My brother [19] is only "into" My Little Ponies and it's causing all sorts of problems in the family.

About 6 years ago my younger brother got into the My Little Pony thing that was meming around the internet. Like way into it. Going to conventions and joining a local group. We all figured it was just a phase, so outside of occasionally joining my dad in giving him crap about it, we didn't really see it as harmful. The dude has always been nerdy so it was just another nerdy thing. Differences aside, we've both always been really close. Basically my parents put the "make sure he doesn't end up doing something stupid" burden on me being the older brother. I'm 2 years older than him.

Anyway, all through high school I did a bit of attempted matchmaking to get him a girl since I've always been the more extroverted of the two of us, and he straight up rejected it every time. I and my dad started to think maybe he was gay or something, which would be fine. Or just weirded out by his brother trying to hook him up.

Turns out that wasn't the case at all. Right before I left for college we all had one big final family trip to celebrate us growing up. My tablet died on the plane so hopped over to his isle to watch a movie on his since there was an extra seat. He pulled up VLC and opened the file manager on there and I kid you not the entire thing was a wall of My Little Pony porn gifs/webms. I guess he didn't expect it to pull those up with the usual mkv files. We aren't talking furry either, but the actual ponies from the show.

I just told him not to worry about it and get the movie going since I didn't know how the hell to react to that.

Anyway shit was awkward in the hotel that night since we were rooming in one with my parents in the other. Eventually he just cracked and told me it's all he's into now and he hasn't been into people since he was a kid. We talked about it for a bit and I admit I found it pretty damn weird and recommended he get some help before it goes somewhere else. Our parents aren't super conservative, but they do value the whole "We want grandkids from both of you" thing, so I really thought he should see a therapist or something.

We don't talk about it for the rest of the trip. When we get home he eventually admits it to my parents. My dad wasn't having any of it. My mom just felt bad. They eventually convinced him to see a psychiatrist.

Fast forward a few years and I'm off on my own now still truckin away at college. He still lives with them, and this has become a HUGE issue in the household that starts all sorts of fights whenever I visit during holidays. His room is covered in pony stuff, including suggestive posters. The psychiatrist didn't help (I think he saw three different ones about it). I'm moving back there temporarily once I graduate and my dad's trying to recruit me to "fix" him.

I have no idea how to do that. The guy just doesn't want a girlfriend who isn't a pony. He's basically one of those "3DPD" anime nerds you see here on reddit, but for my little ponies. Personally I think he's just addicted to porn or something, but the psychiatrists would have dealt with that right?

What should I do to help? I'm planning to drive down there for a general visit for my next break, and seeing him tear my parents apart like that sucks. Do people just not grow out of fetishes like this? Hell I've told him he should find himself a brony girl and RP it up, but he doesn't even have interest in cosplayers of the ponies. Hands and feet are gross and humans are too monkeylike apparently. I'm stumped.

Submitted February 19, 2020 at 12:11AM

About 6 years ago my younger brother got into the My Little Pony thing that was meming around the internet. Like way into it. Going to conventions and joining a local group. We all figured it was just a phase, so outside of occasionally joining my dad in giving him crap about it, we didn't really see it as harmful. The dude has always been nerdy so it was just another nerdy thing. Differences aside, we've both always been really close. Basically my parents put the "make sure he doesn't end up doing something stupid" burden on me being the older brother. I'm 2 years older than him.Anyway, all through high school I did a bit of attempted matchmaking to get him a girl since I've always been the more extroverted of the two of us, and he straight up rejected it every time. I and my dad started to think maybe he was gay or something, which would be fine. Or just weirded out by his brother trying to hook him up.Turns out that wasn't the case at all. Right before I left for college we all had one big final family trip to celebrate us growing up. My tablet died on the plane so hopped over to his isle to watch a movie on his since there was an extra seat. He pulled up VLC and opened the file manager on there and I kid you not the entire thing was a wall of My Little Pony porn gifs/webms. I guess he didn't expect it to pull those up with the usual mkv files. We aren't talking furry either, but the actual ponies from the show.I just told him not to worry about it and get the movie going since I didn't know how the hell to react to that.Anyway shit was awkward in the hotel that night since we were rooming in one with my parents in the other. Eventually he just cracked and told me it's all he's into now and he hasn't been into people since he was a kid. We talked about it for a bit and I admit I found it pretty damn weird and recommended he get some help before it goes somewhere else. Our parents aren't super conservative, but they do value the whole "We want grandkids from both of you" thing, so I really thought he should see a therapist or something.We don't talk about it for the rest of the trip. When we get home he eventually admits it to my parents. My dad wasn't having any of it. My mom just felt bad. They eventually convinced him to see a psychiatrist.Fast forward a few years and I'm off on my own now still truckin away at college. He still lives with them, and this has become a HUGE issue in the household that starts all sorts of fights whenever I visit during holidays. His room is covered in pony stuff, including suggestive posters. The psychiatrist didn't help (I think he saw three different ones about it). I'm moving back there temporarily once I graduate and my dad's trying to recruit me to "fix" him.I have no idea how to do that. The guy just doesn't want a girlfriend who isn't a pony. He's basically one of those "3DPD" anime nerds you see here on reddit, but for my little ponies. Personally I think he's just addicted to porn or something, but the psychiatrists would have dealt with that right?What should I do to help? I'm planning to drive down there for a general visit for my next break, and seeing him tear my parents apart like that sucks. Do people just not grow out of fetishes like this? Hell I've told him he should find himself a brony girl and RP it up, but he doesn't even have interest in cosplayers of the ponies. Hands and feet are gross and humans are too monkeylike apparently. I'm stumped.