Who Do You Think You Are?!?
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Fall 2014 Article 17 October 2014 Who Do You Think ouY Are?!? Kelly Schiro Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ethos Recommended Citation Schiro, Kelly (2014) "Who Do You Think ouY Are?!?," Ethos: Vol. 2015 , Article 17. Available at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ethos/vol2015/iss1/17 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Publications at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ethos by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. My Little Pony is a half hour show characters and how she has a predicament with it. ere are people who are like WHO DO and how her friends try to help her out. en “Ewwwwhhhh,” but nothing bad. ere are meant for young girls. Neither the writers nor the creators of the show she nds something in herself to x her those trolls who just like to harass you online. imagined the fan base expanding to problem; in the end they learn some sort of It’s the classic “you’re gay” or you like this YOU THINK men and women of all ages, but that’s moral about friendship. ere are life lessons really gross stu like My Little Pony porn— exactly what’s happened. “Bronies” that you can learn either as a kid or an adult. and stu like that. It’s on the internet; they’re not yelling in my face. ere’s a disconnect. are people over the target age of My E: Who is the intended audience? YOU ARE?!? Little Pony who enjoy watching the E: In real life how do people treat you? show. We found an Iowa State junior B: I think it’s for young girls about six to If you’re willing to put your wall who identifi es as a Brony to explain his ten, or four to eight. It has grown out of B: ey joke about it, but it’s just a friendly jab. the original audience and the writers and fascination with the cartoon and what E: What are some misconceptions of masculinity down, you can enjoy makers of the show have taken notice and being a “Brony” truly means. about Bronies? have adjusted what they do accordingly. the show—and become a Brony. B: We don’t all look at My Little Pony porn, E: What is your de nition of a Brony? Ethos: we’re not all gay, we’re not all men, we’re not BY KELLY SCHIRO When did you rst hear about My Little Pony? B: It’s just someone who watches My Little all neck beards, we’re not all white men who DESIGN EMERALD KLAUER Pony and likes it. ey can be male or watch it in their basements—there’s a wide ILLUSTRATION AMBER KLOOTWYK Brony: It was back a couple years ago when female— ‘Bronies’ is what has stuck the variety of people who watch the show. PHOTO TOMHAS HUNKE I was a sophomore in high school. I was most. ere are some female fans that call E: Have you been in any awkward situations? looking at the site KnowYourMeme, and themselves ‘Pega Sisters.’ it was one of the articles that was posted. I B: I was talking to another Brony and there E: When did you consider yourself a Brony? looked at it and got interested. used to be this fan-made game that was E: What was your initial impression of B: After the rst half of the rst season, taken down by Hasbro who makes My Little the show? I decided that I liked the show. In the Pony. at guy was really mad, he went on beginning I thought it was weird that there this huge emotional rant that was way too B: Usually the shows are supposed to be were all of these adults so dedicated to extreme for me. It was just like “OK.” It was mindless, just for the kids. But this show tries a show that’s targeted to little girls—it’s very uncomfortable. to do more than that—it entertains kids and strange. adults as well. You get involved. e show E: What was the game? E: Are there a lot of people online who makes sure of that. B: It was like a ghting game that some fans are Bronies? E: How often do you watch the show? of the show were making. It was getting a lot B: Just about everywhere you go there’s a of buzz and even showed up at some popular B: When I can. I watch it when I’m not special My Little Pony thread or a subforum. e-sport competitions. Hasbro had to use a busy with college and whenever I need to ere’s de nitely a sub-Reddit. ey cease and desist order on its development calm down. normally form a subforum on the big sites and people got really mad. I was excited for E: How long do the episodes last? like Know Your Meme and 4chan. If there are it, but it was a fan-made game and Hasbro two or more Bronies there’s de nitely going had the right to cease and desist. B: ey make about 20 to 26 episodes per to be something going on. ere’s also a few E: Do you have a favorite character and why? season and they’re about 30 minutes, 20 if dedicated My Little Pony sites, mostly the you take out the commercials. Equestria Daily where people get their news B: I like the character Fluttershy. She’s one of E: What generations do you watch? and community events. the kindest and nicest characters, and she’s very shy, but she’s got a heart of gold and E: Do you know any other Bronies? B: I’ve just watched the newest generation, cares about everybody. I’m shy, a bit of an it’s on now. e newest generation is My B: Yeah, I used to go to high school with a introvert and can relate to having to get out Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. ey’ve couple of them, and I know at least a couple of your comfort zone for your friends. revamped their line and made a show to in college. ey mentioned My Little Pony, promote merchandise. and then I mentioned My Little Pony, and E: How do you watch the show? they went, “Oooooohhh.” B: Sometimes I’m able to catch it on TV but E: Are you ever nervous to mention My otherwise I have to watch it online. It’s on Little Pony? Hub Network. B: Yeah, I mean, in the end I like a show E: What keeps you so engaged? that’s originally targeted to little girls, so there’s social stigma that comes with that. B: Its always been about the characters and e fan base can get really, really dedicated whether you care about them or not, how and can get too extreme for me. People they develop and change over the course of associate those extremes with me, even the seasons, and the lessons they learn. You though I don’t do them at all. get kind of caught up in the characters. E: Have you ever experienced any E: What happens in a typical episode? harassment or negativity? B: It typically focuses on one of the six main B: Not particularly, some people are okay 38 ethosmagazine.org My Little Pony is a half hour show characters and how she has a predicament with it. ere are people who are like WHO DO and how her friends try to help her out. en “Ewwwwhhhh,” but nothing bad. ere are meant for young girls. Neither the writers nor the creators of the show she nds something in herself to x her those trolls who just like to harass you online. imagined the fan base expanding to problem; in the end they learn some sort of It’s the classic “you’re gay” or you like this YOU THINK men and women of all ages, but that’s moral about friendship. ere are life lessons really gross stu like My Little Pony porn— exactly what’s happened. “Bronies” that you can learn either as a kid or an adult. and stu like that. It’s on the internet; they’re not yelling in my face. ere’s a disconnect. are people over the target age of My E: Who is the intended audience? YOU ARE?!? Little Pony who enjoy watching the E: In real life how do people treat you? show. We found an Iowa State junior B: I think it’s for young girls about six to If you’re willing to put your wall who identifi es as a Brony to explain his ten, or four to eight. It has grown out of B: ey joke about it, but it’s just a friendly jab. the original audience and the writers and fascination with the cartoon and what E: What are some misconceptions of masculinity down, you can enjoy makers of the show have taken notice and being a “Brony” truly means. about Bronies? have adjusted what they do accordingly. the show—and become a Brony. B: We don’t all look at My Little Pony porn, E: What is your de nition of a Brony? Ethos: When did you rst hear about My we’re not all gay, we’re not all men, we’re not Little Pony? B: It’s just someone who watches My Little all neck beards, we’re not all white men who Pony and likes it.