Moviefan12: Hello & welcome to a special Trotting Through Life. If you recall, a few months ago, my first guest and I covered My Little Pony on this blog series, Stop The Hate. Now, I've brought along one other guest, to help us tackle this rather serious subject matter. Joining me today, are our two of my closest friends on this site. Please welcome, James Daniel Walsh and Les to Trotting Through Life as we cover a rather serious topic that when I saw this story, no lie, I was pissed!
LES: Thanks for having me aboard for this one, my friend. I was outraged when I read that story too.
James: Glad to be here, Moviefan12. Wouldn't miss out on this one.
Moviefan12: Glad, the two of you could join me, To start with, I ask my audience to look at this picture.
What do you see before you? I don't know about the rest of you but I see, I just see an 11 year old boy. This is Michael Monroe, he likes to play basketball, play video games and watch TV. One of his favorite shows is My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. His favorite character is Pinkie Pie. And sometimes to school, he'd wear a Pinkie Pie dog tag like the one pictured below.
Normally, after school, Micheal would head to his local Boys and Girls Club to hang out with his peers. And this is where our issue comes in, you see, fellow students at his school would bully and make fun of Michael for his fandom of My Little Pony. It got so bad, that on the 23rd of last month, Micheal after school, went home and attempted to hang himself as he could not take the bullying any longer. Word had reached the Bronies and they helped to pay for his medical bills and sent him MLP plushies and The Hub Network sent out their well-wishes via Facebook and Twitter. I will not post the picture of the young boy in the hospital, out of respect for the boy.
Now, this is where my issue comes in, as James and I covered in our previous MLP cross over, fans of My Little Pony being bullied is nothing new but at this age. COME ON, NO KID SHOULD HAVE GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF HELL. I remember being 11 and it's not an age, I wish to repeat, not because it was hard but because kids can be assholes but this is pushing it too damn far. This is f*, y'know what no, I'm not going to censor myself. This is fucking maddening to hear. As I said, kids can be dicks but to have a kid pushed to the point of attempting suicide, how come no one stepped in and told these blank flanks to knock their shit off!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you could probably say that he should've stood up for himself but that doesn't always work and this is going to contradict what I said up top, but even when, adults step in and try to help, that might make the problem worse. And don't give me the "he should've ignored them" line either because whether you like to believe it or, some bullies feed off of that. Les, James, you guys wanna take it from here?
LES: Thanks, Tim. First of all, kids are mean.....and will find a reason to tease a kid just because they can. When I was 11, it was my name, Leslie...nice girly name like that caught me a whole lotta shit growing up. The difference? Back then, it was on the schoolyard only. Once I was done with school, I had my safe zones to be...Home and behind my piano. Nowadays, there is no safe zones with the digital age we live in.
However, the subject here is why this sweet boy was put upon for liking a show that is looked upon by the ignorant as a "girly" show. WHY? Why is this worth pushing a kid to try and kill himself? There's nothing wrong with liking this show......look at me? I'm a 45 year old man, and I love it. It's a very well made show about substance and real emotions, and that's 2 things I think we need more of in this world. So he loved it...So WHAT? How was this harming those senseless bullies? Seriously! He loved a show they looked down upon. Big deal. I don't think that warranted an unrelenting torrent of hatred that broke down that poor kid's self-esteem and made him want to end the pain with the last resort available to him. This story made me sick.
James: For me growing up it was my ears that got the kids attention, and that left a scar on me that lingers to this day every time I see myself in the mirror or catch my shadow on the ground. But you're right, Les, there is no safe zone any more, no way to escape the bullies when we're all connected via social media.
I'm not a Brony. Growing up I liked my toys violent - if it didn't come with a weapon, I wasn't interested. However, I also wasn't into sports. I'm still not. I didn't like cars, I didn't want to be a policeman or a soldier. I wanted to write. I liked comic books at a time when that wasn't cool yet. I didn't get excited by the Super Bowl, I got excited by the Secret Wars. So I can still relate to this kid, liking something he's "not supposed" to like. Being seen as something less than male simply because his taste is different from those other little bastards who thought they were so tough, ganging up on a sensitive soul.
