“My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” has male fans, lots of a male fans, but they often get push back from other men for liking a show that is meant for girls.
Men are suppose to like “masculine” shows—military thrillers, police dramas, survivalist shows, and scifi—not shows about my little pony and the allure of friendship, right? Wrong! Men, it turns out can like whatever shows they want to and if they like pink ponies finding their way through their fantasy world using friendship. While “My Little Pony” might be a funny way to challenge toxic understanding of masculinity, it is exactly what men need. That is, men need to be comfortable being who they are, liking what they like.
No. Bronies are not redefining masculinity.
If you believe (as I do) that masculinity includes the role of modeling healthy behaviors and LEADING the boys and girls in your life to adopt healthy behaviors, Bronies fit right in. Men can like and use Bronies as one of many tools to communicate their values to others.
Of course, women have the same modeling and leadership roles.
Criticisms will always focus on HOW the modeling and leadership is done and how it appears. Does it look and feel “manly” or “girly”? Does it even matter?