Hi there,
We all have our own hobbies and interests. Everybody is different and likes different things. This is one of the things that makes the world such an interesting place. Imagine how boring it would be if everybody liked the exact same things.
Its completely okay for you to like My Little Pony. There is nothing wrong with this at all. Very often we dont really have a choice in what we are interested in, we just like it. That is who we are and we shouldnt have to make any apologies for what we are passionate about. You shouldnt have to apologise or feel bad about being a brony. Thats who you are and you should be proud of that.
When you love something its very natural that you want to express yourself and share your passion with others. For instance, its perfectly okay for somebody to walk around in their favourite football teams shirt or to share their favourite singers songs on Facebook.
I can understand that making YouTube videos could be a way for you to tell people about being a brony and to possibly meet other bronies. I would never want to stop you from expressing yourself in any way that you want to, but it is important to be aware that the internet can be a dangerous place, particularly if you are worried about bullies. Once you put something on the internet its there for everybody to see and it can be hard to take it back down. This can make you vulnerable to
cyberbullying.
I know you are also scared about how your friends will react to you being a brony. A true
friend is somebody who accepts you for who you are and a friend should never
bully you. People who bully others often pick on people because they think they are different to them or they dont understand the other person.
If your friends do react badly it may be because they dont understand that your love of My Little Pony is just the same as their love for sports, computer games, music or whatever they are into. If they ask you why you like My Little Pony, just simply be confident and say, Its a good show. Perhaps ask them if they have watched it. How can they judge you if they havent seen it?
Remember, you dont have to explain yourself to anybody about what you love. Also if you do experience bullying its important to know that you dont have to go through it alone. People like your teachers have a duty of care towards you which means they have to act on bullying
if you tell them about it.
If you would like to talk to somebody about any of these issues you can always
speak to a ChildLine counsellor privately by email, in a 1-2-1 chat or by calling 0800 1111. They won't judge you.
I hope this letter helps.
Take care,
Sam