Moviefan12: Whereas I growing up, was much the opposite and still am in many regards. I was never into violent action movies as a kid or superhero stuff. As a young boy, if I were given a choice between say Tim Burton's Batman and Cinderella to watch, I'd go with Cinderella. I preferred nice simple movies because action movies weren't really my thing, and really the only superhero show, I watched as a kid was Power Rangers but c'mon, that's a staple of '90s childhood. I like cute things, that's just who I am. My favorite movie of all time is Dumbo, an inherently cute movie. And I'm someone that does like supposed "girl's stuff" like MLP or the Disney Princesses, and pink is one of my favorite colors but I also like Marvel movies but the former have more appeal to me.
This is indicative of a larger problem, I've noticed with society, the double standard that it's okay for girls to like boy's shows like Adventure Time or Young Justice but boys shouldn't watch shows like My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic because it's wrong. I just have to ask...
You know what I just said made me think of one of my favorite animated series of all time, that both boys and girls loved growing up and it had a female lead...
What's my point in bringing up KP? Simple, Kim Possible was a show that was enjoyed by both genders of my age and no one thought it weird that boys liked Kim Possible. Now, I in part attribute that fact to this show being an action/comedy. As that is an easier genre for boys to get into but Kim still had her girl moments and very few of my male friends, even to this day, think it's weird that I liked this show because they enjoyed as well. To continue on what I was saying, I think while it is great that we are becoming accepting of girls liking shows like Nick's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (April is the best character), we as a society need to learn to do the same with young boys that enjoy shows such as MLP.
LES: It all comes down to societal pressures to fit into accepted stereotypes. Boys are supposed to be tough and like action stuff(Sports, Combat, Violent Films, Guns, etc.) and Girls are supposed to like Nurturing things(Dolls, Cute and Cuddly Animals, Pink and Frilly Frau Frau, Cooking, Cleaning, etc.)
AND IT'S ALL COMPLETE BULLSHIT!
We shouldn't be looking at boys and girls as MUST fit in with what we say they have to be. They're people first, my friends. A girl shouldn't be looked down upon if she likes Chuck Norris films and playing Rugby any more than a boy should be looked down upon if he likes MLP: FIM and baking cookies.
There is nothing wrong with a boy being sensitive and caring-NOTHING!
James: The idea of "this is a boys thing" and "this is a girls thing" is sadly reinforced every time a kid goes into a toy store and sees the "pink isle." Like I said, I was much more into so called "boys toys" when I was little, and even now I'm not really inclined to like "chick flicks," but neither would I judge any one who enjoys them.
This is homophobia, pure and simple. Whats sad is, I don't think this little boy was gay (though who cares if he was or not). It's this paranoia bred into males of the "other," of those that might "corrupt" them with sissy feelings. Gay, to young boys and to many grown men, can be as simple as a male who can express their own feelings.
We've come a long way in fighting for gay rights, but when a young boy is driven to suicide simply because he enjoys My Little Pony, it just goes to show that we haven't gotten to the root of the problem. These little boys who tormented him have serious issues with gender identity.
Moviefan12: At this time, I'd like to quote one of my favorite Brony songs, Great To Be Different by Forest Rain. You see, this song is a message for the community that it's okay to be who you are and in this song, Forest Rain made the wise decision of using fan favorite, Derpy Hooves to deliver this line that so many people go through.
Read the last three words in the second to last lyric, stupid, strange, and lame. Do you know how many people, young and old alike feel like this on a daily basis and having bullies reinforce these negative beliefs is just maddening to me. No one should have to feel this way and I know. I remember, there was an entire year of my life, where I was my own bully beating myself up and constantly calling myself stupid. It was a hard time in my life but just like Miss Derpy, I learned that I wasn't stupid and was able to overcome and just like her, I want to help others to know that you aren't stupid, strange or lame. Don't let people get in your head and feed you these bullshit lies.
