I was horrified by what I found on my son's computer.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

My little pony? Bronies? WTF is going on? I'm fucking serious here!!

[bravenak]

1. MLP is awesome?

Pretty much what I get out of it.

[NYC_SKP]

2. Your son has found refuge in an experience safe from humanity at it's worst.

MLP and Bronies are like puppies.

And humans can be like Hitler and ISIS.

Proof: ISIS and Hitler were humans, not Bronies.

It's possible that the school and neighborhood is unkind to nice children like your son.

[progressoid]

3. My daughter has a friend in college who is a Brony.

[Maedhros]

4. Why "horrified?"

Amused would be my response...

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

5. Thank you all. I just kept reading bad stuff.

Thanks for setting me straight.

[Spider Jerusalem]

7. As long as he's not hanging out at 4chan it should be fine.

[hifiguy]

13. THIS.

I am a regular on Equestria Daily (560 million plus page hits in 4 years) and it is an excellent, well-run site. Trolls are terminated with extreme prejudice in a manner that equals DU.

[Adrahil]

9. Yeah, it's not like he's a furry or something...

... my daughter has male friends who are bronies. They're great kids. No worries.

[Archae]

35. Hey! I'm a Brony AND a Furry!

Just harmless silly fandoms, like comic books, Star Trek, Star Wars, "hard" science Fiction, etc.

[Adrahil]

38. I don't judge.... mostly. ;)

Dude, have a great time, if that's your thing.

[Archae]

48. Besides...

[snooper2]

64. And you never really know who is behind the Disney mask

[11 Bravo]

6. Just thank your lucky stars he hadn't visited the Sports Illustrated website.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

8. No, I was reading about furries.

But that seems to be totally different, right?

[Adrahil]

10. Yeah... different.

Some furries are bronies, but they are a separate (and really weird IMO) subculture.

[hifiguy]

15. You are correct.

A small percentage of bronies are furries but very few. There are a lot of cosplayers in bronydom - of which I am not one - but even the vast majority of MLP cosplayers are NOT furries. Bronies may wear pony ears at a convention or a pony tee-shirt but that's about the extent of it.

Furries give me a low-grade case of the willies.

[Archae]

37. Why is that?

It's just a harmless fantasy.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/3227737/

[Adrahil]

39. Yeah...

Have fun. But It's kind of weird to me. But what do I know. I'm a Star Wars nerd and get dressed up in Star Wars costumes for events (a lot of charity, but also cons, etc).

But do your thing. I think fur suits are odd, but if you have fun, go for it.

Just warn me if you're gonna talk about yiffing.....

[Archae]

45. No, "yiffing" is for the weird ones...

(For those who have no idea what it is, yes, "yiffing" is sex. Preferably in a fursuit.)

I don't have a fursuit, (in my case it would be a "feathersuit,&quot I just enjoy collecting pin-up artwork.

Back in the 1970's I first encountered the "K/S ladies" at a Star Trek convention, they wrote a lot of Kirk/Spock gay fiction.

About 10 years ago I first saw a picture taken at an anime convention of "Sailor Bubba."

So yes, there are weirdos in just about any fandom, but as long as it's harmless, no skin off my nose.

[hifiguy]

52. Just so you know,

I was referring to the yiffers in my post immediately below.

[hifiguy]

43. There's a sexual element in a part of the furry community

that is weird when they bring it into real life, and they sometimes do. That whole aspect of things is generally frowned on by the brony community, save in fanfics where writers "ship" characters by putting them into a relationship; that aspect tends to stay strictly within the realm of fanfics in bronyland. Harmless, as consenting adults are free to do whatever they wish. But it squicks me out a little. Matter of personal taste and nothing more.

[Coventina]

67. I love you forever for your use of the term "squick"!

Downside of being gainfully employed: Less time to be a fangirl.

*sigh*

I miss my fandoms.

[hifiguy]

68. Pony episodes are not hard to find on the web

and at 22 minutes a piece they don't take a lot of time and can be squeezed into a busy day.

[VanillaRhapsody]

11. Just do NOT check his Second Life account.....

You might keel over!

[hifiguy]

12. MLP is great!

At least the latest generation, Friendship is Magic. It's a smart, funny, well-written and beautifully animated show with just enough snark. I am a proud fan of the show and have identified as a brony for more than two years, probably the oldest brony in The Herd - though it must be said I am a lifelong animation geek.

