Lack of acceptance?

Ok it seems like most people have no problem publicly liking mlp:fim. I mean it's not that big of a deal. however I live in the deep south (Born in LA) and most of the people here think homosexuality should be worth the death penalty. Every time I bring up something pony related I immediately get called a fag, you would think by college these people would have grown up but they haven't. So my question is: How do you all get people to see that this isnt the little wimpy show of the generations 1-3.5? I mean even my best friend ridicules me, and my mother says there is something wrong with all bronies.

I should mention that im a 6'5" and that everyone expects me to be a manly-man football loving redneck like them.