences between a true Brony in the sense of the G4 only definition versus me as a pony collector...

I've never met a 'Brony' who talks down on other gens, I have a few friends that say they like the G4s the most, but usually don't say anything negative (again, unless it's G3.5... we have a laugh and a shudder and move on) about the other generations... since most of my friends are the same age as I am, we all grew up in the 80s and even my male friends know what a MLPs is (and when I refer to general MLP, usually, I'm talking about G1s)... so I've never experienced anyone being mean or rude in calling someone a Brony.

So, even though, like you said Angel - I'm definitely a Pony Collector, but I call myself a Brony - I suppose in my world it's more of a friendly, all encompassing term - male/female, young/old, G1/G4, whatever... lol :D

BUT the most important thing I'm learning from reading everyone's responses on this post is that - it's important to realize that my definition is not everyone elses, and I now know that I won't freely be calling just anyone a Brony from now on. I think I glom onto the term because it's easy to say, easier than "My Little Pony Fan/Collector"... but you know, like I said, everyone seems to have different definitions and I need to make sure I think about that before just referring to someone as a 'Brony' :D
 
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This is one topic I'm kind of iffy on. Growing up in the G1 era, I was -- as my handle suggests -- a "My Little Pony Mommy." To this day, that's what I refer to myself as, although I clearly don't "play" with them in the literal sense anymore. That's just my own personal programming.

At work, I'm pretty obviously a pony fan, collector, mommy, etc. The kids (I work in a middle school) all know me as such (shirts, projects to work on on my lunch break, keychains, various stuff for my girl to use, etc.). Well, I was in the breakfast line two days ago waiting with my girl I work with and a girl behind me mentioned that she liked the keychain on my backpack and that she loves Pinkie Pie. I told her I liked Pinkie too; that she's fun. Then she asked me if I was a brony. I'm sorry, but I outwardly cringed for a split second, because my old school programming came out. I turned to her and said, "I suppose I could be nowadays, but when I was a little younger than you, they referred to us as 'My Little Pony Mommies.' That's truly what I am." Not mean or anything, just sharing a fact. I have no problem with the term itself... I just don't want to be called a brony when I'm not in any way new to the fandom. The new terms belong to the younger crowd. :)
 
One of the girls at work asked me if I was a brony.

I haven't spoken to her in days.
 
Gosh hasnt pony collecting become complicated now!! I didnt realised that the term Brony was an offensive term. But I think you can use any label to be offensive it depends how you use it. Im a goth, and people may call me a goth in an offensive way. But its also a statement of fact!

Im also an MLP Mummy. And Im 35 and a mummy of two. edited to say: I personally feel the term Brony would be inappropriate for me as I feel too old for that but thats just me. Other people much older than me may identify with the term.

Im just very tired and feeling old at the moment - kids and work wearing me out ;)
 
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Persephone said:
Gosh hasnt pony collecting become complicated now!! I didnt realised that the term Brony was an offensive term. But I think you can use any label to be offensive it depends how you use it. Im a goth, and people may call me a goth in an offensive way. But its also a statement of fact!

Im also an MLP Mummy. And Im 35 and a mummy of two so Im far too old to be called a brony anyway ;)
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LOL I'm 34 and have accepted being called a Brony, but I do actually, in fact greatly prefer MLP collector, or more broadly, MLP fan :D And I'm a redhead, so I know what it is to be called a completely benign statement of fact as if it were something negative. ;)
 
Ooops! I didnt mean to offend anyone who is mid 30s and calls themself a Brony ;) I just feel for me Im too old!!

p.s. Im jealous of redheads and keep trying to dye my hair red. I always wanted a red haired daughter and yay! I got my wish :)
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Persephone said:
Ooops! I didnt mean to offend anyone who is mid 30s and calls themself a Brony ;) I just feel for me Im too old!!

p.s. Im jealous of redheads and keep trying to dye my hair red. I always wanted a red haired daughter and yay! I got my wish :)
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I don't think you were offensive :D

(It'd be a lot easier without the unpleasant memories from my childhood. I'd trade you hair and give you all my freckles if I could.)
 
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Heh, I'm almost 30, and have said I consider myself a Brony because I consider a Brony to be a MLP lover/collector/fan (again, just my world's little definition)...

We need to start a 30+ Brony club. LOL. The people who've been alive for EVERY GENERATION of MLP. (And... yeah I'm almost 30 but, you'd let me in early right?!)
 
SturgeonQueen said:
Heh, I'm almost 30, and have said I consider myself a Brony because I consider a Brony to be a MLP lover/collector/fan (again, just my world's little definition)...

We need to start a 30+ Brony club. LOL. The people who've been alive for EVERY GENERATION of MLP. (And... yeah I'm almost 30 but, you'd let me in early right?!)
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That's totally me.

I've been out of the loop so long, however, I wasn't even totally sure what the term 'Brony' meant. :blush:

Edit: I just realized this is my 4,001st post! o_O
 
ajcoecoe said:
That's totally me.

I've been out of the loop so long, however, I wasn't even totally sure what the term 'Brony' meant. :blush:

Edit: I just realized this is my 4,001st post! o_O
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AJ! :D It's good to see you again! Nice to see some other old faces popping up again.

Honestly, I had the same problem coming back into the fandom. I didn't even know that FiM was a "thing" until my friends told me about it. And they had to explain what I brony was too. XD
 
No one had better refer to me as a Brony or a Pegasister. I'm a pony collector, pure and simple.
 
darcerin said:
No one had better refer to me as a Brony or a Pegasister. I'm a pony collector, pure and simple.
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Me too :)
No offense to those who are ok with being bronies, of course.
 
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