I don't have a waifu, but here anyway

[Sentimental Gentleman]

I can see where people are coming from here. It obviously isn't respectful, or even humanly decent, to come in and treat us as if we're a curiosity or inauthentic in our mode of living, or anything like that.

At the same time, though, I think it's important to recognize that people have different perspectives and life experiences, and some people, even if they're having trouble grasping the nature and the reality of our lives, are genuinely trying to understand and befriend us, not as case studies, but as human beings. Sometimes that means that something hurtful might slip out because of ignorance, but I don't think that means that their intentions are bad or cruel; simply that we need to kindly and openly talk to them about how what they say makes us feel and how we would like to be respected. I don't think that responding with hostility, even when we feel hurt or angry, ever produces any meaningful change; it just drives people away and makes the truth that much harder to get at.

I also personally believe that the perspectives of those who aren't ponylovers can be valuable to us and vice versa, just as straight people can learn from gay people and vice versa, men can learn from women and vice versa, and so on and so forth. We live out the truths of our lives, but I don't think we have a monopoly on what the truth is. I myself have gotten a lot of help in my relationship from my non-pony-loving best friend, whose experiences in relationships with flesh-and-blood girls have often given me a new perspective on how things stand between Applejack and I and helped me through some rough patches with her. In the end, I think we need to be as welcoming towards and understanding of others as we would like them to be towards us.