Being a brony is a lifestyle for some of us; attending meetups, conventions, wearing brony t-shirts. please be tolerant to to people who take it seriously.

There is no need to be an ass just because we disagree.
Besides, you're saying facing scorn, hate, ignorance, and possible risks to your well-being for admitting something only counts if it's sexual in nature?
MAYBE it's a difference of degree (depending on who we're talking about), but it's definitely in the same spectrum. You are aware that many people consider watching ponies to be entirely equivalent to being "gay", "immoral", or "sick" are you not? You didn't hear about the kid who got kicked out of his house because his parents thought him liking MLP was an "abomination"?
It sounds very much to me like you believe that your problems are much more serious and important that those of strangers who's situation you know NOTHING about.