Instead of an episode recap and personal observation today, I want to talk to all of you about something I found out about recently. You probably already know about it, as it was rather big news in the brony community, but I am just hearing about it and it burns me up.
I was checking out the website for Project Harmony, and they mentioned an incident involving a boy named Michael Morones. Upon researching this boy and what happened to him, I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. Nausea turned to rage, and rage turned to sorrow and the brink of tears as I browsed the website dedicated to his recovery.
Michael was a boy who had never hurt anyone. He is described as a kind child who only wanted to have friends, play his violin and draw. He was also a very devout Christian. What could such a person have ever done to deserve being bullied? Oh and he was bullied. Relentlessly. To the point where he attempted (and nearly succeeded in) suicide. Well, apparently his unforgivable sin was being a fan of My Little Pony. There were other factors at play it seems, but this was the really big one. They mocked him, called him gay, tormented him. And poor Michael never said a word to anyone, until the day he tried to commit suicide by hanging himself with his own necktie.
Now he's in a vegetative state and will never be the same again. He is making a slow, painful recovery, but they are saying that due to the damage to his brain, he will probably be blind for the rest of his life.
And he did nothing wrong. Nothing except watch a TV show that taught the exact opposite of what these children were doing to him. MLP teaches love and acceptance and friendship and kindness. All these little Mississippi monsters could see was a target, someone they perceived as gay, and they showed him nothing but cruelty. Even at my worst bronyphobia, I never verbally assaulted, bullied or tormented anyone. I simply laughed at the idea and talked with other bronyphobes about how "stupid" I thought it was. And I would never, ever do such a thing to another human being, no matter what show they may watch or who they love or how they choose to dress.
Because Brony is not a synonym for homosexual. The B in LGBT does not stand for Brony. This is a misconception that people need to get out of their heads. A person's choice in television programming is not an indicator of their sexual preferences. Michael was actually in tears the night of his suicide attempt because he was tired of people calling him gay. There are happily married heterosexuals who watch the show. In fact, if I remember correctly, heterosexuals make up a majority of the fan base. And this idea that bronies are homosexuals is causing people to go from where I was-- simply finding the idea ludicrous-- to actively targeting people. Their minds are being twisted and warped by fear and lack of understanding. And people are suffering for it.
I think it may be time to take a stand on this matter. The fact that I see so many members of this community referring to themselves or others as "out of the closet" shows their status in society. The world seems to have found a new group to pick on. It seems that they always need one. Bronies have to refer to themselves as "in the closet" and some have to watch their shows by night to keep their secret. Why is this? Why do they have to act like they're doing something obscene or untoward?
Perhaps a Brony Pride Day of some kind should be organized? Perhaps it is time for the brony culture to step out of the shadows and say "No! We will not be treated this way! We will not be subjugated, tormented, and judged by you!" Because Michael Morones is just one example of the end result of this treatment. There are others. And Michael will not be the last. There will be more of this, until there is a concentrated effort to educate the population on what the brony subculture actually is. Until people understand that Brony is not a synonym for homosexual, until they understand that you are not a bunch of perverts or creeps or lunatics.
Has anyone held any Brony Pride Parades yet?
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