Single digit temperatures and snow storms did little to deter the hundreds of My Little Pony fans who convened at Brooklyn's majestic Grand Prospect Hall this weekend for the 4th annual Ponycon.
From autograph signings to crafts stations like "Sew Your Own Plush Parasprite Workshop", the event was a bustling affair, decked in easter-hued pinks and sparkles.
Those unfamiliar with the fandom may bristle upon realizing the bulk of these My Little Pony fans are not princess-and-rainbow adoring little girls but rather fully grown -- and often bearded -- men who unabashedly love the world of Ponyland and the equestrian characters who inhabit it.
This very stigma is something that the "Bronies", as they're called, are working hard to dismantle. "Society expects boys to play with trucks and G.I. Joes and girls to play with dolls. Anything that strays out of those confines is considered really, really weird," a male fan who goes by the screen name d3ads0n said. "And it's especially weird when it's dudes who love a show about female ponies. When you go into Target, there's a blue lane for boys and a pink lane for girls." With workshops titled "The Social Ramifications of Being a Brony" and charitable funds like the Brony Thank You Fund which has raised over $130,000, Bronies are ready to spread the values of friendship and generosity My Little Pony inspires -- and to show the rest of the world that there's nothing shameful about the type of TV you enjoy.
Walking around the convention, I was struck by the calm and happy atmosphere. Over by the corner were some Bronies peering at each others trading cards. In the Grand Hall, professional voice actors were narrating comic strips, followed by peals of laughter from a delighted audience. Vendors in the vending room were hawking their homemade, shrinky-dink pony collections and plush stuffed animals, and overall people seemed to be really happy to be amongst those who shared their interests.
So who are the Bronies? Below, in their own words, are the accounts of a few fans I met.
Screen name: Jake the Army Guy
Hometown: Houston, TX
Age: 30
Occupation: Public Affairs rep. of the U.S. Military
Favorite Pony: Apple Jack
Been a fan since: Season 2
"As a military guy who loves his motorcycle, people often place me entirely into this dominant macho man stereotype. So what if I go home and watch a show about a group of pony friends? The Brony fandom is something truly special. It unites people around this common interest, and it's an incredibly friendly and non-judgmental atmosphere.
Screen name: Star Dust
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Age: 22
Occupation: Artist / Studying childhood education
Favorite Pony: Dinky Hooves
Been a fan since: The first generation in the 90's
"I'd been hearing a lot about the show from my twin, so I decided to start watching. And when I did, I was hooked. It's just a really high quality animated show, so I'm not surprised that all sorts of people like to watch it.
Screen name: d3ads0n
Hometown: Asbury, NJ
Age: 27
Occupation: UPS Driver / Musician
Favorite Pony: Apple Jack
Been a fan since: Season 1
"I liked My Little Pony as a kid, then when I was a teenager, I sorta fell out of it. Teenagers don't like that sort of thing. Then with the reboot, I started watching again and I thought 'Man, this show actually has a lot of original emotional quality. This is awesome!'
Screen names: Crosstitch (L), raverider (R)
Hometowns: Nassaw County, Dutchess County
Ages: 23, 28
Occupation: Nurse, Social Worker
Favorite Pony: Princess Luna, King Sombra (whom they're dressed as)
Been a fan since: Season 2
Crosstitch: "We actually met through the fandom. I first got into the show because my brother showed it to me, and that's how I met my ex-boyfriend. But we broke up and I met raverider at another convention. The Brony scene is a really sweet community."
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