Openness · 3:48pm Jan 3rd, 2017
I became a Brony last March.
It all started with a weird YouTube suggestion: listen to an audio reading of a MLP story. I didn't even know what a MLP story was... I didn't even know what MLP stood for.
But, I decided to give the story a listen. That story lead to listening to other stories. In a few months I was hooked.
I started watching MLP episodes. I know that this show is directed towards little girls but I found the stories were very good, there was depth to the characters personalities, and the messages to be wonderful. The show and the fandom community is mostly enjoyable. It and also has a calming affect on me.
This is where the "openness" part comes in.
I am a male; next December I will be 60 years old. I was born with a sunshine personality (like a calmer version of Pinkie Pie).
I suffer from PTSD. If you do not understand what PTSD is you have a choice of looking it up in a Dictionary or talking to your parents about it.
I am a caring and compassionate person. I like to help people. I volunteer for the American Red Cross - going to disaster sites to help people. People can be at their lowest point after a disaster. And that is where I use my greatest strengths: to tell them that there is hope, there are people that care about them, that want to help them on their road to recovery.
I have PTSD because of the many years of doing this. And though I have the support of the Red Cross, friends and family... had counseling and treatments... I still have moments of mental anguish.
Becoming a Brony and joining the MLB community has been most enjoyable, with the side benefit of making me a lot feel better.
So long as you're not an actual pedophile, I really don't think anybody will care how old you are in this community. Remember, this is a community built around a cartoon designed for ten year old girls. Nobody has any right to say you're too old for this, because that applies to almost all of us. If you enjoy the show and the community, there's no reason for you to leave.
And hey, count yourself lucky you actually have family members to enjoy the show with. I've only ever told two people, neither of whom are into it and one of whom will now mock me eternally.
Jack:
Lauren Faust has created a show that appeales to a greater audience than what Hasbro invisioned 35 years ago. They are only just now starting to realize that.
I know most of us are older than the intended audience, but I am in the category of ancient.
I want to know what parents who monitor the children's internet usage think of me.
My wife knows... and she ok with anything that eliminates my outbursts of anger. None of my grandchildren are interested in My Little Pony. They find my interest rather peculiar, but they put up with my interest because they'll be love me.
Wade
P.S. - you'll find that some of your fellow soldiers/sailors are bronies.
4367548 Oh, I know there are. I've already met a handful on this site. Though, I'm not sure any of them were open about it while in the service. It's not the kind of thing you admit to a barracks full of testosterone-fueled teenagers and young adults that still think homosexuality is a clever insult (not saying everyone in the Armed Forces is like that, but went to high school with a lot of guys who were, and that's where they went).
4367779 - Tell that to the soldier who has a tattoo of Futtershy on his arm!