LES: That's a good song and a good lesson to be learned about self-esteem. It's really hard to be confident in yourself when your "peers" are putting you down, but it's the strongest weapon you can develop against it. Don't be ashamed or embarrassed by who you are and what you love(Unless what you love is illegal, lethal or cruel...then, you need to re-examine your life). And if they don't understand and ridicule you, just know in your heart, you don't need their approval to be who you are. I didn't figure that out until I was 19. Then, I started enjoying my life, and that was projected outward and I started making real friends from then on.
James: Being yourself is something that sounds easy but sadly never is. It takes great courage to not follow the herd and to proclaim, "I like this thing that the rest of you don't!" But once you do, once you make that deceleration, inevitably what you'll find is that others DO share that passion.
I'm sure most boys and grown men think they're alone in liking MLP, until they find there is a whole community of Bronies out there. Whether you're a Brown Coat or a Whovian or a Trekker or whatever, there will always be those you can share that with if you are willing to admit that you love what you love. And if others can't handle it, or want to mock you for loving that thing, that just shows how inadequate they are in themselves.
LES: AND, oddly enough...I'm all those you just mentioned LOL! WOOT
Moviefan12: I feel that we've covered this enough. In the end, it is hard to be yourself as James said and many people go through feeling as though, they're stupid, strange or lame or alone in liking something but no one is an island or be made to feel like an outcast because of something they like and no one, this young should have to be put through this type of Hell. Les, James, anything to add?
LES: Yeah, I hope that young boy recovers to continue being who he is and not get ridiculed again for it.
James: Be strong, little man.
Moviefan12: Gentlemen, I'd like to thank both of you for joining me here to discuss this rather serious issue, that I feel needs to end!
LES: It's a privilege, my friend. And thanks to all Manic Fans for joining us today to discuss it. Peace!
LES: Thanks for having me aboard for this one, my friend. I was outraged when I read that story too.
James: Glad to be here, Moviefan12. Wouldn't miss out on this one.
Moviefan12: Glad, the two of you could join me, To start with, I ask my audience to look at this picture.
What do you see before you? I don't know about the rest of you but I see, I just see an 11 year old boy. This is Michael Monroe, he likes to play basketball, play video games and watch TV. One of his favorite shows is My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. His favorite character is Pinkie Pie. And sometimes to school, he'd wear a Pinkie Pie dog tag like the one pictured below.
Normally, after school, Micheal would head to his local Boys and Girls Club to hang out with his peers. And this is where our issue comes in, you see, fellow students at his school would bully and make fun of Michael for his fandom of My Little Pony. It got so bad, that on the 23rd of last month, Micheal after school, went home and attempted to hang himself as he could not take the bullying any longer. Word had reached the Bronies and they helped to pay for his medical bills and sent him MLP plushies and The Hub Network sent out their well-wishes via Facebook and Twitter. I will not post the picture of the young boy in the hospital, out of respect for the boy.
Now, this is where my issue comes in, as James and I covered in our previous MLP cross over, fans of My Little Pony being bullied is nothing new but at this age. COME ON, NO KID SHOULD HAVE GO THROUGH THIS KIND OF HELL. I remember being 11 and it's not an age, I wish to repeat, not because it was hard but because kids can be assholes but this is pushing it too damn far. This is f*, y'know what no, I'm not going to censor myself. This is fucking maddening to hear. As I said, kids can be dicks but to have a kid pushed to the point of attempting suicide, how come no one stepped in and told these blank flanks to knock their shit off!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you could probably say that he should've stood up for himself but that doesn't always work and this is going to contradict what I said up top, but even when, adults step in and try to help, that might make the problem worse. And don't give me the "he should've ignored them" line either because whether you like to believe it or, some bullies feed off of that. Les, James, you guys wanna take it from here?
