Today is the last day to join, so if you want in on it, be sure to read over the rules and PM Shakespearicles!Ponies, Parenting, and Potential Premature Endings · 6:50pm Apr 7th, 2016
After that blog I did two days ago, I told myself: "No, I won't blog anything. I can resist blogging."
Ha.
tl;dr -- I gush about how my family has embraced MLP, I worry about life lessons for my son via ponies, and I dread the future of our favorite cartoon.
So as my rather contrived attempt at an alliterated title states, this blog will be about a few things that occurred to me this morning as I was driving to preview a potential apartment to move in to around June. My life is currently entering into a huge transition period that almost rivals the one that occurred two years ago, when my husband separated from the military and we moved across the country. For the first time since becoming a civilian family, we will be completely on our own. You see, we were living with my mother for a while as we tried to figure out the icky sticky details of replacing the structure that the US government had once forced on us. Now, after so much time, it seems we are finally getting on our feet. This led me to thinking about our identity as a new family unit--not just me and husbando, but also our little two-year-old son.
We're, like, a family. To anyone else that would just spark a response along the lines of, "Duh!" But for me... It's still a little weird for me to stop and think, "Oh yeah. I'm a mother. My immediate family now consists of my husband and son. We're a unit. People think of us collectively. I should think of us that way too." But I don't most of the time. Sometimes it really feels a bit disjointed, like we're just random asteroids floating near each other, instead of celestial bodies orbiting around each other. and that's due to some other nasty business I don't feel it necessary to get into. The one thing that helps combat this lack of connection in my family? My Little Pony.
I'm looking forward to Saturday mornings as a new tradition. That mom, dad, and kiddo can all sit down together and enjoy some funny cartoon horses every weekend. My son gets legitimately excited about it. Sometimes he requests MLP off of Netflix. (Remember, he's two-years-old.) He knows some of them by name, and gets excited whenever he sees them. He has these little toys I bought him that he loves to play with. Husband also loves MLP. He even watches re-runs far more than I do. On the other hand, I'm more tapped into the community. I get a kick out of fan content, and have started making my own little contributions. This upcoming trip to Babscon is happening only because I've been following brony news for a while.
Some families come together over sports. Others over nature. My family? We come together because of My Little Pony, and it's awesome.
But then, as I was driving this morning, something occurred to me.
My son is two-years-old right now, so his love of ponies is no big deal. People just find it cute. But when he gets older...?
Will he be picked on if he wears a Rainbow Dash t-shirt? Will I start hearing from well-meaning teachers and parents who believe I'm trying to "feminize" my son? What if he starts developing anxieties about his interests and feels the need to hide himself? It seems a poor lesson to teach a child to lie and hide who they are. I mean, it's one thing to not bring it up, but kids love to share what they find interesting. I'd hate for my son to feel ashamed just because society at large still finds it hard to understand why MLP can be for everyone, not just one demographic.
Then things started spiraling in my head.
I realized that, in four or five years, there might not even be anymore My Little Pony. At least, this iteration that we all know and love. It made me feel really low to think that, possibly, the brony community could lose its cohesiveness and passion as a result. Maybe even vanish entirely. I know, I know... This is something that many a MLP fan has considered at one point or another, but I feel like it has unique implications for me and my family. I'm not saying that we won't be able to relate to each other once MLP is gone, but I'll definitely miss that special connection we're currently sharing. I don't want to lose that.
I mean, I know that MLP has something unique that most cartoons can't say they have--us. Bronies and pegasisters. It's a very devoted adult fan base. But still... Everything has to come to an end eventually, right? Most kids cartoons only last a few years. To reach even ten years on the air (and I mean with new episodes, not re-runs) is a landmark. It's possible that this current show might end, and Hasbro might try to shake things up. Maybe they'd pull an Avatar and start a new series based on a later generation of ponies. Or maybe they'll do something like Transformers, where they come up with a crazy new concept on a radically different setting?
I don't want to be pessimistic and say, "Well, it's Hasbro. This cartoon is meant to sell toys. Girls toys. Even products for boys have more innovation than this market, so it's doubtful they'll do anything worthwhile." As a feminist, I'd like to think that the entertainment world for little girls can amount to more. I mean, it's kind of made progress already, but MLP still has its pitfalls. I love EqG like an awkward redheaded step-child, but that's probably the best example of "WTF, Hasbro..."
