In the latest issue of the Baltimore City Paper, Gender and Women Studies professor, Kate Drabinski, pulls back the curtain, giving readers a glimpse into the world of Bronies, a small, but dedicated group of predominantly adult men who are fans of the cartoon My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Drabinski traverses the network of fan-made illustrations, full-body fur suits and panel discussions throughout the Baltimore Convention Center, observing and interviewing fans and volunteers to get a better understanding of the world around her.
“To an outsider, this subculture contains all the elements of something creepy. Grown men seemingly obsessed with a little girls’ cartoon program, dressed in giant fur suits and engaging in some kind of ‘pony play,’” Drabinski writes.
But, the deeper Drabinski delves, the more it becomes apparent this subculture born from the Hasbro classic extends well beyond obsession, representing the desire for all genders and all ages to embrace kindness, loyalty and generosity – values instilled in each of the furry, hoofed characters.
“’brony’ is a far more complicated identity, one that tells us as much about the mainstream culture that bronies resist as it does about what makes a man love a cartoon horse,” says Drabinski.
Tags: CAHSS