Like some other past cartoons, and I think particularly here of Rocky and Bullwinkle, there are many, many jokes in MLP-FIM that are designed for the parents and other adults in the audience that fly miles over the heads of the kids who are the primary, but not exclusive, intended audience.

Creator Lauren Faust said she wanted to create a show that could entertain all ages, including parents who watched it with their kids, while having worthwhile morals-to-the-story for the little ones and she definitely succeeded. The show has several million adult fans around the world and the creativity of the fandom is rather amazing.

IOW, don't worry.

[LostOne4Ever]

30. ^This (nt)

[JHB]

14. Horror?

[hifiguy]

16. You beat me to posting this.

Best explanation of the fandom ever, and John deLancie doing it. What could be better?

[Rex]

19. Olyshite! Q is a brony!

That was GREAT! However, no doubt Q is up to something...

[hifiguy]

28. The story is a funny one.

Lauren Faust came up with a virtually omnipotent force-of-chaos character after a weekend binging on STNG. She asked if they could find a deLancie soundalike to voice Discord (the character she came up with). Someone said, hell, why don't we call John himself. They did, he agreed to voice the character and then flipped over the show and the fandom. He is now a virtual god in the brony community, his character is a recurring one, and Discord is now semi-reformed but still a strong fan-favorite character and his Q-ishness remains.

He was one of the producers of the film from which the above clip was excerpted.

[ret5hd]

17. Man, you freak out over this I hope he doesn't have anything else to tell you.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. Quick! Buy him premium access to youporn!

You are in danger of raising a sensitive caring human being. You need to snuff that out, nip it in the bud.

[zappaman]

24. Hold on...

There's premium access?

[Rex]

20. Oh sure, your son...wink wink.

Me thinks you wanted to test the waters here on DU. Let your furry fly playa!

[Warpy]

21. Your son is trying on all the masks to see which one fits best

You don't have to like it.

At least he's not turning into a converted Jihadist.

[ChosenUnWisely]

22. I do not agree with what you did, spying on your kid and I was not going to comment

However, seeing from some of the comments I will provide you a path to info on the dark and very real side of MLP. You should look into the terms Brony and Clopper.

I am do not judging nor endorsing only providing information to be used as you see fit.

This will get you started if you wish

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=clopper

[FSogol]

23. Sorry, but as a parent, you have the obligation* to pay attention to what your

children are doing. It is hardly spying.

* Up until a certain age, but the parent gets to decide that age if it is before 18.

[ChosenUnWisely]

26. I do not agree however your life your kid do what ever you want

you will have to live with the results of your actions.

[Brickbat]

27. My house, my computer, my Internet connection, my rules.

[daleanime]

32. Your lose.....

would any of that change anything?

[Brickbat]

41. I have no idea what you're trying to say.

[daleanime]

55. If you deal with your child like that....

you have lost your chance to know your child.

[Brickbat]

56. Fortunately, my experience says otherwise.

[daleanime]

57. If true, your very lucky....

many feel that certain things about themselves must be hidden because "not in my house".

[Brickbat]

58. Again, I don't get what you're trying to say.

And "my computer, my Internet provider, my house, my rules," does not necessarily mean "not in my house."

[daleanime]

59. My house, my rules.....

if you break my rules, you leave my house. Fairly simple.





And honestly, if we going to discuss them, exactly what are they? How do you set these rules. Is that a list available for review? Or do you wait for innocence curiosity to bring some one into conflict with them?

[Brickbat]

62. No, breaking the rules does not mean you leave the house.

"My house" means "I set the rules and consequences."

When the kids started asking to use the computer for recreation, I told them that their actions were trackable and that I would check up on them periodically; learning to use online resources safely and in a smart way is a skill that has to be learned like driving or canoeing. I have asked a few times about stuff they've seen online, which led to very open and productive talks.

[ChosenUnWisely]

60. My house my rules I heard that a number of times in my youth

then when I was 16 almost 17 I got sick of it and left, I have never returned and have no idea if my parent or dead or alive nor do I care, their house, their rules.

That occurred about 38 years ago.

I can live with and fully accept my actions and the consequences, can YOU?

