



I have a confession to make. My boys, all four of them from the age of 14 to 4, are bronies. What’s that you might say if you’re not up on the super hip new stuff? Well, a brony is a guy who likes. That’s right, I said. Now if you’re old school like me, you’re thinking, what has this woman done to her children?! You’re thinking sickly sweet little horsies with flowing manes and tails that you can brush and curl, right?

Oh no. This is not your mothers My Little Pony. This is My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic. I guess my boys found it on Netflix. I don’t know who the first one to watch it was. No one will fess up. All I know is that over a period of a few weeks, I saw one boy at a time watching, then two, then three, then all four. My husband has even joined in! Now I’m not the kind of mom who gets overly freaked out over things like her boys playing with dolls, but when I see a 14 year old boy watching My Little Pony, I start to wonder, just a little bit, if they are suffering for lack of feminine energy in the house. I bring a lot of female drama to the house, but I don’t think I can balance the four powerhouses of testosterone that are the Beitler men.

I thought I’d better watch this cartoon. Some of these new spin offs from cartoons that were popular when we were kids make me want to stab someone in the leg. Let’s go back in time and see if we can stop them from making The Smurf Movie. I thought, I’d better Google this. Urban Dictionary states “Brony: A name typically given to the male viewers/fans of the My Little Pony show or franchise. They typically do not give in to the hype that males aren't allowed to enjoy things that may be intended for females.” Hmmmm. I didn’t know my kids were so progressive. Gender equality in all things!

I read about My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic on Wikipedia and was taken aback by the seriousness of the article, the studies that are being woven around the show, the impact that this cartoon has had on the world of fandom interaction, theories that this cartoon shows Americas need to escape from the threat of terrorism, all kinds of stuff. Brony is also a village in Poland, in case you wanted to know. Isn’t the internet fun?!

So I sat down to watch the magic. You know what? This cartoon has it’s funny moments. The animation is engaging, the dialogue is smart and amusing, and the writers give occasional nods to the cartoon greats that I grew up with like classic Looney Toons and subtle commentary on current social issues that go over the little ones heads. It’s not super nutritious TV, more like a Quaker Oatmeal Breakfast Bar, kind of healthy, easy to eat, a little over-hyped. I’m not sure if you could call me a Pegasister….yet. Give me a few more episodes and I’ll let you know if it grows on me. I dare you to watch it and tell me what you think. Is friendship REALLY magic? What are your dark family TV viewing secrets? Do tell!