LES: Thanks, Tim. First of all, kids are mean.....and will find a reason to tease a kid just because they can. When I was 11, it was my name, Leslie...nice girly name like that caught me a whole lotta shit growing up. The difference? Back then, it was on the schoolyard only. Once I was done with school, I had my safe zones to be...Home and behind my piano. Nowadays, there is no safe zones with the digital age we live in.
However, the subject here is why this sweet boy was put upon for liking a show that is looked upon by the ignorant as a "girly" show. WHY? Why is this worth pushing a kid to try and kill himself? There's nothing wrong with liking this show......look at me? I'm a 45 year old man, and I love it. It's a very well made show about substance and real emotions, and that's 2 things I think we need more of in this world. So he loved it...So WHAT? How was this harming those senseless bullies? Seriously! He loved a show they looked down upon. Big deal. I don't think that warranted an unrelenting torrent of hatred that broke down that poor kid's self-esteem and made him want to end the pain with the last resort available to him. This story made me sick.
James: For me growing up it was my ears that got the kids attention, and that left a scar on me that lingers to this day every time I see myself in the mirror or catch my shadow on the ground. But you're right, Les, there is no safe zone any more, no way to escape the bullies when we're all connected via social media.
I'm not a Brony. Growing up I liked my toys violent - if it didn't come with a weapon, I wasn't interested. However, I also wasn't into sports. I'm still not. I didn't like cars, I didn't want to be a policeman or a soldier. I wanted to write. I liked comic books at a time when that wasn't cool yet. I didn't get excited by the Super Bowl, I got excited by the Secret Wars. So I can still relate to this kid, liking something he's "not supposed" to like. Being seen as something less than male simply because his taste is different from those other little bastards who thought they were so tough, ganging up on a sensitive soul.
Moviefan12: Whereas I growing up, was much the opposite and still am in many regards. I was never into violent action movies as a kid or superhero stuff. As a young boy, if I were given a choice between say Tim Burton's Batman and Cinderella to watch, I'd go with Cinderella. I preferred nice simple movies because action movies weren't really my thing, and really the only superhero show, I watched as a kid was Power Rangers but c'mon, that's a staple of '90s childhood. I like cute things, that's just who I am. My favorite movie of all time is Dumbo, an inherently cute movie. And I'm someone that does like supposed "girl's stuff" like MLP or the Disney Princesses, and pink is one of my favorite colors but I also like Marvel movies but the former have more appeal to me.
This is indicative of a larger problem, I've noticed with society, the double standard that it's okay for girls to like boy's shows like Adventure Time or Young Justice but boys shouldn't watch shows like My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic because it's wrong. I just have to ask...
You know what I just said made me think of one of my favorite animated series of all time, that both boys and girls loved growing up and it had a female lead...
What's my point in bringing up KP? Simple, Kim Possible was a show that was enjoyed by both genders of my age and no one thought it weird that boys liked Kim Possible. Now, I in part attribute that fact to this show being an action/comedy. As that is an easier genre for boys to get into but Kim still had her girl moments and very few of my male friends, even to this day, think it's weird that I liked this show because they enjoyed as well. To continue on what I was saying, I think while it is great that we are becoming accepting of girls liking shows like Nick's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (April is the best character), we as a society need to learn to do the same with young boys that enjoy shows such as MLP.
LES: It all comes down to societal pressures to fit into accepted stereotypes. Boys are supposed to be tough and like action stuff(Sports, Combat, Violent Films, Guns, etc.) and Girls are supposed to like Nurturing things(Dolls, Cute and Cuddly Animals, Pink and Frilly Frau Frau, Cooking, Cleaning, etc.)
AND IT'S ALL COMPLETE BULLSHIT!