[Brickbat]

61. I'm good with it, thanks.

We seem to be doing just fine so far. Part of it may be that I don't actually say "my computer, my house, my rules." The kids are welcome to save up for their own computer and internet service at any time, but until then, they need to be aware that they are subject to monitoring -- just as they will be when they get a job and are at work.

I'm sorry you haven't been in touch with your family.

[ChosenUnWisely]

66. Why be sorry it is what they wanted, I have always been good with it.

[treestar]

65. True, if only Eric Harris' parents had done more spying

and there could be evidence of depression or drugs or other problems.

[ChosenUnWisely]

70. In the aftermath Harris was determined to be a psychopath

Psychopaths are not born that way they are made that way, and in children the would be the parents doing.

[WillowTree]

25. My nephew is 36 years old, a 100% straight male, and a dedicated Brony. Oh, and a great guy, too.

Based solely on the information that you have posted here, you have nothing to worry about your son.

[guillaumeb]

29. horrified?

My children loved my little ponies. Would you rather that he had been on the TeaPartyPatriot site, or the Sarah and Bristol Palin site?

[Cleita]

36. Or worse than all of the above, Stormfront. eom

[PoliticAverse]

31. Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony

[thelordofhell]

33. I thought this would be something really horrifying....Like Sarah Palin wallpaper

My Little Pony?? Who cares??

[LostOne4Ever]

34. MLP:FiM is awesome. You have nothing to fear

[font style="font-family:papyrus,'Brush Script MT','Infindel B',fantasy;" size=4 color=teal]Except maybe Rainbowdash. Too much amazing to be contained in one show![/font]

[NuclearDem]

46. This thread...

[hifiguy]

53. Big Macintosh agrees

[randome]

40. You mean the porn version? Cool.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)[/center][/font][hr]

[hifiguy]

44. Rule 34 is a Rule for a reason.

There is in fact such a thing as MLP porn. My one inadvertent glimpse of it was more than enough to put me off of it immediately. It's just completely contrary to the spirit of the show, which is the thing that really grates on me. But if people get their jollies out of it and I don't have to see it I do not give one flying feather about its existence.

[randome]

50. I only assumed there was a porn version but it was a safe assumption.

Anything cute will find its way into a dark corner of the Internet.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"The whole world is a circus if you know how to look at it."
Tony Randall, 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)[/center][/font][hr]

[abelenkpe]

42. Really well drawn, animated and designed show.

What's wrong with that?

They do some great spoofs of Star Wars and lord of the rings too.

[NuclearDem]

47. There's nothing to worry about. MLP's a fantastic show.

Brony is just a portmanteau of bro and pony. Sure, as with any fandom, there are some pretty disturbing elements to some bronies, but overall, it's just a group of guys who enjoy a show whose overall message is love and tolerance (not to mention is very well-animated, has interesting, three-dimensional characters, well written stories, and diverges from typical stereotypes).

And, for your son:

[hifiguy]

54. I wish I could rec this post a hundred times.

[Nevernose]

49. The mere existence of Bronies freaked me out at first

Until I realized that my freaking out had nothing to do with My Little Pony and everything to do with my own perception of gender norms.

Since then I've had the opportunity to interact with far more Bronies than the average person (I'm a comic book geek, a high school teacher, and advisor to the animation club), and I can honestly say this: I've never met a single broney in person who was not an absolute sweetheart of a human being.

[hifiguy]

51. I was surprised myself when I first started meeting other bronies

and attended the MLP-MSP convention last summer. A mellower, nicer group of people than bronies I have yet to meet. No loud assholes, no macho swellheads, just people who dig a well-done show that has a fine message, many of whom are startlingly creative and talented.

[GummyBearz]

63. So does he like fluttershy or rainbow dash?

It may not be as bad as you think, depending on his answer

[hifiguy]

69. Hey, I am a Fluttershy guy!

Though I am more like Twilight Sparkle - my other favorite character - a bookish, socially awkward nerd/brainiac. There's more than a bit of Fluttershy in me as well.

[LannyDeVaney]

71. I'm sure you vaccinated him, so I'm not sure why you are surprised **

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

72. But he didn't get any pony vaccines, just human.

[NuclearDem]

73. That's problematic. Cutie pox and poison joke are no laughing matter.