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JACOB SOBOROFF: That's what is so great about the internet.
No matter what you love, you're going
to find a whole community of people out there that share
whatever your love is with you.
One of the largest and most interesting groups, Bronies.
With these guys, it's all about major love
for "My Little Pony-- Friendship Is Magic."
MIKE RUGNETTA: Bronies want to celebrate-- actually
celebrate, not ironically celebrate--
the show's themes, characters, and ideas as a community.
They just happen to really love a show
about the magical nature of friendship.
These men, these male pony lovers,
have become something of a phenomenon,
especially on the internet where their community continues
to grow and to be actually kind of awesome.
JACOB SOBOROFF: All right, fair enough.
So you're asking, so what is it about this show the boys
and even older guys are into?
LINK NEAL: "Friendship Is Magic" was created for little girls.
But it was created in such a way so that their parents, even
their dad, somebody like me, could sit down
with my daughter, Lily, and find these things that they
would miss.
But I would think they were hilarious.
RHETT MCLAUGHLIN: Ever heard of diamond dogs?
David Bowie has.
LINK NEAL: And there's a cameo by The Big Lebowski and Walter.
JACOB SOBOROFF: It's more than just references
aimed at adults.
There are studies that say there are
seven million bronies in the United States.
And others estimate up to 80% of the show's audience is male,
and the average age is between 19 and 20.
It is important to say that these guys are actual fans.
Some people think that there's something weird
or there's some *** about what's going on here.
But really, this is just people that
love the message of the show, the message of love
and tolerance.
And yes, their love is intense.
The amount of fan art they generate is no joke either.
It is a lot.
Besides the usual drawings and memes and gifts,
they even produce extremely sophisticated animations
like this one.
This one took six months to make.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JACOB SOBOROFF: Of course, sometimes there's a dark side.
If you're going to let your love shine, haters gonna hate,
trolls gonna troll.
Grayson Bruce knows what that's all about.
He's the nine-year-old kid from North Carolina who
was bullied at school all because
of wearing a "My Little Pony" backpack.
GRAYSON BRUCE: They're taking it a little too far
with punching me and pushing me down, calling me
horrible names.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Support came through a Facebook group,
a Change.org petition, vloggers, and of course The Young Turks.
ANA KASPARIAN: In this case, you want
to celebrate that the kid is doing something different.
He likes "My Little Pony"?
Good, I'm glad he likes "My Little Pony."
You don't tell him that hey, it's your fault
that people are bullying you.
Because essentially, that's telling him hey, your identity
and what you like is weird.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Even some unexpected people
back Grayson up.
GLENN BECK: You having the courage to be who you are
and stand up no matter what society says, that is worth
its weight in gold.
JACOB SOBOROFF: It's people like Grayson Bruce and all
the bronies out there that are doing such an important job
of challenging the norms of gender and age.
MALE SPEAKER: And sadly, it's the same tired old argument.
It's a bunch of ignorant people not wanting to have fun.
[CHEERING]
MALE SPEAKER: If you choose to be a brony in the Appalachian
Mountains, you're going to have problems.
MALE SPEAKER: They had tire irons, baseball bats.
They're all laughing and calling me names-- gay, girlie, ***.
JACOB SOBOROFF: Mike from PBS Idea Channel
says that the function of art is to renew our perceptions.
MIKE RUGNETTA: Girls are supposed
to watch TV shows with cute pink animals.
And boys are supposed to watch shows
where aliens and robots blow each other up.
But, says who?
The notions of what's masculine, feminine,
for adults or for children seem like they're permanent.
But they're actually very fluid.
Up until about the 1920s, pink was actually
considered a more masculine color
and better for little boys.
JACOB SOBOROFF: It is so important
that people should not be afraid of changing roles,
especially if this is something that you're going through
yourself.
You should always know that there's support out there.
But sometimes I know it doesn't feel that way, especially
with bullying.
But hopefully stories like these have encouraged others
to embrace things that are outside of the norm.
They've certainly inspired a few more proud bronies.
MALE SPEAKER: Just being out of the norm-- well,
out of their norm-- they just don't like that.
I'm going to be who I am, and nobody's
going to tell me otherwise.