We shouldn't be looking at boys and girls as MUST fit in with what we say they have to be. They're people first, my friends. A girl shouldn't be looked down upon if she likes Chuck Norris films and playing Rugby any more than a boy should be looked down upon if he likes MLP: FIM and baking cookies.
There is nothing wrong with a boy being sensitive and caring-NOTHING!
James: The idea of "this is a boys thing" and "this is a girls thing" is sadly reinforced every time a kid goes into a toy store and sees the "pink isle." Like I said, I was much more into so called "boys toys" when I was little, and even now I'm not really inclined to like "chick flicks," but neither would I judge any one who enjoys them.
This is homophobia, pure and simple. Whats sad is, I don't think this little boy was gay (though who cares if he was or not). It's this paranoia bred into males of the "other," of those that might "corrupt" them with sissy feelings. Gay, to young boys and to many grown men, can be as simple as a male who can express their own feelings.
We've come a long way in fighting for gay rights, but when a young boy is driven to suicide simply because he enjoys My Little Pony, it just goes to show that we haven't gotten to the root of the problem. These little boys who tormented him have serious issues with gender identity.
Moviefan12: At this time, I'd like to quote one of my favorite Brony songs, Great To Be Different by Forest Rain. You see, this song is a message for the community that it's okay to be who you are and in this song, Forest Rain made the wise decision of using fan favorite, Derpy Hooves to deliver this line that so many people go through.
I just wanted to tell you that the hardest thing I've faced
Wasn't the teasing or the pain
It was convincing myself I wasn't stupid, strange, or lame
And helping others do the same.
Read the last three words in the second to last lyric, stupid, strange, and lame. Do you know how many people, young and old alike feel like this on a daily basis and having bullies reinforce these negative beliefs is just maddening to me. No one should have to feel this way and I know. I remember, there was an entire year of my life, where I was my own bully beating myself up and constantly calling myself stupid. It was a hard time in my life but just like Miss Derpy, I learned that I wasn't stupid and was able to overcome and just like her, I want to help others to know that you aren't stupid, strange or lame. Don't let people get in your head and feed you these bullshit lies.
LES: That's a good song and a good lesson to be learned about self-esteem. It's really hard to be confident in yourself when your "peers" are putting you down, but it's the strongest weapon you can develop against it. Don't be ashamed or embarrassed by who you are and what you love(Unless what you love is illegal, lethal or cruel...then, you need to re-examine your life). And if they don't understand and ridicule you, just know in your heart, you don't need their approval to be who you are. I didn't figure that out until I was 19. Then, I started enjoying my life, and that was projected outward and I started making real friends from then on.
James: Being yourself is something that sounds easy but sadly never is. It takes great courage to not follow the herd and to proclaim, "I like this thing that the rest of you don't!" But once you do, once you make that deceleration, inevitably what you'll find is that others DO share that passion.
I'm sure most boys and grown men think they're alone in liking MLP, until they find there is a whole community of Bronies out there. Whether you're a Brown Coat or a Whovian or a Trekker or whatever, there will always be those you can share that with if you are willing to admit that you love what you love. And if others can't handle it, or want to mock you for loving that thing, that just shows how inadequate they are in themselves.
LES: AND, oddly enough...I'm all those you just mentioned LOL! WOOT
Moviefan12: I feel that we've covered this enough. In the end, it is hard to be yourself as James said and many people go through feeling as though, they're stupid, strange or lame or alone in liking something but no one is an island or be made to feel like an outcast because of something they like and no one, this young should have to be put through this type of Hell. Les, James, anything to add?
LES: Yeah, I hope that young boy recovers to continue being who he is and not get ridiculed again for it.
James: Be strong, little man.
Moviefan12: Gentlemen, I'd like to thank both of you for joining me here to discuss this rather serious issue, that I feel needs to end!
LES: It's a privilege, my friend. And thanks to all Manic Fans for joining us today to discuss it. Peace!
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