By: Rachel Womek
So the My Little Pony show is on Netflix and just for amusement I sat down with my brother and sister (and we are all adults mind) to watch the first two episodes. It was quite fun (though it’s not exactly Powerpuff Girls or Fairly Oddparents quality). A funny moment did come though when the pizza delivery man arrived to a home where three grown-ups, including a heterosexual man, were watching this sparkly, pink, pony extravaganza. I was secretly hoping the evil pony would win, cynic that I am, but it was not to be. However my sister can get a good lesson from the show: obey your older sister without question! Like an obedient robot.
Apparently Pony mania is pervasive, all over the place! Many adults are fans of the show, watch it and collect Ponies. When I was a young my sister had quiet the collection, and together with her friends Ponies, they lined up nose to tail all the way down the block and around the corner. I also seem to recall our then dog, a Shetland Sheepdog named Sebastian who was then just a puppy, chewing the head off of one. He also chewed the head off of two consecutive Skipper dolls, in retrospect he must have been aiding me to escape a traditional female role.
But I digress. Some of these My Little pony or MLP fans are, in fact, men. The call themselves Bronies. Yes, this IS a real thing. Using slogans such as: “Bronies Before Hoenies”, these steak eatin’, all-American men are representing; Pony style. And hey, more power to them. Any individual who can break out of that gender box society assigns us and find happiness in a non-violent way is pretty cool in my book.
I am going to lurk on some MLP forums so stay tuned for more news on MLP culture. Just remember Constant Reader: “Friendship is Magic”.
The Intrepids 