Anyway... I'm really horrible at wrapping posts like this up. I guess I'll just finish with saying that: For as long as I live, I will always love ponies. Maybe not always with the same energy as I do now, but let's just say that if I went and got a tattoo of Princess Luna right now, I'd never, ever regret it. Like, ever. (Actually that is my next planned tattoo! On my upper right arm, to match the one of Storm, from the X-Men, on my other arm. 
)
If you got to the end of this post, then I love you. Marry me. Polygamy ain't nothin' but a thang. 
(Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts and stuff.)
Personally, I'm of the opinion that things can only go uphill. Hasbro has been raking in more moolah from this one generation of MLP than all previous toylines. My Little Pony is not only a household name, but a household name with increasingly little shame attached. At least two former Star Trek members (one of which is the OG William Shatner) are publicly into this. There was an entire crappy Madrid fashion show dedicated to MLP. The Guardians of Harmony trademark was registered as including the rights to an animated series, meaning there might someday be a cartoon about MLP specifically designed to be badass.
Not to mention that society in general is maybe two degrees of separation away from a world without heteronormativity, those who despise the differently sexual are either beaten to death or deported to Germany, and you can always just teach your kid that he shouldn't worry about what people say.
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I heard about the other stuff, but this one flew under my radar! That would be very awesome indeed. I wonder though... Would it be like Steven Universe with the cute element intact, but with more wry jokes and darker stories? (In other words, cute with some noticeable darkness and drama.) Or would it be like Avatar the Last Air Bender (which is more centered on adventure with some jokes on the side?)
I mean, yes. I can. But I was trying to say that, as a parent and protective mama bear, it's hard to sit and think of my son potentially being on a path where he might be hurt--exceedingly so. It would be great if things are as you say, and that in a few years it will really cease to be that much of an issue, but there's still people out there who would be more than happy to turn MLP into a reason to attack others. I'm trying to reconcile the fact that I want my son to stay true to himself, knowing that this might lead to him getting some scars in the process. I know I can't shield him from anything, but...y'know...protective mama bear feelings.
In all honesty, it's entirely possible that my son may lose interest in MLP as he gets older and start liking other things instead.
3854801 gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/b0d673e7d67d6b1011fdb09c53704cd2d6b308c0/c=197-669-2784-4118&r=537&c=0-0-534-712/local/-/media/2016/02/10/USATODAY/USATODAY/635906658846886888-B6012AS00-MLP-Big-Dragon-Spike-LS-47660.jpg
You tell me.
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.....
Orrrrr kiddo might just cry, and beg, and plead for me to get him stuff like this. (Assuming they still release stuff like this 5-7 years into the future.)
Also, on further thought, I would be all for Avatar-y MLP.
3854834 You're welcome.
3854923 "You're welcome"? Are you kidding? Now I have to make sure my husband never sees that toy! Between him and my son, our checking account will suffer...
3854871 For the most part, at least in brick-and-mortar stores, MLP is still marketed towards girls here in the US. There was a brief time we had MLP stuff sold at Hot Topic (is that in the UK?) but I don't see it there anymore. I'd love for my son to own a RD hoodie! I think he'd look good in it.
That's so cute that your son got you into MLP! I was introduced thanks to a brony friend, and I was the one who then introduced it to everyone else. I talked about it in a blog, once.
HA! Well, there are worse ponies to love than RD... Twilight Sparkle for instance...
(My son seems to have taken a shine to Fluttershy and Starlight Glimmer. I'm insulted he hasn't learned Rarity's name yet. 
)
3854950 And that's not even counting the rest of the line.
Remember that thing when I say I practically 'wing it' on everything I do. It true. In example, If I had interview for a job next week I won't practice or do anything but wait until my interview. Most of you would probably think I'm lazy, but keep in mind this was straight after high school (trust me college was not for me and I did get the job).
So if your son what to wear a Rainbow Dash shirt in the soon coming year, so let him if it makes him happy. My little pony makes you happy (the Luna tattoo thing is a big pointer). So like come on being happy and struggling is what life all about... right? I'm not sounding stupid are't I? God I hope not.
Also, the whole marriage thing, sorry to break it up to you but I'm asexual. I still got a big life to live on my own.
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Once our family gets a little more breathing room, we'll be "winging it" a lot more, believe me.
When I go to Babscon this month, one of my missions is to attain pony clothes for kiddo. He will be a geared up mini-brony if I have anything to say about it! Life ought to be a happy struggle, and I'm endeavoring to make it so. Baby steps. (c wat i did thar)
Hey man, if you're asexual, I won't hate. Just do you.